Shangri La

9/12/11

2011-09-12T13:21:00.001-07:00

Its Monday, September 12, 2011 and I'm flying to Detroit. I still feel depressed post 9/11 anniversary.

I'm not sure why it hit me so hard this year. Perhaps it's all the mean spirited politics we are experiencing, maybe it's the memories of that actual time ten years ago...

In late August, 2001, BZ and I got engaged in front of a large platter of paella. It was our last night in Barcelona, we were on our way home from one of the most romantic and happy trips I'd ever had.

After September 11th, I had such mixed emotions as we planned our wedding for the following spring. The world was in mourning, I was part of that mourning but I was also wanting to celebrate the fact that I found someone to spend my life with...finally.

We visited Ground Zero in the late fall of 2002. I was pregnant with Max, this was BZ's first trip to NY. It was bitterly cold. When we arrived on the platform and looked down at the pit of devastation, I completely fell apart. There were still the notes from families, handkerchiefs, flags, all sorts of mementos left. Lists of the missing...I felt such grief for my former hometown, for all that was lost. It was cold so we left pretty quickly and made our way to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Too cold for the ferry, so we opted for a cafe instead.

Last night I lit four small candles for each of the planes that went down. I told the kids that I wished for peace and love instead of all this fighting. Aiden said, "Love is bigger than anything." He also said "Chicken!" but then, that's Aiden. And I am grateful.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Where did the summer go?

2011-08-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Wow. End of the summer. The beginning of school. Its been over a month since my last entry.

Here's a quick recap:

1. Berkeley Playhouse, Seussical camp. Max's group rehearsed for 3 weeks and performed on the final day. Max had a fantastic time, loves musicals, is still singing the songs.Aiden's group rehearsed for 2 weeks, and then put on a...show...of a sort. Very entertaining. Unbelievably cute. Aiden decided that he's not so into the theater. Can you tell?
2. Camping.We camped near Calistoga with a bunch of families we met at the preschool over 4 years ago. Luckily, they REALLY knew how to camp and served cocktails each night. So fun.3. Great America with more friends. Such a great time. We went on a Monday and avoided most lines. We got to go on rides over and over and over. I love a good theme park.
4. The Giant Race 1/2 Marathon. Ran it yesterday. Feel great. Made a PR at 2:13:50. For me, that's fast. And I know that I can get faster. Met Kim afterwards. We got some prime seats for watching the Under 6's run around the field. Very cute indeed. Nice recovery time and great catching up...
Those are just the highlights. But tomorrow is a school day and I have to get my rest. Gotta pack the lunches and do the morning routine once again. Sad to see summer go but excited about the beginning of Fall.

Vacation

2011-07-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

I just returned from vacation with BZ's family. Aside from the waterlogged iPhone debacle on the final day, I had a great time. The kids got to play with their cousins, we all got to hike and swim. And although sometimes the in-law thing can be difficult, this trip really was relaxed (other than the one stressful game night that led to three bawling kids).

Breckenridge, CO is 10,000 feet above sea level, it makes me struggle for air just thinking about it. On my third day of vacation, I signed up for a 4K trail run with North Face and the local Rec Center.

It was difficult to breathe and REALLY muddy but unbelievably beautiful. I kept hearing about Oxygen Bars but never found them.

Getting away, escaping work and the everyday tasks and chores of life is necessary. Getting back in the swing of things this Monday has been really hard. Probably the reason I returned to my blog.:-)

Looking forward to the next escape at the end of August....

Politics vs ?

2011-06-24T09:07:00.001-07:00

What I should be blogging about is Netroots Nation and The American Dream Movement. What I want to write about is my inability to focus.

I struggle with accepting the awkward nature of having a full life and not exactly having enough time to write about it all. Hard to choose what the focus of my blogging should be, or if I need a focus at all...Kim writes of travel, food, brief experiences, Laura and Gretchen write about their running...I love their blogs...

What is Margaret writing about?!!!

After returning from Netroots Nation all pumped up with ideas on how to get re-activated politically, I am also returning to my family responsibilities--my children, my husband, my job, my friends, my running...

So, to my tiny group of readers (are there any left?) I say....I will still toggle between all of my interests and passions...and if I get the urge to stay on one track, I may start up a parallel blog for that one area of focus.

In the meantime,
1. I went to Netroots Nation last week and was recharged
2. I started an Intermediate Running Class to learn how to run faster and efficiently...pulled something in my...glute (butt).
3. The kids have started camps and its really pretty cute.
4. I just got a cold and want to put my head under a pillow.

Birthday Weekend

2011-05-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

Boy, am I tired. What a weekend.

It all started on Friday evening with a birthday party up in El Cerrito. The best part of the evening was watching 10 or 11 little boys giggling hysterically to Buster Keaton in The General.

Saturday. I hosted a school event, The Amazing Race Party/Dinner. As one of three planners...I was given the task of baking a Tres Leche Cake. I have never made such a thing and it scared me. First of all, the idea of "tres leche" as a lactose-intolerant person...not so good. Second of all, it needs 8 hours of soaking time before serving, so there was a time element as well. It ended up being one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted.

The event itself involved 5 couples racing across the city to get photos, clues and various objects in a two hour period. It was really fun. Here's a shot of Amy in cuffs for extra credit...

When the teams returned, we projected the photos on our TV, swapped stories, drank mojitos and ate. And ate. And ate some more.

Sunday. My birthday! I went for a 10 mile run with my running buddy, Erin in Alameda. When we returned to Oakland, Erin showed off the rose garden right across the street from her house, Morcom Rose Garden, so lovely.

By the time I got home, the day had become even more beautiful, so we went on a hike at Sibley Volcanic Reserve off of Skyline, just a few miles from our house.

When we finally returned home, I could hardly move. So we watched The Gold Rush with Charlie Chapin, then went for sushi...so yes, I am tired but what a great weekend.

Family

2011-05-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I got to spend the morning in San Francisco with Kim, who I haven't gotten to spend much time with in years (its felt like years). I easily lose track of what and who matters in the craziness of my over-scheduled life.

Running with Kim along the Embarcadero was beautiful. Perfect weather, loads of time to share and catch up on things, big and little things...Kim is really like family and its great to be reminded of that.

Monday, I flew to Chicago for work. I made plans to meet up with my mom's cousin, Peg. We got to walk along the lake and catch up...

I also got to meet her husband, and her two kids Louisa and Luke, and Luke's wife and baby. We got to talk about family history, we each have different stories and history...some of it overlaps but not much. It was wonderful to find out that there are more activists in the family. Great to know that civil rights and activism are in the genes.

I knew that my grandfather fought for civil rights, went to jail for not naming names...but I didn't know that my Great Uncle marched on Washington in the early 70's and was a lifelong progressive. Peg went on marches and rallies with her parents...love that.

I also found out I have several more relatives that live in Berkeley, barely 15 minutes away. My family just grew larger. In a good way.

Here we go again

2011-04-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

So, I didn't make Round Two of the Netroots Nation Scholarship competition. They have added 8 more spots and have cleared all of the remaining competitor points. Which means, I start from scratch. Do I have it in me to bug people to vote again? It seems so obnoxious...

This past week, BZ and I went to go see President Obama speak in San Francisco. It was pretty exciting to see him in person. I will admit, he was quite the hotty, or as Jessie says, he's definitely a PILF.He addressed our liberal frustrations and acknowledged the slow pace of change and the disappointment of compromise. But I was also reminded of how many things have gotten done over the last 2 years. And, what would have been without him. As overwhelming as it seems, I know that I will be back on the volunteer bandwagon, fully supporting him for his second term.

So do I go for the final scholarship round? Probably. I just need to get my head back in the game, and keep asking the way politicians naturally (or un-naturally) do...over and over again.

So when's the next run?

2011-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

I must continue running. Apparently I am still running for the Netroots Nation Scholarship, round 2 of the competition ends April 17th. You can read all about it HERE.

And I am busily looking for other 1/2 marathons to register for. Its like an addiction. So, here are a few I am considering:

5/1 Big Sur Marathon Relay-registered
6/5 See Jane Run in Alameda-registered
8/27 The Giants Race, SF
10/2 Rock & Roll San Jose
11/20 Big Sur 1/2

I'm just thinking about these...I will probably sleep it off in a few days....

13.1 miles!

2011-03-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

I ran. I ran 13.1 miles and was still smiling at the end.

Really smiling...and crying. It was an amazing moment(s)...running down that last stretch, all those people cheering us on, and to the left, finally seeing my cousin Pat with Max and Aiden, seeing their faces light up, hearing them yell out and wave...nothing better. Those final moments were so moving and I made it across the finish line with a ridiculous grin on my face or maybe it was crazed laughter.
Who would have believed that I, Margaret Schultz, would have EVER run a 1/2 marathon? Seriously. Ask anyone who has known me longer than just a few years...

Its true that back in 1998 or 1999 I rode in the AIDS Ride from San Francisco to LA on my big heavy bike. Its also true that those seven days of riding led to knee surgery. but I would not have traded that experience back then for anything at all. The training, the friendships, and the accomplishment were life changing. As I rode my bike down that final stretch, I think it was Avenue of the Stars (no kidding), I was crying and laughing and beyond joyous. And not just because I could finally sleep in a real bed and take a real shower after 7 days. I proved to myself that I could do anything, even it hurt, even if it was hard.

So this half marathon deal? It feels great too. It feels a bit less extreme, a bit more doable on a regular basis. I can't wait for the next one.

Here are my long run training run buddies, Sheila and Dana.

And of course, Coach Erin, my early morning run buddy.

So a big thanks to my friends for keeping me going even when I didn't want to. Can't wait for our next run.

16 More days

2011-03-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

Really?

16 more days before the voting cuts off. I have to keep the momentum going and continue to find more online votes if I want to remain one of the top three vote getters for the NetRoots Nation scholarship. Eesh. 16 more days to gather votes...

Below is a description of the competition:

What is the DFA Netroots Nation Scholarship Competition?

Every year, the Netroots Nation Convention has provided progressive activists and candidates for office a forum to strengthen the online community and grow the progressive movement while inspiring action and growing new ideas to affect change.

Democracy for America members have helped to make the convention a success every year by attending, contributing funds and participating in discussions. Since 2008, DFA members have helped grow Netroots Nation by finding and supporting activists who couldn't afford to attend the convention on their own.

Thanks to the tremendous support of thousands of DFA members across the country, last year DFA sent a fantastic group of progressive activists to Netroots Nation in Las Vegas, NV. This year, we're working to do it again at Netroots Nation 2011 (in Minneapolis from June 16th-19th). You can join the competition or contribute online to help send an activist to the convention.

How does the Competition work?

The contest is broken into two rounds. The first round begins on March 4th and runs through March 28th. During that time applicants should encourage their friends, family and networks to vote for them. At midnight on March 28th the top three vote getters will automatically be selected for a scholarship. The remaining winners for Round 1 will be chosen at the discretion of the selection committee based on the criteria below. The Second Round kicks off on March 29th. All votes from Round 1 will roll over. The contest will conclude on April 17th. The top 3 vote getters as of Midnight on April 17th will automatically be selected for a scholarship and the remainder of the scholars will be chosen by the selection committee.

What does the scholarship provide?

The DFA Netroots Nation Scholarship covers the cost of one all-access pass to Netroots Nation 2011 and hotel accommodations for one from June 15th - June 19th 2011, as well as a few select meals and outside events sponsored by Democracy for America. Scholarship winners will be responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the convention and all remaining meals.

So you can see, I can really use this scholarship. Have you voted yet?

I need 100 more votes!

2011-03-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

“Netroots Nation is a gathering of our nation's most important truth-tellers -- courageous visionaries who birthed the blogosphere. In a wilderness of untrustworthy news outlets and corrupt politics, they build a yearly campfire around which the hope-roots can gather and speak the truth. It is always an honor and a privilege to be a part of this event.”
—Van Jones

For the past 6 years Netroots Nation has put on national conventions focused on supporting and training online and offline activists. I am applying for the DFA (Democracy For America) scholarship program that provides 40 folks with assistance to attend the conference.

The winners will have the opportunity to gather with progressive bloggers, community organizers, online strategists, union members -- even a handful of candidates and electeds -- for four days of smart panel discussions, hands-on training sessions and networking events. By joining and participating in this conference they’ll be helping to build a more cohesive, more powerful and more inclusive progressive movement.

To win a spot, I will probably need at least 150 more votes. Here's the link:

DFA Scholarship for NetRoots Nation Convention, June 16-19, 2011.

I'd love your support. Spread the word. I will do you proud.

And running some more

2011-03-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

Last week was a busy one. We went on a family trip to Monterey. It was a quick and fun getaway.

When we returned, a few days later BZ and I went to see Prince.

A few days after that, we went to see Bernie Sanders.

Over the weekend, I ran 11 miles. Not sure what happened to the sunglasses...a lot can happen in 11 miles...

I think its time for a nap.

Still running

2011-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

On January 8th, 2011, California's 16th Assembly District held elections for the CA Democratic Party delegates. In 2008, they set the record for voter turnout for the state with over 350 showing up. This year, they ran out of their 500 ballots and had to race out to print more. There were over 621 voters, another CA delegate election record for sure.

Although I did not win, I am still running. My 1/2 marathon training is in full gear and I will say that it is much easier to run long distances when running shorter distances throughout the week.

This past Saturday, I ran 7 miles. This is a big deal for me, the woman with bad knees, ridiculous feet and more excuses to not run than anyone I know. I did it AND was not crazy sore the next day. I am inspired once again and am running more regularly through the week, usually REALLY early in the morning with a small posse of other women.

The other "new" thing is that I am running without headphones and music. It seems more restful for me, less frantic. And, I can carry on a conversation with my running mates....once I catch my breathe. Oh, and the other...other...new thing is that I am trying out one of those fancy Garmin watches. So I like it but....I am still trying to figure out what all the buttons do and I am a bit envious of those with the sleek and fashionable Nike Sportsband (whatever you do, don't call it a watch).Oh! I almost forgot to mention, that after running the 7 miles, I entered a raffle at the local running store, Transports, and won a brand new pair of New Balance shoes. Sadly, the shoes are not working out for me but it was very exciting all the same.

Running and Running

2010-12-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

So within one week, I signed up to run as delegate to the Democratic Party in the CA State Assembly for AD16 (which is most of Oakland, Piedmont and Alameda) and...for my first 1/2 Marathon in March, 2011.

I am very excited about both. They both seemed impossible before jumping on board and now they both seem possible. I will start with the running. I have bad knees, I am not the athletic one in my family, I am too busy, I hate getting up so early, its uncomfortable. And yet...when I run, it feels good during the second 1/2 of the run and afterward I feel even better and proud of myself. And now I have cute running outfits as well (By cute I don't mean cheesy fluffy girly-not exactly) that glow in the dark, keep me warm and don't look so frumpy. Just because you feel like crap doesn't mean you have to look that way.

The second "running..." is for CA State delegate for the Democratic Party. Apparently the 16th AD is the most active of all 80 districts in the state, so competition is a bit high. I am excited to report that I got chosen to be on the Progressive Slate so we can run as a team supporting each other. The elections are January 8th and there is little time to get people to show up to vote. There are a few hurdles to overcome. Still pretty exciting....

Disneyland

2010-11-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

It all worked out. We worried, but in the end, we went to Disneyland, had a great time and avoided any further health hazards. No computer. No Ipad. An Iphone that had a fleeting battery life. Nice. We had two days straight of silly and tiring good fun. We arrived at the park at 8am and lasted well into the evening. The weather wasn't great but we bundled up in warm rain gear and went for it.We ran into a bunch of school mates of both kids...two families that we knew would be there and two families we ran into just by chance. Crazy. I even ran into a guy I just had a meeting with on the previous Saturday. Do you know how many people there are at Disneyland and California Adventure? Yes, tens of thousands daily.

A really fun family trip. So even though we met up with a few people we knew, we peeled off within the first few hours and continued our theme park experience on our own.

Disneyland was crowded. Even the rain didn't scare enough people off. Still worth it to see Small World, and some of the other classic rides. California Adventure was REALLY fun on the second day. I think there were less people overall, more space, and better food choices. We found an awesome ride with only a 5 minute wait so we did it twice. It was a water ride so we got pretty wet BUT it was fantastic-the kids got really giggly, we all got giggly and energized. Of course I ended up with motion sickness, but that's par for the course.

Although we didn't get to do all the cool big kid rides, we had a really nice time just following where the kids wanted to go. Aiden got to interact with a talking trash can, and Max and I got to see fireworks and Fantasmic WAY after his bedtime. A special treat for sure.

The Happiest Place On Earth!

2010-11-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

The last time our family had the stomach flu was 4 yrs ago, on our trip to Disney World. I was on a work trip in Orlando with Aiden and BZ's Mom (who was taking care of Aiden during the day). Aiden was in a sling, not quite 1 years old, Max and BZ joined us after a stop in Texas, where they caught a terrible flu virus. Not the best way to experience Disney.

Two days ago, the flu came back. It was sudden. Aiden and Max were playing a little rough, Max's head smashed Aiden's....I heard screams-bloody nose. No big deal until three hours later when Aiden started throwing up, repeatedly. I thought it could be a concussion. At 11pm when he kept getting sick, I drove him to the ER. Apparently, his knock in the head was just coincidentally lined up with the stomach flu.

By 2am the doctor stopped the vomiting with a Chemotherapy drug (great). Of course he couldn't stop the OTHER stomach flu symptoms which has lead to about 300 loads of laundry. Aiden slept all last night until 2pm today. I think he's on the mend...

So here's the thing. We leave for their first visit to Disneyland Sunday morning. I am a bit concerned that one of the rest of us might come down with similar symptoms. This would be bad. It's bad enough that it will be raining during their first visit to Disneyland but hurling would make it impossible. Why the Disney-vomit connection?
The best laid plans...

Catch up

2010-11-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

OK. So that last post was probably weird since I haven't posted anything for a while. Getting to see my holiday card in advance when you may not even be getting one (I have been known to not get them in the mail at all) might be obnoxious.

So I thought I'd follow up briefly with a catch up post.

Halloween was fun. Max made the cutest little Harry Potter, he'd been planning all year. His friend Izzy was so excited to have her hair died red to become Ginny Weasley (Harry's friend's sister).

Aiden turned 5 yrs old. So now he's no longer the 4 yr old in Kindergarten. He loves it most of the time except in the morning when he's got to go to school. We had a crazy exhausting party with too many 5 yr olds and just enough balloons to get in trouble. Everyone got a Captain Underpants book at the end to ensure potty humor in all of their homes as well as ours.

I've been running more regularly and have decided to run a 1/2 Marathon at the end of March. I know....probably not the best idea for my knees but I sure like a huge goal.
So there you go. Oh and maybe next post I can rant about our new TV. Its really big and it gives me motion sickness. No kidding. Apparently, we now only need one remote for everything. Weird. I never knew how to use all the other remotes anyway. Did I mention I barely watch TV more than once a week? I'll have to have the kids show me how it works...after I take Dramamine.

2010 Schultz-Lewis holiday card

2010-11-12T08:14:00.001-08:00

I ordered our holiday cards. This is the earliest ever for me. But there was this great "deal." I love to save money as I spend it. Ask BZ. So as I ordered the cards, I found three deals and for some crazy reason, they allowed me to take advantage of 20% off, $10 off and free shipping. Crazy. And, I love the card.

Joy Love Story Holiday

Shop hundreds of holiday photo cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

C.O.R.E.

2010-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

Done. I finished my CORE (Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) training. Yesterday was the final hands-on training with the Firefighters at their Oakland Training Center. Amazing. We got to practice what we've been learning over the past month: disaster first aid, search and rescue, putting out fires, "cribbing," lifts...and then we got to go through a post-earthquake simulation exercise.
There were about 8 volunteers playing victims of the disaster, made up in some pretty gross bloody-type makeup. I happened to get assigned to the First Aid tent and was to perform triage and first aid as best I could on those that got brought in. The guy pictured was all bandaged up rocking in a corner for most of the time.

Its hard to explain how cool it is to be training by the city to help in an emergency. These firefighters were amazing, fun, funny, super smart....and so generous with their time.
During the classroom training, there was a whole lot of information shared and most of it was stressful. Learning about how to take care of the most number of people rather than one individual. Leaving people for dead if they aren't breathing within a few tries. Learning that in a major earthquake, there will be dead people and that we will probably see them. Dealing with so much pain and destruction...but also, learning how to organize with neighbors in advance so that for most situations, you are pretty prepared.

The hands-on training felt pretty empowering. I was pretty good at putting out fires and search and rescue. Not sure how it would play out in real life though. I still have lots of reviewing to do. And although I don't have an extra minute, I find this all very energizing. I can't wait for graduation on November 17th. We each get a bright green CORE hardhat, vest and name tag to make it official. Yes, completely geeky, but I can't wait.

Several strong reasons to VOTE in November

2010-10-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a Barbara Boxer Fundraising event. It inspired me. I got to hear from:

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from New York, awesome progressive, young and aggressive, is one of the key supporters of LBGT rights legislation
Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, my new heroine-she's just a rock star-funny, a natural speaker, holds no punches, you may have heard her on the Rachel Maddow show

Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington- I'm embarassed to say, I wasn't familiar with her but now I know to look out for her, I liked her a lot.

Senator Mark Begich of Alaska (yes, he's a Democrat and fights for Global Warming legislation)
Host and Senator Dianne Feinstein, California,

got to meet her and although I've often shake my fist at her lack of progressive stances on issues, she has been a staunch supporter of a woman's right to choose, environmental protection legislation, corporate regulations and most of the areas that I support. It was an honor to meet her.

Here is why I support Senator Barbara Boxer:

Chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee- has fought on all fronts to end off shore drilling, continue to block drilling from the coast of CA, has passed legislation to increase Wilderness Areas....on and on
Strongly supports the repeal of DADT
Supports ending tax breaks for offshoring jobs
Supported and helped pass the biggest middle class tax cuts bill in our country's history
Supports the small business jobs bill, which is currently being blocked by Republicans
Continually supports a woman's right to controlling her own body and health care needs, in fact she said that she would fight for a woman's right to choose, "as long as there is a breathe in my body..."
She recently helped pass a bill adding thousands of teachers back into the school systems, paid for by ending those tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas

I always vote, but now I am inspired to vote-will you vote? Will your family and friends vote? Its the most American thing we can do.

Away

2010-09-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

When I go away on business, I enjoy alone time in my hotel room but I really love calling home and giggling over Skype with the boys. Sweet.

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

A very busy weekend for sure. Why do I over plan? Why?

Saturday morning: Ran a 10K. Who'd have guessed I'd pay to run 6.2 miles on purpose? I did it, I ran the whole way in 1:03. For me, this is success. Of course, by late afternoon, I felt pretty sore. Here's Amy and I posing with our cheesy ribbons.
Saturday afternoon: Went to Aladdin with the kids. A musical that the kids loved and we grownups could enjoy without cringing. Usually "family theater" is awful. This was not. This was one of the best I've seen at Berkeley Playhouse. Below is Aiden posing with the Genie.
Saturday night: 2 Ibuprofen and passed out.

Sunday morning: Slept 9 and 1/2 hours!! A record. Got the crazy idea to go pick tomatoes on a farm. So we did. We picked tomatoes and peaches and nectarines. Lots.
Sunday evening: Supposed to be at book group. Instead, date night at home. Rented Julie and Julia-loved it.

Monday Morning: Started tomato sauce...

Monday afternoon: Continued tomato sauce...I am covered in tomatoes. So is the kitchen.
Monday evening: Attempted canning of tomato sauce and since it is still Monday evening...barely, I am now reconsidering the effort. Lots of work for four jars of sauce. Did I mention I started with 22 lbs of tomatoes?

Oakland A's and the 5K

2010-07-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Last week, we went to an A's game...on a school night. I dragged the kids along on a spur of the moment whim. My friend, Adrienne, and her kids, were visiting just for the evening and they wanted to see a game. So that is exactly what we did. It was fun and cold and and exhausting.

Before this spur of the moment decision, I had asked a colleague if he knew how to get good seats to an A's game. So the day after this late night bleacher seat game, I get a call saying I now have really good seats to two day games. On the house. Wow. So for a family that doesn't follow sports, this is pretty incredible. A bit embarrassing really. Three games in 3 weeks? We're going to start looking like fans or something. I think we all deserve at least an A's hat or shirt or something. Maybe one of those giant foam hands?

On Sunday, I ran in the SF Marathon Progressive 5K. I had been feeling pretty awful since the baseball game at the beginning of the week, but somehow I rallied and had a great run, it was really fun and I beat my time by 3 minutes running a 10:07 pace (fast for me). I was the 4th fastest 46 yr old (there were 19 of us). I'm pictured with younger friends Angelica (ran faster than me by a minute, while limping with a bad knee for over a mile), and Andrea, who killed it at around 24 minutes.

And then, Sunday afternoon, A's Game #2. We won 6-4, a VERY exciting game.

On entry, we each got a free A's jersey, with some pitcher guy Anderson's name on the back.

We celebrated when we got home. Strawberry shortcake...always in good taste.

Chilly Legoland

2010-07-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

We planned for this vacation for almost a year. A couple of days at Legoland and the rest of the time playing in the sand, jumping in the waves and even soaking up some rays.

This past week was probably one of the coldest and most overcast San Diego County has experienced in years. BUMMER.

When we first arrived, we went to the beach just to check it out. We didn't put on bathing suits, it seemed too chilly. The kids still had a fantastic time.

Although it got a bit cooler and drizzled the next morning, Legoland was still a hit.

So one of the sweetest moments was on one of the rides in a boat that circled Mini Land USA. A boy on either side...I love those little hands...

It was too cold to return to the beach on our non-Legoland day so we ended up at the Discovery Center in Santa Ana. We all loved it. Sure enough, the sun came out in the afternoon. Very promising.

Our final day was back at Legoland, as well as the new Legoland Waterpark. It was about 62 degrees out. We kept hoping by afternoon the sun would come back out. But it did not. So at 2pm, we entered the water park, put on suits, wrapped ourselves in giant towels and shivered our way through the next few hours. The kids had a blast. I got a runny nose.

The only way back into warm clothes was bribing the kids with an ice cream cone. This finally worked.

Great to have a vacation. Wish it were longer and warmer.

Between Sonoma and Legoland

2010-07-01T17:46:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, BZ and I went up to Sonoma. Without kids. We visited Viansa where we got married 8 years ago, tasted some wine, ate delicious grilled pizza.

We checked into our fancy hotel, The Lodge at Sonoma, and were upgraded to a cottage (very cool!!!) but...it was the "accessible" room. So that translated as no view, and a bathroom with many rails to hold onto. Interestingly, there were no towel racks near the sink. I wonder, do people in wheel chairs not use towels?

On Saturday, we went on a hike, saw the last half of the World Cup game (USA v Ghana) and finished the afternoon off reading by the pool.

Early evening, we scurried off to Petaluma to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops (BZ moaning the entire time..."not a jug band!!!").

Sunday I ran 3.5 miles and earned the right to a big fat breakfast at The Black Bear Diner. I love Diners. Big ridiculous food that you cannot finish. BZ ordered a senior meal. I'm not kidding.

Our weekend getaway was relaxing, romantic, silly and fun. Immediately upon our return home, my jaw clenched, my fatigue rolled back in and I sunk into a real life funk. How do I hold onto that relaxed happy feeling when I am home? How do I hold onto that relaxed feeling while juggling kids and work and meals and the rest?

In two more days I get another shot at this life lesson, we begin our official family vacation, driving down to San Diego and Legoland. Here's the test. A week away to relax, have fun, reconnect with my family...fully. And when I return, will it be possible to hold onto some of that relaxed state?

In better news

2010-06-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

The world might be going to hell in a hand basket (who made up that phrase?), but the following still makes me happy:

1. The World Cup-Team USA makes it to the next round. And they did it in the most exciting last minute way. I know, geeky, but very cool.

2. I'm going to Sonoma for the weekend with BZ for a long awaited belated anniversary trip. Escape is good. Time together is good. And, I understand there might even be a pub with a big screen TV showing the World Cup game, USA vs. Ghana. Romantic.

Ginger and Kim

2010-06-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

This past week, was one of the busiest in a long time. And yet, I got to spend a lovely evening with Ginger and Kim. Time seemed to stop, almost go backwards, in a good way.

As a refresher, Kim was my roommate back in my single 30's. Kim went on quite a few blind dates and on one of them, came back with a dog, literally. The guy, who we call "dog owner," didn't work out but, he "lent" Ginger to us for a week while he went away on a trip. He couldn't handle her with his new single lifestyle. He offered to give Ginger to us forever. Kim was a bit concerned about the responsibility of a dog. For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to keep her, she obviously needed some better loving than that guy could give. We adopted her.

Kim and I went through dog training with a very stern trainer lady up in Marin (Marin...I think). Ginger failed, or rather I did, but, we all learned how to sit and lay down when prompted. I do mean all of us.

When BZ and I got engaged, Kim asked if she could keep Ginger when I moved out. And honestly, Ginger and Kim were really meant to be together. They ran together, did everything together. And I was distracted with BZ-itis. So Kim kept Ginger and they are the best of buddies.

So its been 9+ years, I think, since Ginger came into our lives. Ginger is now 15 and showing her age. She can't walk so well, her fur is much whiter, and her hearing is shot. But....she is still so dang cute and smiley. Last week, I got to snuggle with her....and all my old feelings for her FLOODED back. Gin doesn't have that much longer on this planet, and that makes me really sad.

Spending time with Kim and Ginger this past week was a great reminder of what is important. I not only need to spend more time with my friends, in this case Kim, but I need to recognize how important my friendships are and let those people know it. Hear that? Hold me to it.

Aiden graduates

2010-06-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

When Max finished his preschool, there was a graduation picnic on a Saturday afternoon somewhere in one of the parks off of Skyline. The actual ceremony was for about 6 kids and the adults all played kazoos in the background. We all hung out for the day, way low key.

Today, Aiden had a very different ceremony in a church sanctuary setting. There were 55 kids graduating so over 100 parents, relatives and friends. The kids trooped in, very cute, and sat in little blue chairs on a big stage.

They proceeded to sing about 300 songs and then each had their name called to get handed their "diploma." For some reason they stood on a box so that the family could take pictures. This process took seemingly HOURS. I will admit, the kids were so damned cute that you couldn't really get too upset about this slow process.

Afterward, we avoided the big group on their way to Fenton's (my worst nightmare of an ice cream shop), and joined a few other parents we know of kids who have siblings in Max's class for a Mexican lunch.

A very nice day. Sure I had to race home for a conference call that lasted for 3 million hours but it was OK since Aiden was on my lap. I blocked the camera on my laptop and put the phone on mute.

Birthday week

2010-05-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

A long birthday week. It all started in Chicago for business. I usually dread these 5-day trips away from family but Chicago is such a great city it made it more bearable.

I got to walk in Millenium Park and see some pretty cool video installations. There were these two screens about two or three stories high facing each other. Crazy.We also went to see Billy Elliott, which was visually amazing. I forgot how much I love live theater.

Finally, I got to visit the Art Institute, but for a really short period of time. I wish I could have had a full day there.

All week, everyone kept asking what I was going to do for my birthday. I had no plans but to be home after a week away. So we went to see Shrek in 3D, walked around Lake Merritt and played in the playgrounds along the way.

We went to Little Shin Shin's for dinner and came home for a chocolate cake.

I ended the evening watching Planet of The Apes with BZ. He bought me the full series on DVD, sweet.
One of the themes in Shrek was about appreciating what you have. The movie wasn't so good but thematically it hit me hard. Sometimes the everyday can be difficult, frustrating, boring, stressful...fill in the blank. And, its very easy to dream back to "before all this...". So today, post trip, post birthday, I may be dreading the preschool birthday party that looms ahead of us...but what's the alternative? Not having these kids? Not being with BZ?

When I was single, I dreamed of meeting someone, I dreamed of having kids. I also dreamed of saving the world. And now, I sometimes fantasize of the glory that is being single, the freedom mainly to do whatever I wanted to do....I suppose that's life, really. We cannot have it all. Or, we need to redefine "all." I still dream of saving the world but it might have to wait a bit.

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day.

This morning, we drove down to Los Gatos for a 5K Fun Run, organized by The Mother's Milk Bank of San Jose. I know I've run (and walked) other 5Ks but this one was different and far more meaningful to me.

When Aiden was born, I had to return to work much quicker than expected (or originally agreed to). I was unprepared. I was without childcare and without backup milk. It was around Christmas that I was told that I had to return the 1st week of the new year. In addition to the stress of trying to hire someone to help out during a major holiday, I had to begin pumping like a mad woman. Stick with me, I swear this is related to the 5K....

OK, so now back to work but, since I was nursing, and, since I was the only source of food for my baby Aiden (he was around 2 months old at the time), I was freaked about producing enough for him to live on when I was on the road. And, as it turned out, the stress reduced what I could pump while away from home. I couldn't keep up. In addition, I had business trips. Aiden came along. Still, not enough milk.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that Aiden was allergic to any supplement, any formula, anything other than milk from nursing. I am not trying to be super Earth Mom here but I am telling you, anything other than water and mother's milk made the Exorcist look tame. I couldn't really afford to quit my job nor did I want to feed him water as a meal, but it seemed like the only choice. Until.....I was told about The Mother's Milk Bank of San Jose. They are one of just a few milk banks across the country, and as of this year, they have been around for 36 yrs. They provide mother's milk, donated by over-producing (and very generous) lactating women. They test, pasteurize, bottle and freeze milk in 3oz bottles. The milk is only available with a prescription from a doctor.

I commuted down to San Jose every few weeks to pick up my tray of bottles at $3/oz. I spent a lot on milk. Finally, at 16 months, we discovered that Aiden could tolerate goat's milk and my spending spree came to an end.

So the 5K. When I saw this race listed, I knew I had to run. So this morning, I ran. And ran, beyond the 5K distance since the route was so ill-marked. It was worth it. I got to meet the executive director and of course, burst into tears.

I introduced her to Aiden and I cried some more, again, in gratitude. I returned home with two balloons, a runner's medal and sore muscles. I also returned home feeling really good and mom-ish.

Lego Death Star Part 2

2010-05-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

The Lego Death Star kit arrived on April 19th. Max finished building on May 1st. A great project, and impressive all around.

Lots of pieces, over 3800...

While building, its really fun to play on since it comes with loads of guys...

This is the final deal, boys posing, apparently as Jedi...

Lego Death Star Part 1

2010-04-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

Max has been saving up for over a year to buy the Lego Death Star. Finally last week, he had saved the $400 needed. Yes, $400. I called the Lego store in advance, and found out to my horror that the Death Star was on back order. I prepared Max for the let down and of course, he cried...and cried. So we went to the store anyway, placed the order AND bought a small little "in the meantime kit" to hold him over. That was purchased with the points earned from the Death Star...wow.

The guy at the checkout counter couldn't have been much over 20 yrs old. He was very impressed at 7 yr old Max and his $400 savings. I am over 45 and I cannot imagine having $400 in my wallet either. I am amazed when I can keep over $40 for more than a few days. I know its different for a kid who has nothing to buy but still....

We were told the kit would be shipped on April 29 or May 1st. We just got an update today and found out it should arrive within a week, by April 19th. We are all very excited. Part 2 coming soon!

Easter Seder

2010-04-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

So I started the day as the Easter Bunny and ended the day with a small simple Seder.

In the middle of the day, I went to a yoga class where I learned a yoga-style hulu dance. At the end, when we were in the relaxation pose (laying down, eyes closed), the instructur quoted Marianne Williamson, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." It is exactly what I needed to hear.

Health Care Reform

2010-04-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

In case you are unsure of where this new bill leaves us...

There are no death panels, no mandatory abortions, no mandated government controlled healthcare. You can relax, the insurance companies still get to make giant profits and in fact make more now that health care will be mandated. But this bill, as disappointing as it is to us lefties, and as scary as it is to conservatives, has some good stuff in it.

Here is a good summary of how it plays out in California, not so different around the country:

ANALYSIS: HEALTH REFORM'S BENEFITS FOR CALIFORNIA

As our state has one of the highest rates of uninsured, low-wage families who need help to afford coverage, workers who don't get coverage on the job, and people denied for pre-existing conditions, Californians would especially benefit from this health reform that directly addresses these issues.

On Tuesday, President Obama signed a "reconciliation" package of improvements to the base health reform proposal he approved last week. That package improved the measure for California, increasing aid to the state budget of California and improving subsidies for low- and moderate-income families to afford coverage in this high cost-of-living state.

From the House Energy and Commerce Committee and other sources, here's some analysis of the benefits of the health reform bill to California:

The law prevents the worst abuses of the insurance industry, installing consumer protections that will provide more security to all Californians. It also provide specific help to many Californians. Health reform will:
* Extend health coverage to 3.8 million uninsured Californians and improve coverage for 21 million Californians with employer-based or individual health insurance, ultimately extending coverage to 94% of the population.
* Guarantee that 800,000 Californians with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
* Protect 66,000 California families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
* Allow 3.2 million young adults in California to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.

Over the next ten years, the state and its residents will receive new federal support for health care worth approximately $124 billion. In California, the law will:
* Provide families with tax credits to purchase health care coverage and other federal health care benefits worth $106 billion.
* Provide small businesses with $4.3 million worth of health care tax credits.
* Fill the donut hole, saving seniors $9.3 billion in drug costs.
* Provide $1.4 billion in new funding to community health centers.
* Reduce uncompensated care costs for California health care providers by $2.6 billion.

Some specific benefits:

Affordability Assistance Through Middle Class Tax Credits and Medi-Cal

California residents that do not receive health care coverage through their employer will be able to purchase coverage at group rates through the new health insurance exchange.

To make this insurance affordable, the new health care reform law provides middle class families with incomes up to $88,000 for a family of four with tax credits to help pay for coverage in the exchange, so that coverage is not more than a certain (sliding scale) percentage of income.

For a family of four making $50,000, the average tax credit will be approximately $5,800. There are 7.2 million households in California that could qualify for these credits if they purchase health insurance through the exchange or, in the case of households with incomes below 133% of poverty, receive coverage through Medi-Cal. These families will receive $106 billion in tax credits and other federal health care assistance over the next decade.

Support for Small Business to Help Purchase Coverage for Their Workers
Small businesses with 25 employees or less and average wages of less than $50,000 will qualify for tax credits of up to 50% of the costs of providing health insurance. There are approximately 775,000 small businesses in California that could qualify for tax credits for providing coverage. These businesses will receive $4.6 billion in tax cuts over the next decade.

Help for Seniors Who Now See a Part D Donut Hole in Their Drug Coverage
There are 465,000 California seniors who have their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage "run out" each year, dealing with a "donut hole" in their coverage. Under the new law, these beneficiaries will receive a $250 rebate in 2010, 50% discounts on brand name drugs beginning in 2011, and complete closure of the donut hole within a decade. A typical beneficiary who enters the donut hole will see savings of over $700 in 2011 and over $3,000 by 2020. Over the next decade, seniors in California who hit the donut hole will save a total of $9.3 billion.

New Funds for Community Health Centers
There are almost 1,100 community health centers in California that provide health care to the poor and medically under-served. Nationwide, the legislation would provide $11 billion in new funding for these centers. If the community health centers in the state receive the average level of support, the 1,100 centers will receive $1.4 billion in new assistance.

Reducing the Cost of Uncompensated Care
California hospitals and health providers incur billions of dollars in uncompensated costs for providing health care for individuals without health insurance or with inadequate insurance. By providing quality, affordable health care coverage for almost every American, the new health care reform law will reduce the costs of uncompensated care for California health care providers by $2.6 billion over the next decade.
*****************

I believe everyone has a right to health care so I do believe in single payer and this current new law is not that. It's not exactly the bill I supported, I think it doesn't go far enough BUT I do think its important to note that this bill will save billions of dollars over the next 10 years and trillions over the next 20. And, more people will get covered which is also good. Its a start.

The Inaugural Oakland Marathon (and 5K)

2010-03-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight I ran in the Oakland Twilight 5K that kicked off the big Oakland Marathon Weekend. I was going to blow it off since I haven't gone running in months, in fact, haven't exercised in months. Exception, yesterday I went to yoga (1st time since Max was a baby...that's 7 yrs).

The big mistake, other than not running before today, was going on a big family hike this afternoon several hours before the race. So, what little strength I had...became littler.

I finished, I ran the whole way, minus a 45 second walk to drink the water they handed me. Oh, and toward the end, I started to walk but a woman told me, "We're almost there and you are my exact same pace!" So I kept running and finished. A bit disappointing even for being in bad shape.

#2643	Margaret	Schultz	Oakland	CA	45	F	Time: 46:41	576 of 729

#2643

Margaret

Schultz

Oakland

Time: 46:41

576 of 729

(UPDATE: Chip time reported at 41:29)

Embarassing. but now I am inspired to begin running again. I was down to 36 minutes and can get there again. I also think, if I can run on a regular schedule, I can get faster than that, maybe 30 minutes?

Here's Nicole, the woman who kept me going:

And here's me, grateful to be done:
Did I mention that the fire department was handing out cans of beer to finishers? Somehow it struck me as tacky...but I drank anyway.

What's in a name?

2010-03-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made Lamb Babootie. Because it was called...Babootie.

I found it on Cooks.com.

It was very tasty over rice. I highly recommend it if you like sweet curry dishes. Not a hit with the kids. But the name led to much giggling and a new Babootie song. So, in the end, it was worth it.

Cooking cupcakes

2010-03-15T14:57:00.001-07:00

I saw a picture in Cooks Country, the newer, more accessible cooking magazine from Cooks Illustrated. I was reminded of the Hostess Cupcakes from my youth, the ones I still see in every 7-Eleven. They don't taste good but they look great. I was intrigued. I was obsessed. I had to make them.

So this past weekend, I spent several joyous hours engulfed in chocolate and marshmallow. I ran low on the marshmallow mixture at the end, so, the inside filling did not come out as firm as I would have liked...but still, I have to admit, a success. The cupcake was really chocolaty goodness (unlike the dry disappointing Hostess brand).

The day after making these, our next door neighbor dropped by and before I could stop him, BZ offered him one of the cupcakes. Our neighbor was very happy. He brought it home to eat in private. The next day, he rang the doorbell and yelled up to me, answering from the balcony, "That was great-can you save me just one more?!!!" Sadly, I agreed, how could I say no?

I originally made twelve. It turns out, that was not enough. I am committed to a double batch next time. And perhaps, I may have to rethink my swimsuit choices come summer.

The Party

2010-03-07T21:41:00.001-08:00

I'm exhausted. My throat hurts. My eyes are burning and I still need to sit down and see the Oscars. Yes, I taped them.

Today was Max's Star Wars Lego party. 12 friends, their siblings, their parents, many frozen pizzas, lots of chocolate legos and a big Star Wars cake.

There were a bunch of games. Many of the kids blew off the costume dress up game, but a few really enjoyed it:

BZ designed the most elaborate treasure hunt with clues written in a Star Wars Font...the kids were mesmerized:

Of course they built with legos:

Time to blow out the candles:

2010-03-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

There are a few good cookbooks that I use that never fail me. The New Basics is one of them.

This morning, yummy pancakes, don't even need syrup. I know that there are a million basic recipes for pancakes, but these are just perfect, if you like sweet crepe like pancakes...which I do.

A busy day

2010-03-06T21:26:00.001-08:00

Saturday, March 6, 2010

8am coffee
8:15 Safeway for cake flour, does it really make a difference?
8:45 Stuck in traffic due to a family of turkeys crossing the road, not kidding.
9:00 Make breakfast for kids, BZ is off to work...downstairs.
9:20 Read a story
9:30 Begin making birthday cake, baking with the boys.
11:00 Go to School Silent Auction and BBQ, bid too much, hope I lose.
2:30 Return home and begin icing the cake, chocolate, vanilla, Clone Wars...
3:30 Finishing touches on the cake

3:45 Lick the spoon, fill the spoon and lick again
5:00 A friend's kid, Zachary, dropped off for overnight babysit (surprise birthday evening for his mom)
5:45 Drive with Zachary and my kids to surprise his Mom at the Paragon Bar at the Claremont, what a view...

7:00 Return home, make a quicky dinner
8:00 Get kids in jammies, read stories, put to bed
9:00 Count out Lego prizes for party tomorrow
10:00 pm Zzzzzzzzzzzzz....

The procedure

2010-02-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I am going to Kaiser to get a "procedure" done. Since we have the lowest level family plan at Kaiser, we pay everything out of pocket until it hits something like $7000. So, given the no-frills coverage, I can't afford the no-pain option for tomorrow's procedure. That would cost $5000. $3K for the anesthesiologist, access to the OR, etc. Instead, I am opting for "pain-reduction" by way of Ibuprofen and Vicodin in the doctor's office, reducing the cost to only $2000.

I was told to practice my breathing exercises that I learned back in prenatal yoga. The nurse also promised to hold my hand. The "uncomfortable" part involves 4-6 injections and should take about 5 minutes so in the end, its no big deal, just expensive and scary. I have tried almost everything else, and this new specialist believes that this treatment is the one for me. Nothing dangerous, certainly not life or death....although I did ask for a friend to say a prayer. Did I mention I am afraid of even the smallest needles?

Max and mommy

2010-01-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

1. BINGO: Max and I just started volunteering to call Bingo at Satellite Housing, a senior housing complex in Rockridge. So fun. Monday was our first day and I think we were both a bit nervous. We were warned that on the first day there may only be a few folks...in fact, there were seven, 4 Russian, 3 Chinese. I only learned this when they announced the languages they were calling out and translating with.

Max called most of the numbers, "B2...I34" and he could be heard. I was really surprised by his bold loud voice...Max...not Aiden, but Max! Amazing and wonderful. In case I forgot to mention, we arrived a bit early so had time to pick up a hot chocolate on the way. That might have provided some of the big energy in his voice.

2. HARRY POTTER: Max and I are reading the first Harry Potter book. Aiden listens in sometimes. Max listens really seriously and gets really sad (read: whiny) when we have to stop to turn out the lights. He is LOVING it. And, I have to admit, I am loving it too. Reading a real book, one that I love and forgot about is fantastic.

3. NEW YORK: Max and I are going to NY for President's Day Weekend. Just the two of us. It should be pretty fun. We'll be visiting my parents, he'll get loads of attention. Will I get jealous? I'm feeling a bit guilty leaving Aiden and BZ behind, but Aiden will get his turn. And BZ, he gets his family trips already with no kids at all.

A final note: Being home for longer than a three day stretch has been wonderful. Sleeping in my own bed each night is such a relief. Aiden has been more and more cuddly with me, and we giggle more than ever. I think we are all doing so much better as a family together.

Final note #2: OK. Tonight sucked. I arrived home after a 12 hour day, two kids whining, not the dinner I expected ( I know, I know) and a general grouchy feel for the evening. I guess we are all now used to me being home and its back to reality-good days and bad days. But, I still get to sleep in my own bed.

Goodnight Vina

2009-12-31T20:02:00.000-08:00

Its New Year's Eve, and a former colleague of mine is dying tonight. Perhaps not tonight, maybe tomorrow, but there is little time left. I am so sad for her family. I am sad her life is cut short.

As this decade ends, I picture Vina's beautiful smile and hear her laughter in my head and think about the good that I sometimes don't recognize. Right now, Vina would roll her eyes at my current maudlin state. She'd tell me to lighten up and look forward, and so...

I toast to the new year, the new decade, the unknown....health, happiness, love, peace, legos, chocolate....what am I missing? Great thanks to all my friends and family for this wonderful life and the chance to keep trying to make it better. Goodnight Vina. And goodbye.

I made it

2009-12-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

I made it through the year. I think it was harder on BZ and the kids than on me. Perhaps I don't fully feel it yet. I do feel a sort of elation if that counts. It feels good to be home.

Yesterday, I got dressed for my last meeting of the year, got my paperwork, got in the car. I picked up the phone to give my confirmation call and saw that there was a message waiting. My meeting was canceled. I had a semi-phone meeting/holiday chat and was done. All dressed up for a phone call in the car in the driveway. Done. My Central Valley year is over.

I cleared out the Fresno apartment this past week and drove home not being able to look out the back window. I exchanged cookies with the cool retired guy I rent from. I got a little sad. This whole month has been about goodbyes with my clients. It's nice to know I have been valued, appreciated, needed. This is the part that's hard to leave.

But look what's here!

Max learning how to blow a bubble:

More 5K races in pink boas:

Happy Holidays, it's good to be home!

Giving thanks

2009-11-30T22:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Yes, I love the food and the chaos in the planning...but mainly I love to be with family and friends. And, its a special time for me to stop and be thankful. And this year, I am very thankful. Down on my knees thankful. Although I am not a religious person, I feel prayer might be in order to make sure my thankfulness is heard wherever it needs to be heard.

There are several special people I know and love who are going through such difficult times. Dealing with loss of income, loss of health, loss of love. And although life is far from perfect here in our little tree house, we are so lucky. I am so lucky, blessed really. My family is currently healthy. We are currently earning incomes. We still agree to be married and follow our marriage vows, even though we might skip a paragraph or two from time to time.

This is the first year in a long while that I have felt that, life is really hard. This is the first year of my 7+ year marriage that I understood why people could so easily get divorced. This is not the first year that I have felt so trapped by the need to earn an income, yet this year seemed harder.

I share this to be clear: life is far from perfect but....I am reminded at Thanksgiving of all to be thankful for. I have wonderful family and friends. A roof, with leaks, but a roof all the same, over my head. And love. Wobbly and wonderful love. At least for today. As the 12-Steppers say, "One day at a time."

Vacation in Fresno

2009-11-15T21:30:00.001-08:00

Jeepers I'm exhausted. BZ went away for the weekend to visit family, and I decided to have an adventure of my own. I picked up the boys after school on Friday, packed up the van and headed out to Fresno. Friday afternoon heading East may not have been the best plan but who knew there would be 4 accidents to navigate? It took a bit longer than expected....

Fresno may not seem like a great vacation spot, but listen, there are lots of activities there for kids. And, I have an apartment to stay in for free. I kinda wanted to show my place to them and it ended up being a really good idea.

My plan for Saturday was to start the day at the zoo, go across the path to playland, then down another path to Storyland. Once done in the big park of activities, go grab lunch and head over to the Amtrak station. A colleague in the area suggested taking the boys on the Amtrak for one stop (30 minute ride) to Hanford. In Hanford, around the corner from the station, is a famous Ice Cream parlor and restaurant. The best laid plans....

So the first part of the day was really fun. The zoo was surprisingly entertaining with tigers, elephants, flamingos and crazy colored frogs and lizards. And hot chocolate, it was cold!!!!!! Storyland was being renovated while we were there so although the price was reduced significantly, it was disappointing since half the displays were inaccessible. Playland had a limited number of rides but...still fun.
Amtrak. I was really excited about this and had already bought our tickets online. How cool, right? Well, trains are noisy...really noisy and loud. And Aiden would have none of it. He screamed and cried which made Max start bawling as well. Before I burst into tears, I dragged both boys back off the train and back into the station. Got a refund, went to Baskin Robbins by car. Good enough. In fact, they had two different rainbow sherbet flavors.

Oka Sushi for dinner and then, I had planned an evening of giggling and playing games...but I was wrecked. I cheated and turned on some kid TV channel with cartoons. Nice easy ending to a ridiculously long and over-planned day.

Sunday, time to head home. Aiden didn't want to leave what he dubbed, "the guest room." And in a way, either did I. I almost never get to spend such concentrated time with these guys. It wasn't easy, I got tired out but, it was mostly really fun.

On the way home, we stopped to play miniature golf at Boomers in Modesto. Also fun. My kids love these places. We then grabbed a fast food lunch (with prize) and finished the rest of the drive. We had a whole afternoon and evening to settle back home. We played Star Wars, Lego something-or-other, ran around the living room, played Wii Fit, jammed in a dinner and bath time...oh and homework, stories....lights out...boy, much more tiring doing this parenting thing alone.

I look forward to a good night's sleep tonight. Knock on...where's the wood?

Aiden's Scooby Doo Party

2009-11-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

Preparing for a Scooby Doo party can take longer than one might inspect. Especially if one has been drinking the night before. And even though that first drink, a cucumber gimlet, might have tasted like "summer in a glass," it wasn't very helpful.

So at 12:30 am Saturday night/Sunday morning, I thought I would save some time by baking the cake for the next days festivities. This great idea might possibly have been related to my alcohol consumption.

Eek. Some technical difficulties for sure. Yes, I have an electric oven which I hate and cannot control for the life of me. But, I also had a cucumber gimlet and a sake dancing through my wimpy little mama veins. Not incredibly attractive (the cake) and, what you cannot see is the bottom, or the lack of a bottom. The whole bottom of the cake stuck to the pan.

Enter the most incredible invention ever. Sleep. I just hung up my apron and went to bed.

And the next morning, Sunday morning, I remembered the second most incredible invention: Chocolate icing. Lots of chocolate icing. More chocolate icing. And decorations, lots of decorations.

And of course other stuff, like cookies, Scooby snacks, ghost meringues.

Oh right, this is about Aiden, the birthday boy and his loving brother (at least in front of the cameras).
And finally, a party with party games. No one was interested in Pin The Blame on The President, so we played Pin the Bowtie on the Skeleton and Make a Mummy. Special thanks to our volunteer mummies: Gwen, Amy, Jessie and BZ. All good clean fun.

Yummy mini meatloaf

2009-11-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

I actually cooked something with taste. Meatloaf. No really, delicious. I found the recipe on Epicurious, a new Iphone App. I know, I know...but there it is...rather, here it is:

You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/355962?mbid=ipapp

Speedy Mini Meat Loaves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup plain unseasoned bread crumbs
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons milk
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, garlic, onion**, salt, thyme, and pepper. Divide the meat mixture among the 12 muffin cups, pressing the meat firmly into the pan.
3. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is almost cooked through—the "loaves" will be firm when pressed lightly in the center but not set.
4. While the meat loaves are baking, whisk together the ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce*. After baking for 20 to 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze, using it all up, and return the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes more, or until the glaze has thickened and the meat is completely cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes total. Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edges of the muffin cups and pop out the meat loaves. Serve hot.

The Deen Bros. Take It Easy
August 2009
by Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark

*I skipped the glaze for the kids and just had them decorate with ketchup.
**The only change I made was to saute the onions before mixing them into the rest of the ingredients. I did this since BZ is allergic to raw onions, and freaks if he bites into a crunchy onion. It worked, he loved it.

Coming home

2009-10-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

I have been working pretty hard lately. Aside from living in Fresno half of the week, every week, I have been putting in extra hours, extra driving so that I can eventually come home.

This is my marketing month for next year. If I enroll some magic number of new clients, then I won't have to commute as far. This is exciting. So normally, the idea of marketing makes my stomach turn, but this month, I say, "bring it on..."

And it seems to be working. At the end of each day, I feel a little closer to home. My mood is already shifting, and perhaps I should hold off until I know for sure, but I feel pretty confident. And this confidence seems to be attracting more success.

I was home for an extra night this week, and everyone was in such a good mood. Dinner was good, the kids played well together, BZ didn't overcook the steak. I'm telling you, things are going very well. And it feels good in the moment to feel good.

Mind-games with a 6 year old

2009-09-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

Max asked me to picture myself in a room. He asked, "What is behind you and what door do you go through, the entrance or the exit?" He assured me that I could make up anything I wanted.

I answered that there was a big pile of chocolate behind me and I went out the exit since I needed to get away from the temptation/tummy-ache.

He then proceeded to share the results of this scenario at school, he asked lots of kids these same questions. He said that everyone seems to take the exit and almost no one ever went out the entrance. More importantly, he said girls and boys answer the, "what's behind you?" question very differently. Boys all say monsters, light sabers, dragons, etc, while girls all say, and I am not kidding, flowers, fairies, nice things. Sigh.

I am relieved that I said chocolate.

REMEMBER September 11, 2001 - TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS OF 9/11

2009-09-11T09:24:00.001-07:00

Days off in Abu Dhabi

2009-08-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

I had a few unexpected days off. A scheduling misunderstanding. So I became a tourist quite quickly. The following is the new Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is the 3rd largest Mosque in the world.

To go inside the mosque, women must be covered in the traditional "abayas" which are the robes, I cannot remember the name of the head scarves...

The reason for the black is so that no one can see through it. In fact, they were quite comfortable and I can see if you were a bedouin in the desert how it would protect you from the blowing sand and wind.

One evening, we went on a desert safari. The first activity was called "dune bashing." Translation: Get in a jeep, hold on tight and let the driver go crazy driving as if it were a roller coaster. Fun for the first 10-15 minutes but then the motion sickness took over. I remained nauseated for the rest of the evening.

I got to meet a camel and then even ride on one.

There was an evening meal followed by shisha. Not so bad. It had a bit of flavor to it, but no head rush, not like cigarettes. In fact, not like much at all.

What I am thankful for

2009-08-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

1. Skype. Connecting me to family for free is amazing and wonderful. Here is what I get to see daily:
2. An unexpected day off spent at the Hiltonia Beach Club:

There was a beach as well (at the beach club) but we were warned about jelly fish. I still waded in a bit, it was nice, like a bath. Perhaps some pictures after my next visit.

3. I am really lucky to be working with a great group of trainers. Dang, they make me laugh. Work hard, play hard....lots of adventure here in Abu Dhabi!

Just another day in Abu Dhabi

2009-08-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

My eyes are burning. Probably from another day of dehydration. An incredible place but I cannot imagine living here. Fascinating cultures to learn about, amazing things to see....but no f-ing way. Construction is everywhere:

This is our work site:

This is the biggest Mosque in the UAE (my photo only captures about 1/2 of it):

This is the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi hotel pool (loveliest I've ever seen):

This the opulant, over the top Emirates Palace Hotel (ceiling painted in gold, yes, real gold):

These fellows, rather, these Sheiks, are pictured EVERYWHERE (I broke rules taking this photo):
Our current itinerary:

Tonight we are off to a Brazilian restaurant, tomorrow a tour of Abu Dhabi, Saturday morning we go to Al Ain for a cultural experience of some sort, and in the evening we go on a desert safari and ride a camel to dinner (OMG). Sunday we go to an Iftar, which is the Ramadan feast that follows the breaking of the fast. Whew. These are the plans so far.

And I thought I was on a business trip.

Under construction

2009-08-23T07:06:00.001-07:00

Just so you know, I'm not permitted to share any photos of the hotel construction on the internet. Its all under wraps until the grand opening. The Yas Hotel on Yas Island, is just one small project of many others that spread across a 26 mile drive along the waterfront.

Today I saw a model of the 10 year plan. Its outrageous. Talk about money. And yet, not much is spent on the facilities we are working in, or the lunch we are being served or the transportation that we are taking to and from the work site (picture a small bus with little to no ventilation, no AC and 115 degree weather. Now fill the bus with a bunch of sweaty people. Add motion sickness and stir).

The hotel we are staying in is very comfortable. The biggest snafu so far is that I don't have the right adapter for my hair flattener/straightener/de-frizzer. Do you have any idea how big my hair can get in this heat and humidity? Did I mention 115 degrees. Yup. Hot. Here's the view from my room into the street:
I hear the evening prayer but from where? Its a beautiful sound...and now, the Muslims can break their fast.

During Ramadan, which started two days ago, the Muslims fast, which means, that the display of food or beverage in public places or around Muslims is forbidden during daylight hours. So at our work site, if we are thirsty, we have to go into the kitchen, close the door and discretely drink water. And no smoking or music during this holy period. Not surprisingly, the first few days of Ramadan are the hardest as they have to get used to not eating all day. Even harder is when it falls in the summer and days are longer. Our students are nodding out, midday and can you blame them?

Comfort in knowing

2009-08-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here is where I will be staying in Abu Dhabi, since the hotel I will be working in is still under construction:
Its the Rotana Hotel. It seems kind of nice. It recently got renovated and its pretty high tech and swank looking. And, in some of the pictures there are women in sleeveless tops, tank tops...hmmmm. Perhaps it is OK on days off, or just within the hotel walls?

All very curious. I feel a bit relieved to know that I am staying at a nice place. I figured I would be, but...its nice just knowing.

Abu Dhabi

2009-08-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

If you thought the Central Valley was a long commute...try Abu Dhabi. That picture above is where I am heading toward the end of the month, the soon to be opening Yas Hotel on Yas Island. I will report more as I learn more.

By the way, have you seen where the United Arab Emirates is on a map? Its literally on the other side of the planet. No kidding.

Vacation

2009-07-28T21:20:00.000-07:00

We were gone for a week and it flew by. We drove down last weekend to Carlsbad. Spent two days at Legoland.
Everything is made of Legos which is hard to tell in the photos...but really, a gazillion legos...
Seriously, there is a miniature version of NY (in photo), Washington, DC at the Inauguration, Las Vegas, Fisherman's Wharf, etc.
Legos of all sizes for all sizes....

There was also a 3-D theater, I just love the glasses with the hat, couldn't resist.

This guy was not made of Legos, although, there was a Lego version of him nearby.

A bit of time at Sealife Aquarium, Spent time on the beach. I got in three days worth, not bad. Too bad there are NO pictures of me. It stinks when I am the only one snapping the shots. I have to admit, it would be hard for me to look as excited as BZ with a sand castle.

I got to see some old friends from long ago Dinamation days, really fun.

Lots of fun adventures, even Benihana...
And then we drove the 8+ hours home. A final note, when we hit Livermore, less than an hour from Oakland, we pulled off the freeway to play miniature golf, extending the vacation by just a wee bit. That was fun too.

The big show

2009-07-16T22:33:00.000-07:00

Max goes to OFASS, Oakland Fine Arts Summer School. Its a low-to-no cost 19-day program in the summer for 250 local kids K-5th grade. On the second-to-last day (that would be today) the kids perform some of what they learned in their classes. The walls of the school are lined with their art work, they sing, dance, hip hop, clown, model (yes, like on a runway), perform martial arts...drum...the list goes on, in fact, so did the show. And on and on and on.

There were two shows, each supposed to be about 1+ hours, each ending up at around 3 hours. Egad. BUT then there are these kids performing their hearts out. What's better than a 8 year old waving and smiling with a goofy grin in the middle of a big number? Funny, fun, beautiful.

Max is not the most daring and outgoing kid but he gave it his all. Below on the runway:
He was very excited to be pictured in the paper (picture at the top), he was pretty proud of his new dress up clothes, and he even cracked a smile while singing in a mass of kindergarteners towards the end of a ridiculously long day. He told me later, "I really liked that song the best."

I helped out in the boys dressing room and of course they all wanted to see how good they looked on my camera...

Finally, what day would be complete without a celebratory lunch between performances (read: bribe to return for second show)?

BILL MOYERS Healthcare Reform

2009-07-14T08:31:00.001-07:00

Check out this podcast on iTunes:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=161038776

Sent from my iPhone

Give me a break

2009-07-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for a vacation. Yesterday, we went to a birthday party in Daly City. It was a pirate party. The kids had a great time, We had a great time given that it was really a visit to good friends. It was a painful reminder however of how much I miss seeing my friends, how much I miss having a normal life. This parallel life of mine, working 100's of miles from home is starting to wear thin.

So, next weekend we are off to Legoland in Carlsbad, CA. Perhaps we'll throw in SeaWorld as well. Maybe we will just hang out at the beach or, not get further than the hotel pool. I don't care. Vacation. Rest. Reaquaint myself with my husband and kids. Hi, my name is mommy...remember me?

The other side of Fathers Day

2009-06-21T13:05:00.001-07:00

While BZ and Max watch Star Wars, Aiden and I chase birds in the park.

So many milestones

2009-06-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Max lost a tooth today. Yesterday, he tested and earned his first stripe in Poekelan, a martial arts class he's been taking. These things are amazing to me. He's 6 and I wonder all the time about this small little creature and how fast he grows.

I am so amazed at his language and his humor and then suddenly he starts to whine or cry over a lost Lego piece and I remember he's JUST 6 years old.

Aiden at 3 has become a full fledged comedian. He loves doing asides to the audience, He takes a crazy or goofy stance and then freezes waiting for the laughter. It is funny so he gets the laugh which leads to unfreezing and a new crazy position and then freezing again.

Parenthood is fun sometimes.

Birthday

2009-05-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Its Sunday. The day after the day after my birthday. I meant to say that. We had a party. It was fun and helped shake off my birthday blues. Perhaps it was the wine, perhaps it was my party dress, but more likely it was a house full of friends that did the trick.

Before the party, Aiden had to go to the ER, which got downgraded to an appointment at pediatrics since he was struggling with breathing a bit. Apparently, his Albuterol had expired. Oops. Turns out they say he's got asthma. Now, here's the thing, the doctor took about 15 minutes to check him out, no testing, nothing. Basically, he got a Saturday afternoon, "sure want to get the hell out of here" checkup.

So, I was a bit tense at the beginning of the party not really knowing if Aiden would come back home with pnemonia or some other awful diagnosis. When I heard asthma, I was relieved since I could process that later and he seemed (and still does seem) fine.

There were lots of people, food, music, fun. As usual, its always hard to get around to everyone so I just decided to try and enjoy myself instead of stressing about doing it right. I think I succeeded. Towards the end of the evening, Bear and Zac started to play,

others joined in. The kids and I just kicked back....and enjoyed the closing of the party...

Today, we cleaned up cupcake residue around the house, put the closet door back on (kids are strong), picked up the marbles and went....oh yeah, we are home.

Birthday lunch

2009-05-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Mondays with Max

2009-05-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

BZ is a big fat winner

2009-05-17T23:02:00.001-07:00

BZ won two Emmies last night! They were for his music on two promo pieces for KPIX, our local CBS affiliate.

We got all dressed up for the big award ceremony last night and finding something to wear wasn't easy. I don't think I've shopped for award-ceremony wear in a while, a long while. I chose poorly and ended up pulling my silky wrap shirt back together all night long.

I found myself envious of all the other women with their shiny cocktail dresses (that stayed on) and their strappy sexy shoes. At least if I was going to dress impractically I could have felt good about it.

BZ rented a tux and then switched out the shirt for one of his stage shirts, very red and textured. He looked cool dude-ish.
I suppose I should mention BZ's fantastic idea to take BART on an evening that was one of the hottest all year. Oh yeah, and we sat stuck to the seats in a car with no air. For some reason it didn't occur to us that we could have moved. Probably since I was working hard at my resentment toward the whole public transportation thing while wearing a ridiculous outfit. That and trying to find air to breath....aren't we supposed to arrive in a limo?

In the end, practical BZ saved us lots of potential traffic and a hefty parking bill at the Palace Hotel. We also were lucky enough to experience lots of attention from BART riders which is always really nice late at night.

No breakfast in bed

2009-05-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

We had a busy but nice weekend. Friday started out at Kaiser pediatrics to uncover the mystery behind Max's horrendous two-day headache. No answers but at least it wasn't the swine flu/H1N1. Nor was it a head injury. Just some sort of weird virus that gives a nasty headache and extreme exhaustion.

Lucky for me, Max woke up Friday afternoon refreshed and mostly back to his old self making it much easier to leave him with a babysitter, with the least amount of guilt. Friday night was the Blame Sally CD release party and BZ got to play backup on a bunch of songs so I really wanted to be there.
Backstage, where I was not allowed, yes, I am a wee bit bitter (long story), they had hair and makeup people for the Sallies. Someone had a brainstorm and suggested BZ get his hair done too. He was game and within no time, his hair was straight. And brushed straight down on the sides of his face. Nice. Kind of a 70's metal look. Or, more like a bad wig on a transgender fellow/woman. Here's the thing, BZ has beautiful hair whether it's straight or curly, and, he's a good looking guy, but they styled his hair like a girl. And, that didn't work so well on his head. Next morning it looked a bit better after sleeping on it.
The concert was great, I mean to say, Blame Sally was fantastic, it was a near sold out Palace of Fine Arts (that place seats around 1000). I am so happy for Monica, she has worked so hard for this....
Anyhoo, went to a kid birthday party on Saturday afternoon and stayed into the evening drinking Margaritas getting an early start on Mother's Day. And, good thing since on Mother's Day, I got exactly 20 minutes of Mother's Day attention, from 7:40 am to 8 am. I'll take it where I can. And in addition to the candle holder from Aiden, the flower pot from Max and his two beautiful cards, I also ended up getting new cushions for our patio chairs. Now I know this isn't standard and I should have probably gotten breakfast in bed, but really, breakfast in bed would probably lead to more laundry and perhaps be more trouble than its worth (I'm remembering the baked pancakes from a few years ago).

I don't need no stinkin' pancakes, look at my chairs!!!

New York

2009-05-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

I love a good surprise. On a very last minute whim, I booked a ticket to NY for a weekend to surprise my parents a week after their 50th anniversary. There was a dinner party planned for them and I didn't want to miss it.

I arrived late Friday night, almost midnight, Auntie Evelyn picked me up at the crazy hip new Jetblue terminal and we returned to her home in Harlem. Evelyn lives in this tiny spot of Harlem Renaissance history that has mostly been frozen in time. She lives on Jumel Terrace across from the Jumel Mansion, which now has classes for kids on all sorts of things like gardening, and anything to keep them interested and off the streets. The mansion itself is now a museum.

You might be able to notice in the pictures that the streets are still cobblestone. How cool is that? Apparently not very since they don't get quite the attention they need and it can really mess up the bottom of a car on the bumpy parts. I still think its cool.

These houses aren't as nice as the ones across from the mansion which really are the most amazing brownstones from the late 1800's (didn't get a good photo though).

On Saturday, I visited with my old friend David in Chelsea and we had a great time catching up. Always good to be reminded of your past 15+ years later. It was as if no time had past.

Finally, Evelyn and I took the subway down to the restaurant in the late afternoon, getting there crazy early to prepay the garage for my parents. but of course, since my parents are always about 5 hours early to everything, "just in case," they were entering the garage as we were leaving. My dad drove right by me, but my mom was standing right at the entrance to the street. It seems in retrospect, that I could have walked right by her and not been seen but I was stunned and couldn't move. She looked right through me even though I was two feet away and finally she sort of recognized me in an equally stunned way. After a quick "I love you" hug, I ran off to hide from my father.

When my parents arrived at Cafe Des Artistes, they sat at the bar waiting for Evelyn, who they were supposedly meeting for dinner. The maitre' de offered to bring them to their table which they declined, saying they would wait. The maitre'de got grumpy and insisted that they sit and brought them to a table for two, which they found confusing. Luckily, a few minutes later, Evelyn and I, along with two of their oldest, closest friends came in, this is finally the surprise part, and yes, they were surprised. Just like my mom, my dad looked right through me, as well as his best friend from college, not even seeing us. We discussed later that the term for this was "cognitive dissonance." I only mention this since the discussion was led by a tipsy therapist, old friend of my mom's from grad school.

I know, crappy picture but we're still waiting for the real photos to arrive. My parents are on the far left, Dad in front, my mom sitting next to me. It was a perfect dinner. Great old stories, lots of laughing and very happy parents. As shy as my mom can be, she really loved being celebrated. By the way, the restaurant is so beautiful, the food is great and well, it was indeed perfect.

I spent Sunday in Nyack doing what we usually do together, eat, buy yarn, discuss books, watch 60 minutes. I was exhausted by the end of the day, but did not want to go to bed since that would mark the end of the day and my return home.

We left the house at the crack of dawn Monday morning, got to the airport with PLENTY of time to spare. Boy, I sure wish I lived closer.

Fruit strip

2009-05-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

Monday afternoons I pick up Max from school and we go to our "special
place," a cute little cafe on the way back to the car.

So great to hear the after school stories, just us.

Happy 50th Anniversary!!!

2009-04-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

My parents have been married for 50 years. They got married April 25th, 1959. Wow. I have to say I find that pretty impressive. Mostly, because they seem so happy together. They've been through good and terrible times and then some more stuff in the middle. And, today, its really amazing to see how contented they are together. 50 years have done wonders for them.

I felt kind of bad that we couldn't put together a big family party so I put together a family video. Don't feel like you need to watch it but I am going to attach it for those related and those willing to put up with a long family video of goofy smiles and very bad singing.

Anyway, here's to love and partnership. I look forward to as many of those years with BZ and of course with my kids, family and friends.

I warned you:

Happy 50th Anniversary!!!

I do it

2009-04-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

"I do it!!" is a popular phrase in our household. In the photo, Aiden is preparing his own oatmeal (not the microwave part).

Aiden is a very independent fellow at 3 years old. He has tantrums if we don't let him do everything for himself. This can be frustrating when behind schedule, which is my usual state. I admire the independent streak but wondered why it didn't translate to potty training. Most of his fellow preschool buddies seem to be in big kid underwear while he's still in pullups with no interest.

Until now. About a week ago, I decided to begin again. From scratch. With better bribes. And a schedule of sorts. And consistency.

So, bribery still doesn't work BUT the celebratory dancing do. He loves the "Aiden pooped in the potty!" song and dance. He loves the honor of getting to use toilet paper and running water in the sink.

As of today, he is starting to run to the potty on his own. He's been in Madagascar undies all day, without an accident.

I'm thinking we might be completely out of diapers by summer. Wow. No more baby boy.

House of Doom

2009-04-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

So its been almost 2 years and the house next door is still not built. Three owners later, there is 1/2 of a house. When we first moved to our Oakland home, there was a hill of trees next to us with a "For Sale" sign. I hoped it would stay that way.

A few months later, late spring of 2007, someone, a contractor, purchased the property along with the blueprints for a 3000 sq ft home. He had big plans. He bragged it would be on the cover of Sunset magazine with a waterfall going through the living room. We just asked that he start by building a foundation in the two-story mud pit he dug and left empty next to our home.

After multiple complaints to the city, he was threatened with fines and loss of permits if he didn't keep building so to his credit, he began to build a foundation. Then he stopped. Ran out of money. His ex-wife's fault. He says.

Owner # 3 came along last year, last summer maybe. At this point, we have all been staring at this big gaping muddy hole with a partial foundation and a bright blue porta potty on the corner for over a year. So, we are happy to hear and see new owners. We secretly dream of a young family with children. Actually, the real dream is that they will tear out all that crap and fill in the dirt and replant the trees. Ha.

The new owners get to work immediately on the property. This is good. They leave for about a month around Thanksgiving. They sort of return. They begin again but then its raining. Its been many months with no activity but half of a structure of a house. Several big dirt moving vehicles and the very bright aqua potty still on the corner.

The news on the street is that the latest stop occurred when they got to the part of the plans where they begin to consider the roof and...well, they found that the plans don't work. Something is wrong and they need to redesign the house so that it can have a roof. Huh? Anything to do with a waterfall?

Its now mid-April and today they are back out there doing...something related to home building. I am thankful for the sound of hammers and a loud radio. Perhaps they will finish this year?

A day with Max

2009-04-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

Max and I had a whole day together. We went to the movies, a bookstore
and a bite to eat. A really nice day.

My first sweater

2009-03-31T13:14:00.001-07:00

Almost complete. After a year, I finally got brave enough to finish
it. All that's left is to sew in some loose ends, wash, block and
wear!!!

You look exactly like...

2009-03-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was working at a dealership, like I do, and the owner kept pointing at me and laughing and saying, "Man, you look exactly like my buddy's wife, Susan!" In fact, he dragged me out to the shiny new Corvette on the showroom floor, stuffed me in it, asked me to smile, took a picture. He then sent this to his "buddy" with a note saying, "Susan just bought a new car!" Hahaha.

OK. That happens. Not the Corvette part, but, the lookalike part. Everyone is always saying I look like someone else. The following are some famous you-look-likes that I have been compared to. Now, let me warn you, none of them look alike. So, you tell me, does any of this make any sense?

#1 Sally Field, I was told we have the same mouth. You really like me!

#2 Catherine Deneuve, very flattering indeed but I don't really see it.

#3 Candice Bergen, we both have pointy Bob Hope noses.

#4 Chelsea Handler (of Chelsea Lately). I had never heard of her or her show. But, I am told she is sarcastic and on watching a Youtube of her in action, I can kinda see it in a blond sort of way.

#5 Amanda Peet. This must be the dark hair thing. I got this comparison from someone who was a bit....yucky. She is pretty, tho' so it is a compliment, even from a lech....nah, still feels creepy.

Oddly, I'm compared to three blonds and two brunettes. Hmmm, meaning? Any?

Farmer's Market helpers

2009-03-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Who needs internet?

2009-03-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

My backyard in Fresno......
Its important to look at the positive. I may only get internet 25% of the time but look how pretty it is outside!

Snow!

2009-03-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Here is where I spend my day

2009-03-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Max turns 6

2009-03-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

Max turned 6 years old on Saturday. We had a pretty small party with 5 kids, lots of Legos and decorate-your-own cupcakes. It was pretty mellow overall. I was tired by evening but nothing like some of the other parties I've gone to.

Most of the parents just dropped their kids off for the afternoon and it worked out fine. I mention this because I was shocked. I guess they are old enough to "handle" themselves but still. It never seemed an option before, to just leave. I think the other reason it seems weird and a bit sad is that at our preschool, whenever their was a kid party, it was an excuse for the parents to hang out. And, the parents were very cool, we wanted to stay. I guess our elementary school is not like that.

Is it a class thing? A culture thing? Hills vs. Flats of Oakland? Hmmm. I miss the community feel. Well, at least we had cake left over and didn't have to share it with as many grownups.

Video games and train tracks

2009-02-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

A perfect Sunday morning.

At the end of the rainbow

2009-02-20T22:31:00.001-08:00

I know I have been reporting a whole lot about driving and being away but just to give you an idea of why I might be yammering like a broken record, consider this....I drove almost 1100 miles this week. Actually, I think it was 1083. That's in a 5 day period.

When I hit the first hour of any drive, my left side begins to get numb. That's a relatively new thing since this commute began. I go numb. When the numbing begins, thoughts of exercise enter my mind. I start considering the yoga gift certificate that I still haven't redeemed. I remember that I should have stretched this morning before getting into the car. I try to remind myself to stretch when I get home in the evening. So far, I haven't followed through on any of this. But the same thoughts begin again on every drive.

Two days ago, while 1/2 numb, and listening to A Thousand Splendid Suns on route to some Central Valley outpost, I saw a rainbow. I was quite taken aback. Hard to capture in a moving car but very beautiful.

Yesterday, I returned to the Bay Area for my quarterly Hair Pampering. Very extravagant. Stacy, who cuts and highlights, takes her time, and by time I mean...I was there for over 3 hours. It was oddly great. I drank a glass of wine, ate truffles, had some peppermint tea, read People Magazine and of course, gossiped. Nice.

Away

2009-02-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

This has been my first official week in my new home away from home. I lucked into a small makeshift studio behind the garage of a client's in-laws' home.

On day one, no hot water. On day two, 5 minutes of hot water. Perhaps I need to take shorter showers. Overall, I am happy to have my own tiny little place rather than various hotel rooms.

I bought some groceries, made my first dinner, watched some TV...did I mention the WiFi doesn't really reach my studio from the main house?

A few bumps in the road but...I am glad to have an actual home away from home.

Politics of a Party

2009-02-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Birthday parties. Why is this hard for me? Max is turning 6 yrs old and wants to have a Lego Star Wars party. Fine. I can make a Lego cake. I can create fun activities and games. I cannot for the life of me figure out the proper invitation etiquette.

OK, so for those of you without kids or without kids in this age range, please keep your snickering to yourself. My issue is that I don't want to hurt any little person's feelings. We are not going to invite his entire class over. We need to choose up to 6 to 7 kids but then, they talk and then they ask why they aren't invited....awkward.

So yes, I will make a birthday snack for the classroom to dull the rejection but still, I feel sort of bad. Where do you draw the line? And, there are kids I want invited and those I don't but its not my party. But, I am the mom. I am assuming this will all be so clear and easy when I get here with Aiden. Right now, it takes me back to wedding invitations and who gets left out.

And no, I did not bake and make that "Troy" birthday cake. I just put it there to show you what I am up against. I thought by taking a stand against big pricey parties I had this thing beat. I was wrong. Its easier to just say, invite everyone, but then its chaos, just as expensive....

I need some corn chips.

Driving

2009-02-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

I know. If you aren't supposed to text while driving, you certainly aren't supposed to be snapping pictures.

This one makes me nauseous just looking at it. Which is kind of how I felt. Sick just descended on me yesterday afternoon while in Shafter, CA.

Over the last few weeks, I have been experimenting with how to stay engaged, awake, alert while driving long distances. I listen to different radio stations, the news, podcasts, books on tape and I call friends and family (not very often as I have to look at the phone to dial-not so safe).

Some favorite podcasts, lately, are: The Rachel Maddow Show, Bill Moyers, New Yorker Fiction, Planet Money. I just finished listening to My Life, written and read by Bill Clinton. Really good and very interesting. Yes, he cleaned his story up a bit BUT he really gives a great insider view of Washington, being the President, and how things really go down (yes, he discusses Ms. Lewinsky). A bit depressing but it deserves first prize at keeping me safe on the road for many hours.

I am also listening to Pandora but need to branch out from the same (and favorite) girly sounds I have been listening to. Suggestions welcome.

Oooooo spooky

2009-02-03T22:09:00.000-08:00

This is how I started my day.

I finally got to experience this famous "Tully Fog" that everyone warned me about. The main thing is that you have to drive very slowly. And it means I can't text message as I drive. Speaking of....(calm down, I'm partially joking), speaking of texting while driving, did you realize that this is just illegal if you are under 18 years old? What kind of new law is that?

Homeward bound

2009-01-23T00:03:00.000-08:00

During my last hour or so of driving home from Bakersfield, I got to see the sunset. So, its not so bad, all this driving. I might have missed this beautiful sky had I already been home.

What a ball!

2009-01-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

January 20th, 2009. Barack Hussein Obama become the 44th president of the United States of America.
Max took an oath of his own:
Last night we had or own inaugural ball.

And it was really fun. Even the most cynical got pictured with our new president. And why not?

The Teelings:
Gwen and her sock:

Mario and Monisha:
Maria and Luciano:

OK, so the arts and crafts table at our party was more of a hit with the grown ups.

Not to be outdone, Max corrected the image of his new president.

The standard line at this point is, "so now the work begins..." but I'm thinking, we HAVE been working, and it was great to take a break to celebrate, break some bread, drink some wine and breathe a sigh of relief.

I may have to go to Tulare today, but I still have a bit of a skip in my step.

Surviving week 1

2009-01-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

289 + 282+ 176.4 = 747.4 miles in one week. That's just three days of driving. My new territory. So, I am trying to see the positive spin on this and for real, there are a few upsides of being away from home and sitting in a car for many hours at a time.

Sightseeing
Learning about new cultures
Meeting criminals and gathering great stories to tell at some later time (over many drinks)
Learning to text safely while driving. Oh, that's right, its illegal.

So my first stop last week was in Fresno.
I got there pretty quickly, under 3 hours and had a few meetings, shaking hands and meeting a few new clients. While there, I dropped the name of my new landlord-to-be (the guy who is renting me a room in his lovely house starting toward the end of the month) and my clients went silent. Then nervous laughter.

Does Grand Theft Auto mean anything to you? Well, to me it just brings up images of silly movies but there are people in real life who steal cars professionally, in bulk, if you will. So that is kind of the deal with my almost landlord-to-be. Too bad. He seemed like a nice guy, but I guess he's going away for a bit and will be wearing some striped clothes pretty soon. Do guys in jail still wear zebra clothes?

Next stop, Bakersfield. I arrived at night and was exhausted. It wasn't until morning that I smelled the manure. I am a city girl. Just spoiled. I'd rather smell coffee brewing, or chocolate or even bread baking (as if I ever smell bread baking). Ah well. I spent a good part of the day in this very far away city and then drove and drove and drove home. Do you realize that Bakersfield is almost LA? Shit. No, apparently still manure.

Final new city for the week was Oakdale,

which, I am not sure qualifies as a city no matter what they tell you.

I am very excited to report that there is a Cowboy Museum which I cannot wait to investigate and, the town/city has an annual rodeo every second weekend in April. This seemed VERY exciting to me, the ex-New Yorker, since I have never been to a rodeo and I thought it would further bond me perhaps to BZ and his parents since they are from Rodeo country (Texas, right?). BZ asked if I knew what a rodeo was really like and if I was sure I wanted to set up this family outing for real...apparently they make Barnum and Bailey look like the good guys.

Next week, Chowchilla (that's just fun to say), Fresno, Clovis and Modesto. I'm bringing Netflix, knitting projects, Audio books ....and a sense of humor.

2008-12-29T23:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas and the holidays in general can be a bit tiring.
But, they are also exciting. I love watching the kids open their gifts.
All the classic stuff like race tracks and tents and even light sabers (the new classic).

Some gifts can be practical, like shelving, for example.
Not very fun to unwrap but pretty great when the closet is redone and I can find things. I suppose its like getting a scarf gift as a kid.Or a new book...until its read.

I love the holidays. Even with all the craziness. Its great having all the family time, seeing friends, eating lots of desserts. Now that the gift giving is over and we've all slowed down, its nice just to hang. And reflect. And rest.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T20:15:00.001-08:00

Last night, Max and I went to get my parents at the airport. He brought his wand along just in case.

Tonight, we hung our socks up on the fireplace waiting for Santa's magic. We can't wait until morning. Based on the giggles and screams from the other room, the morning may be a long way off.

Ho ho ho and a Happy Hanukkah!

2008-12-22T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hanukkah. Night 2. Time to decorate the tree. What fun, I love the holidays.

Wait, its time now to light the menorah...and then of course there's the Chanukah gelt and latkes and jelly donuts....mmmm.

OK. Completely out of order but I thought I should add a picture from this past weekend, truly the first day of the holidays...a night out with BZ. We were at a wedding party in downtown SF and there was a photo booth and alcohol and well, the rest is history. Or, at least a few silly pictures.

Babysitting

2008-12-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yes. It's the 1st night of Chanukah but not for these other kids.
Their moms are out at a spa night. This is my holiday spirit. The only
one missing is the baby. She's in my lap. Getting my fill of baby
smells. It should hold me for a while.

Fresno

2008-12-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

I am being relocated to Fresno. To keep my job, I need to be willing to be based in Fresno, CA. Translation: Find a small share for weekdays to commute back and forth from.

Yesterday, our family took a road trip to Fresno to see the different neighborhoods, meet a few prospective home shares and to play miniature golf.

All in all, a successful but very long trip.

It was good just to see the reality of this Fresno chapter of my work life. I resent being pulled away from the family but am grateful for a paycheck (and so is BZ).

We got home just in time for a friend to drop off his kids to watch for the evening. Actually, he dropped them off for a sleepover, which I admit, was a HUGE surprise. No problem, it was my kid who vomited the next morning, not his.

A long day.

Our gingerbread house

2008-12-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

Max and Aiden make the house with a bit of parental
supervision..."stop licking your fingers Aiden!"

Montclair stroll

2008-12-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

Hangin with the Bank bear...not a great photo but a great time.

Our little Oakland district had an evening of holiday cheer (and shopping).

The kids saw Santa but chose not to do the lap dance, we got cookies in every store, hot cider....it was fun seeing friends and classmates in the streets and, I have to admit...it was great seeing stores getting customers...

Serving my country

2008-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Monday, back to school. Tuesday, Jury Duty.

There is an art to avoiding service. I have not yet mastered that art. I now know what I should have done, but it won't help me this time. I report to the courthouse downtown at 8:30 am. Not an easy place to find parking.

I am serving my community. This is a good thing. Within a week, I find out if I am still employed for next year. This is a bad thing. The timing is a bit stressful but perhaps its an opportunity in disguise. You know, giving to others, community, service with a smile...

Rounding out the holidays

2008-12-01T21:36:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention that I had a great time with my nephew Sam and niece Tess (Emma was in Chicago playing Hockey). We hiked down to the little village by way of a great wooded path with fantastic climbing trees.
Even Aiden got into the act. Max observed, and then fought off a few pesky dragons.

They left Sunday at 5 am and by 10am, the boys and I were playing miniature golf.

This was the first time that Aiden got into the act. He loved it. And the coolest thing of all was at the end of the course, the "19th hole." This is the final one that takes your ball (ending the game). If you get your ball into the impossible small pipe at the end of the path, you win a free game. By the luck of Zeus, Max nailed it, setting off a string of crazy sirens that nearly gave me a heart attack. We screamed and yelled and picked up our free pass. A great way to end a holiday weekend.

An early birthday

2008-11-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

My sister and family visited yesterday. We celebrated her birthday
with a very chocolate cake. Yum. Aiden helped blow out the one polite
candle.