Stuck at home with a cold, but guys are here doing deck repairs, sanding away, so forget rest. The noise is deafening. Just discovered a fine white dust coating the bedroom floor, possibly carcinogenic. There is nothing good to be said, so I'm decided to become Fran Lebowitz. Stay tuned.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Fashion
Claudia M. and I hightailed it out to Walnut Creek today to get me some clothes other than jeans and t-shirts, for dress-up occasions. I'd watched a bunch of fashion make-over shows on cable while we were in Inverness, and I realized I didn't know a thing about current fashion. I'm worse than the lady priest they had on "What Not to Wear."
We went directly to Nordstrom and found the not-so-expensive department I like to go to, which has been moved to the opposite end of the store (replaced by Gucci and St. John). The usual squad of sales associates tried to help me, and I finally gave in to an older saleslady who was a goldmine of information re current styles and what to wear with what. Plus she didn't judge me. No wool! I said. No sleeveless! No ponchos!
She got us a dressing room and kept running in clothes, while Claudia advised on fit-and-flatter and hung up the rejects. I bought two pairs of pants and a few tops. The pants are stretchy and tight. I had to go upstairs and buy special underwear so I wouldn't have a visible panty line. I was totally out of it re underwear, also. Now there are panties with no elastic around the leg; instead they have an adhesive that sticks to your thigh. Hard to describe.
Staggered home. The stuff is all still in the bag. But I feel as though I look a little more with-it, and some of this stretchy stuff is actually flattering.
And now to Jerry's fashion statement: Here is the purse that he found at the West Marin Thrift and he's going to use as a camera case. Hard to describe how delighted he is with it, especially the "J." He dispensed with the shoulder strap and matching checkbook cover.
We went directly to Nordstrom and found the not-so-expensive department I like to go to, which has been moved to the opposite end of the store (replaced by Gucci and St. John). The usual squad of sales associates tried to help me, and I finally gave in to an older saleslady who was a goldmine of information re current styles and what to wear with what. Plus she didn't judge me. No wool! I said. No sleeveless! No ponchos!
She got us a dressing room and kept running in clothes, while Claudia advised on fit-and-flatter and hung up the rejects. I bought two pairs of pants and a few tops. The pants are stretchy and tight. I had to go upstairs and buy special underwear so I wouldn't have a visible panty line. I was totally out of it re underwear, also. Now there are panties with no elastic around the leg; instead they have an adhesive that sticks to your thigh. Hard to describe.
Staggered home. The stuff is all still in the bag. But I feel as though I look a little more with-it, and some of this stretchy stuff is actually flattering.
And now to Jerry's fashion statement: Here is the purse that he found at the West Marin Thrift and he's going to use as a camera case. Hard to describe how delighted he is with it, especially the "J." He dispensed with the shoulder strap and matching checkbook cover.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Being Prepared
Yesterday there were two earthquakes in Berkeley, both on the Hayward Fault, which is two blocks from our house. After the first one, I tossed the TV remote in my hand across the living room and ran out the front door. Breathed and went back into the house. A second earthquake while we were eating dinner--a quick rumble--and we leapt into action. Honestly, here's what we did:
1. Decided to move one of our cars to the street because our garage is under the house, and if the house collapsed we'd have no cars. Which car? Jerry's because it's less liable to be stolen.
2. Dragged ancient earthquake supplies out of hall closet.
3. Emptied 4 gallons old water out of plastic containers and refilled them. Worried that the plastic was so old that the water would pick up carcinogens.
4. Checked earthquake kits for clothes for each of us. Jerry would have been fully clothed, but I had no shoes and no pants. Hastily rooted around in upstairs closet for pair of pants that would fit.
5. Filed several months of paid bills in an accordion folder--fast, fast, fast--and put near front door so we'd have account numbers.
6. Pondered whether canned tuna and soup in kit were too old to eat. Concluded they were and tossed after argument with Jerry re wastefulness.
6. Dashed back upstairs and grabbed four binders of investment statements.
7. Gathered up prescription drugs, paying particular attention to having enough Xanax.
8. Ran upstairs again to get binder of photos of quilts I've made.
Went to bed with a flashlight and a pair of slippers at the ready. Nothing happened. Got up this morning to find a mess of stuff near the front door. (Note: we are not taking the plant.)
1. Decided to move one of our cars to the street because our garage is under the house, and if the house collapsed we'd have no cars. Which car? Jerry's because it's less liable to be stolen.
2. Dragged ancient earthquake supplies out of hall closet.
3. Emptied 4 gallons old water out of plastic containers and refilled them. Worried that the plastic was so old that the water would pick up carcinogens.
4. Checked earthquake kits for clothes for each of us. Jerry would have been fully clothed, but I had no shoes and no pants. Hastily rooted around in upstairs closet for pair of pants that would fit.
5. Filed several months of paid bills in an accordion folder--fast, fast, fast--and put near front door so we'd have account numbers.
6. Pondered whether canned tuna and soup in kit were too old to eat. Concluded they were and tossed after argument with Jerry re wastefulness.
6. Dashed back upstairs and grabbed four binders of investment statements.
7. Gathered up prescription drugs, paying particular attention to having enough Xanax.
8. Ran upstairs again to get binder of photos of quilts I've made.
Went to bed with a flashlight and a pair of slippers at the ready. Nothing happened. Got up this morning to find a mess of stuff near the front door. (Note: we are not taking the plant.)
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Thursday, October 20, 2011
Quilt Addendum
It arrived safely. Carling sent an e-mail last night. She says it's the prettiest thing in their living room.
Here is a picture of Jerry lying under the quilt top several weeks ago, pretending to be 6'4" (Scott's height), so I could see if I'd made the quilt long enough. Also wide enough for two. He is a very-good-sport Quilt Husband, although he sometimes worries that I'm going to run out of storage space for fabric and fill up his shower.
Here is a picture of Jerry lying under the quilt top several weeks ago, pretending to be 6'4" (Scott's height), so I could see if I'd made the quilt long enough. Also wide enough for two. He is a very-good-sport Quilt Husband, although he sometimes worries that I'm going to run out of storage space for fabric and fill up his shower.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Quilt's in the Mail
Carling chose the quilt pattern from photos of quilts I've made; there was no way to adapt it, so I duplicated the quilt. Then I threw in the bright back to please myself. On the lower left corner of the back, there's a label: "For Carling and Scott, Sept. 4, 2011," and then an embroidered heart, and my name.
Done.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Eerie and Sad
Yesterday Jerry and I drove out to Briones Reservoir, in Contra Costa County, for a late afternoon hike. When we got to the trailhead parking lot, there was an EBMUD ranger in his truck, engine running. When Jerry got out of the car, the ranger asked if the silver Subaru we'd parked next to, a twin to our own, was our car. No, said Jerry.
The ranger said the car had been there overnight, which isn't permitted, and that we should keep a look out for someone injured on the trail. He was going to call the sheriff, and he was wondering if he should call out a search party.
Jerry and I started off on the trail, me selfishly hoping we did NOT find anyone injured we had to help. We walked about half our usual distance. Back at the parking lot, I looked through back windows of the stationwagon. There were men's clothes on coathangers, several plastic boxes of packaged food and jars of honey and dried fruit, a box of classical piano music and another of books. Everything was very orderly. Then I looked in the front windows and saw a sealed white envelope, face down, lying between the two seats.
We drove off and hiked another trail, and soon we could hear a helicopter, which seemed to be circling the reservoir. I wondered if we'd read about the search in the newspaper. We agreed that the envelope was not a good sign.
The ranger said the car had been there overnight, which isn't permitted, and that we should keep a look out for someone injured on the trail. He was going to call the sheriff, and he was wondering if he should call out a search party.
Jerry and I started off on the trail, me selfishly hoping we did NOT find anyone injured we had to help. We walked about half our usual distance. Back at the parking lot, I looked through back windows of the stationwagon. There were men's clothes on coathangers, several plastic boxes of packaged food and jars of honey and dried fruit, a box of classical piano music and another of books. Everything was very orderly. Then I looked in the front windows and saw a sealed white envelope, face down, lying between the two seats.
We drove off and hiked another trail, and soon we could hear a helicopter, which seemed to be circling the reservoir. I wondered if we'd read about the search in the newspaper. We agreed that the envelope was not a good sign.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Home from a Trip
Why is it the minute I walk through the door of my own house I feel in charge--and burdened? Food to be put away, laundry to be done, mail to be sorted through? How much of this do I choose to take on? Can I lower my standards and let go of a lot of monitoring and planning? Would everything fall apart if I did? What if we moved to a rental house permanently? Would life be easier?
So anyway, I'm offering a reward of several million dollars or at least some minor publicity if anyone can answer these questions. Plus, you could probably get a book contract if you could write it up and find an agent. I have a feeling that a lot of women want answers.
So anyway, I'm offering a reward of several million dollars or at least some minor publicity if anyone can answer these questions. Plus, you could probably get a book contract if you could write it up and find an agent. I have a feeling that a lot of women want answers.
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