New Home

So here is a first look at my new digs. Haven't moved in yet, but I can't wait. I have tons of plants to move into the yard.

The End of An Era

Nick finished his sophomore year at Southern Virginia U and LoRen and I picked him up at San Francisco Int'l Airport and it felt like a strange time warp since we picked him up last year almost to the same hour of the day.


My Baby


Desi graduated from Fresno High last night, so ending 16 years of Freemans at that institution, and 25 years in Fresno Unified School District (I'm not even going to count college.) I'm so proud of her - it's been a long High School Road for Des. It seems weird not to have any more concerts, conferences, bake sales, fund runs, plays, forgotten books/homework, field trips, back to school shopping, or any of the rest. Although as Michele pointed out last night "In 10 years it'll be Aaron down there graduating!"

Ali and Christian

Ali and Christian were sealed on May 7th. They were so lucky to be able to have a ring ceremony at Ralph and Linda's home. Their back yard was the perfect setting and the weather couldn't have been better
The Most Beautiful Bride!


A few days after the wedding I left for Victorville. A little town in the high dessert. I was doing production work (driving) for the San Bernardino County Fair.
CCR played and I was in heaven.

We had a good time at Desi's graduation. Although Aaron did state that it was more boring than he thought it would be.



OK - these pictures aren't exactly in the best chronological order, but I'm sure you can figure it out

Changes

You get up, go to work, live your life, and before you know it 2 months has gone by and it seems that everything in your life has changed. Jonny has gone back to Germany, Desi is graduating from High School and has already moved out. I'm helping out some friends by giving them a place to stay (the room Jonny had) while they look for a place to live. And with one call from a friend I am getting ready to move once again.
I have been praying, meditating, and using the power of positive thinking to be able to get above my financial woes. I've been blessed with more work than I've had in years, and now, something that I set in motion several years ago by a chance comment to one of my best friends has come to fruition. I'll be moving into a small 2 bedroom Tudor in downtown Fresno that is only half of what I pay now. Don't get me wrong - I love the house I live in now, and I have had the best landlord that was ever created. But this is a move that seems to be sent from heaven.
Pictures to follow

The Last 5 Weeks in Pictures

I'll start with some pics of Desi and Jonny on the set of The Pirates of Penzance


A random Keystone Cop

We took a trip to Pismo and Avila for the day, stopping at Madonna Inn for breakfast on the way - a tradition started by Lowie and me a couple of years ago



I got to take Aaron to a Cub Scout outing - building a race car -
Aaron did the whole thing by himself!




Now for some (not all) shots of Ali's shower - photos courtesy of Desi and Elsie








This is today - Spent the day in the yard weeding and mowing

Gigi isn't angry, I just happened to capture her at the end of a sneeze

Here's my pretty girl!

And her brother Quinn, an Akita/Shepard mix with a wonky ear

Everything is green and healthy after all the rain

The Asparagus Fern is reviving as it does every spring

See the new fence border I put in to prevent dogs from using the Asparagus Fern as a bed?

Iris buds - I really didn't think I'd get any of these to flower this year - yay!

And this Nasturtium is growing back beautifully after a "helpful" friend
pulled most of it out last year thinking it was a weed
even the shamrocks are doing well
I love the way Lilies look almost artificial

There are 2 small Japanese Maples that survived the winter outside in this pot

As did this larger sapling

Just my dirty feet after spending the day in the yard!

DAD

Happy Birthday to...

Kelley
Mr From Hawaii
Ooze on out
You have guilt written all over your face
GMR Salesman of the Year
Dead Brudda Gang
Ben Nye makeup model
Shark Fisherman
Spam eater
Mr Bizzaro, and the reason we're the way we are.

I hope that wherever you are the beaches are sunny and the buffet never closes.

Ali's getting Married

Yes, this little pixie.

Happy Birthday Mom

This time of year Mom is always on my mind. Halloween, the World Series, every holiday at her house, and especially her birthday. She would have been 83 this year. She would still be doing her own yardwork, she would still be hosting every holiday - and we all would come - and she would still be my best friend. I miss her so much sometimes it's like a physical pain. She would be so proud of her great grand children, and so much in love with them. Michele reminds me of her so completely it's scary.
I spent the day doing Mom things... helped out at a Renaissance Faire, worked on costumes for "The Sound of Music", and even talked to Fanny. After all that I came home and wished she was still here (I'm selfish that way) and even cried a little. I always felt like I was special to her, but she made every one of us feel that way.
I was very lucky to have such a great mother.
Happy Birthday Mom!

The Commodores

So Long Fair

It's been almost a month since I've written an entry. The Fair has come, the Fair has gone, work gets busier, all the little ones are getting bigger... The most fun in this last couple of weeks was the pranks we tried to pull on each other in the office area back stage at the Paul Paul theatre (mostly involving rigging up chairs at the desks). I'm always pretty tired by the end of the run, but I'm also sad when it's over. Last year I had one of the crew stay at the house so they didn't have to sleep at the fairgrounds - this year I had two of them stay with me. It was nice having people to talk to when we got home so late, and they even did yardwork (volunteered, not required). I've already invited them to stay with me again next year.
Next on the line up - costuming for Sound of Music in Reedley, working production at the Johnny Mathis concert playing at the Warnor's theater (both due the first week of December), and costuming a new play that will run at the tower theatre. There are a couple of operas and concerts in addition to these, but I think these will be the most work. At least I'm ready for Halloween.

I'm Back On

I've been without internet for about 2 weeks, give or take a few days. So I've been really disconnected... the only saving grace was being able to check my email while at work. I guess I never realized how much time I spent on the computer.
I'm glad to be back.

Sometimes I Feel So Cool

When I work at the fairs or other music venues I get to be in the vicinity of some pretty iconic people. This summer I went to Santa Maria and worked the Santa Barbara County Fair as a runner (driving the bands around and running around for them if they request anything special.)

The fair was only 4 days, but I was excited for two bands that were playing. The first day Grand Funk Railroad played. It was my teenage years all over again!
The last day The Beach Boys played. I actually drove Mike Love around quite a bit, and sat and visited with Bruce Johnson backstage. It was my most fun day there.
I have been trying to upload the pictures I have with both groups but something is wrong with this blogger or the way I've saved the picture. Arrrgh!
I'll put a call in to Nick to see how I can get it posted.
I have to say, even though this was cool, the coolest group I've worked with is still ZZ Top.
Billy Gibbons just rocks!

Has It Really Been a Year?

Nick called me this morning to say he arrived at school the night before and only had energy to go straight to sleep. His road trip with fellow SVU-vian Colby was a good time for him.
His comment - "Colorado and Utah were beautiful, but the mid-west sucked!"
I also got a list of things forgotten that I'll send to him.
I'm so proud of the man he's becoming. It was wonderful having him home this summer. And having all of my electronic devices put in perfect running order wasn't a bad perk either. My plan is to go visit him this fall, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Busy Times

Now that school is starting it seems that my time is really flying by. I anticipated working for Fresno Unified School District again, and in fact received a call from Dana Counts, the inclusion specialist at Figarden Elementary, to fill a long term sub position. However, working at the office for Fresno Grand Opera this summer has culminated in season tickets going on sale and a big push to fill seats for the concerts this season (Johnny Mathis and Juan Diego Florez). Both of these things coincided in the same week. So I sat down with my boss at FGO and discussed the possibility of employing me on a full time basis (in this case, full time is 33 hours a week). He agreed to move up my hours, and so I called Dana to let her know. She was very understanding and told me she would keep my info, and asked me to call her if my schedule opened and I became available to work with her. It was a decision based solely on finances, and it tore at my heart to make it. I'll miss the children at Figarden that I've worked with the last two years. And I'll especially miss my teacher, Karen. The up side is that I am working with a wonderful group of people in the office. We went on a day trip to Walnut Creek yesterday to see an opera staring a young singer who worked with us last season and the trip was so enjoyable because of the traveling companions. So, once again my working career has taken a turn in the road. I guess I'll see where this path takes me.

Team Bella

We had so much fun at the midnight show! 3/5ths of us sat on the floor so we could sit by each other and it was still a blast. The only downside to these type of showings is that the audience tends to get a little rowdy. So, yesterday, as I was on my lunch break I went to Michele's house (she lives about 4 blocks from the school I'm working at) and told her I knew it was dumb, but I really wanted to go see the movie again - without all the screaming, oooohing, and catcalls. She confessed that she really wanted to go again also, so we went to the last showing last night.

Theatre was only half full, crowd was much more subdued, and we had excellent seats. A little more than half way through someone a few rows in front of me decided to start texting, and it really interrupted my line of sight. So to fix the problem I extended my arm and held my hand so that it blocked the extremely bright light of the cell phone - I thought it was ingenious - Michele and Theresa (Tree came along with us) thought I was deeply involved with the movie and was holding my hand out to caress Edwards face or shoulder. They started giggling, and when I finally knew what they were thinking we all had tears in our eyes from laughing so hard.

If nothing else this movie has provided the best family entertainment I've had in a long while.

I'm Eclipsed!

The girls are coming over (yes, all of them. Lo is coming into town) - we're ordering take out - watching the first two films - then heading to the theatre
MIDNIGHT SHOWING HERE WE COME
(I'm so excited!)

Now That I'm Over 50

OK, technically only a few days, but my two best friends and I start counting the upcoming year as soon as our day hits. One of the gifts I received was a book entitled "100 Things I'm Not Going To Do Now That I'm Over 50". Wonderful advise for any age, and I had to share a few things - things I already embrace.
#67 I'm not going to wake up houseguests. Especially if they're my own children. They are adults who know how to manage their own time, and I am not the Marriott.
#71 I'm not going to bargain with God. Never again. He holds us to our promises to the last syllable of recorded time. Better to just talk things over.
#74 I'm not going to avoid mentioning the dead. Grief is not assuaged by oblivion; wounds are not exacerbated by remembrance. Our immortality may be only in vigorous memories; our healing surely is.
#80 I'm not going to override the afternoon window of sleepability. I am a vision of feline sensuality, stretching languorously on a sun-warmed chaise. I am not a middle-aged woman taking a nap.
Today, right now, life is good.

Still With Me

Yesterday I was blessed to have attended the funeral for
little Wyatt Thomas Yuan. The eulogy spoken by his parents was beautiful.
That they had the strength and presence of both mind and body to do so, was utterly amazing.
As I was hugging my good-byes to Brittany she asked me how long it would be until it felt better. I told her that after 20 plus years I still occasionally have a hard day. That what she would find after time is that the bad days would be further and further apart. That she would have longer stretches of good days with happy memories.
Brit and Ili seem to be more grounded than I was when I lost Jimmy. But I also remember putting up a strong front to those other than my very closest family. I felt like I was swimming through sludge, and I remember just wanting to sleep. And then while sleeping, I'd dream of him in my arms and awaken just to lose him all over again. It helped the most to talk about Jimmy - to know that others kept him alive in their thoughts as well. And I had to learn to be tolerant of others who, in misguided sincerity, and with only the best intentions, said things like "you'll have another child" as if my Jimmy could be replaced - or "this was for the best" when to me, with the wound in my heart still so fresh, nothing about it felt like "the best".
If I could give Brit and Ili any words of comfort,
it would be that for me, twenty-four years later, Jimmy is still with me. He is never far from my thoughts, and many times over the years I've felt his spirit like a physical blanket wrapped around me. I speak of him often and I always include him when I'm asked about my children. I'm grateful for the understanding I've gained because of my loss, and I count every moment till I can see my son again.

For Brittany and Ili

God's Lent Child

"I'll lend you a child for a little while
A child of mine," God said
"For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two, or three
But will you, till I call him home,
Take care of him for Me?

I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return
But there are lessons taught below
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the whole world over
In my search for parents true
And from the paths that crowd life's lanes
I have chosen you.

He'll bring his charms to gladden you,
And should his stay be brief
You'll have his loving memory
As a solace for your grief.

Now, will you give him all your love,
Not think the effort vain,
Nor hate me when I come to take
This lent child back again?"

I fancied that I heard them say
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the happiness we'll know
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness
And love him while we may,
And for the happiness we'll know
Forever grateful stay.
And should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we planned
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

Annonymous

My heart is broken for you and the difficult time you face right now.
I love you - Saucy

There are two sides to every story...

There are two sides to every story...

I'm Goin' To Graceland, Graceland...

Last Saturday I had to go to Reedley to meet with my friends about some Charlie Brown costumes. They were working at the theatre that night and invited me to have dinner and see the show. An Elvis Impersonator show.
Now, I like Elvis as much as the next guy, but going to this kind of show has never been my kind of thing. I accepted because it was the most convenient way for our meeting to happen. I never anticipated actually enjoying myself.
The impersonator was a great entertainer. He never acted like he wanted you to think he was the real Elvis. He told some trivia about Elvis, and even talked about the year the post office put out the Elvis stamp (to date, the most purchased stamp in history) and how quite a few people mailed letters with the stamp to fictitious addresses just so they'd be marked "Return To Sender" and sent back. This guy has performed all over America, but he is actually from Reedley, so he had some funny local stories as well.
He sang well - The costume was fantastic - And the crowd was fun to watch - Needless to say, I had a great time.

His costumes are made by a company that has the original patterns used by Elvis, and the jumpsuits weigh between 20 - 40 lbs. when you factor in the belt.

Yes, I had to get a picture!