Essential Skills

I have always maintained that my children should have two basic life skills. 1) play the piano with a certain proficiency 2) drive stick.

I can now say that both of my daughters have achieved said skills. Years of piano lessons and daily practice took care of #1. Eldest daughter learned stick in time to drive in one cross-country to Minnesota about five years ago. Second daughter has conquered manual transmission this summer which has greatly increased her mobility.

Novella

Time is funny. You know. It seems like just yesterday when the children were toddlers, and yet, it feels like a long time ago, too. I finished Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman in almost no time, mostly because it's very short.

Each of thirty short chapters describes a dream that Einstein could have had about his theory of relativity. Unnamed characters in a German town go about their daily lives, but not in the ways we think are usual. Some people are stuck in one time, some move at lightning speed, some repeat fragments of time.

These dreams not only explore ideas of physical time, but also have spiritual connotations. I especially enjoyed the dream of 24 April 1905.

"In this world, there are two times. There is mechanical time and there is body time. The first is a rigid and metallic as a massive pendulum of iron that swings back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The second squirms and wriggles like a bluefish in a bay. ... Many are convinced that mechanical time does not exist. ... They feel the rhythms and moods of their desires. Such people eat when they are hungry, go to their jobs at the millinery or the chemist's whenever they wake from their sleep ... Then there are those who think their bodies don't exist. They live by mechanical time. They rise at seven o'clock in the morning. They eat their lunch at noon and their supper at six. ... They know that the body is not a thing of wild magic, but a collection of chemicals, tissues and nerve impulses. ... Each time is true, but the truths are not the same."

Aberdeen Daze, Part 2

At 1:00, the highlight of the day begins. If you know the parade route, you can snag a shady spot to watch Aberdeen's finest roll by. I love a parade - Claremont's own parade on the 4th of July is a summer highlight for me. However, I don't think I'll see these in our parade - a giant spud (potato), a combine, a tractor, and enough candy to choke a horse. The little girls had so much fun waving to the parade and then screaming when a handful of candy (mostly taffy) came flying at them. (And we won't really mention that some of us old kids had to scream along with them....) As my cousin said, "Who knew this parade could be so much fun?"

Aberdeen Daze, Part 1

So, Aberdeen Daze is waiting for Garrison Keillor to appear someday. You know it's an exciting day when you get a complimentary wake-up all-city alarm (siren) at 6:25 a.m. with a follow-up at 6:55 a.m. What that means is that you should get up and get in line for free breakfast provided by the Chamber of Commerce. Sausage, hash browns, pancakes and fried eggs, plus coffee.

Should you want milk or water, just step over to the ice-filled front end loader. The Chamber estimated that they would feed 2,000 people this day.
While waiting for afternoon festivities, take a stroll through the Krehbiel's antique museum where there is something for everyone.

Gramma's Memorial Service

Yesterday our clan gathered in Aberdeen, Idaho to say our final farewells to Gramma. Although she lived a long and happy life, saying goodbye for the last time takes its emotional toll.

The service was simple and lovely. My sister officiated and read two eulogies, we sang two of Gramma's favorite hymns, my cousin's daughter and I played a violin duet, my dad's cousin sang a lovely song, and I played Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring on the violin.

After a comfort food-filled luncheon and general sharing and remembering Gramma and how special she was in our lives, we made it out to the cemetery to put her next to Grampa in a beautiful box made by my uncle.

Because we had no agenda for the rest of the day, it was comforting to continue to reconnect with aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins and 2nd cousins once removed, great aunt, and other friends and relations.

Plums and Peaches

Santa Rosa Plums in June

Heavy with a soft perfume

Red and ripe and overdue

Peaches to ensue

Summer Research

Last night we had Hal's 3 summer research students over for dinner, a yearly ritual. As usual, the kids were sweet and appreciative of a meal. One of them is a local girl who seems to be the font of knowledge when it comes to local ethnic cuisine, so we will certainly tap into her store of knowledge!

Cyberspace and Transportation

Ever since we've been home from sabbatical, our second car has been Zipcar. We rarely need a second vehicle, but when we do, it's great to be able to walk over to a college parking lot to pick one up for $7/hour. (If anyone wants a referral to join, let me know, and we can both get driving credit!)

Last week I got a twitter account. Yeah, I know I said I didn't need to tweet. I don't really, but I wanted to follow various businesses who tweet about special deals.
How are these stories related? I rented a zipcar on Saturday for three hours to go to the Ballet, and knowing I had two hours of credit, it was a very cheap rent. However, I found out yesterday that my credit had expired nearly a month ago. I was not aware that credit expired. So, I tweeted my first missive, "@zipcar - I wish your credits did not have an expiration date, especially when I didn't know that they did."

Today zipcar responded to that tweet and has given me a new credit of two hours, and this time I know that it expires on Sept. 1.

A Quick Read

Usually, I read one book at a time. However, I am in the middle of Wolf Hall, over 500 pages, and while I am enjoying it, it is moving slowly. So I picked up When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka yesterday and finished it off in two sittings.

Otsuka's language reminds me of the clarity and simplicity of Hemingway. The three main characters remain nameless, and Otsuka moves seamlessly between their points of view. Unlike The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, this story of Japanese internment is told from inside the camp in Utah.

By the Beautiful Sea

On Saturday, Village Dance Arts put on yet another wonderful production - By The Beautiful Sea. There was something for everyone from ballet with beach balls, to tap, to a Tidal Wave, to jazzy Holy Mackerel, Taiko drumming and tap, a Barbershop Quartet and steel drums. I still know enough of the kids performing to make the show personal, and I love seeing how the dancers mature from year to year.

Happy Father's Day

In honor of Father's Day, here are photos from the archives of my two favorite dads. My dad and the father of my children. Guess which one is which.....

To celebrate today, we had lunch at Mix Bowl and went to see Toy Story 3 which was every bit as good as the first two.

Garden Update

This new spot we've chosen for the garden is working out very well since it seems to get enough sunshine. Check out the blog post from May 1 to see the growth, especially of that tomato plant leaning up against the house.

I am so excited about the yellow squash!
Heirloom tomatoes. Over ten tomatoes have set, waiting for them to enlarge and ripen!
Two other heirlooms, growing a little more slowly.

Beware of Magazine Subscription Scam!

Back in 2008, after ordering something from Southwest Strings (I often use this company for strings and music), I got a pop-up message saying I could order up to 5 magazines for $2 each for one year. I thought, "Sure, I'll get them and then stop my subscription after that year." Well, last December I noticed three charges on my credit card that I didn't recognize, and after a little digging, discovered that my magazine subscriptions had been renewed at a much higher rate without my consent! Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple, and The Atlantic Monthly.

I called the number on the credit card statement and spent about 10-15 for each magazine going through their frustrating automated system which kept offering me more magazines. I thought I had cancelled all three, and after about a month, I got the refund on Better Homes and Gardens. I kept thinking the other charges would be credited soon, but here it is, June, and I finally decided to try this again. I have been getting the two magazines, so their appearance in my mailbox kept reminding me to resolve this.

Instead of calling the same automated system, I did a little research online and found a real phone number that connected me to a real person, and in less than 5 minutes, I was told that I had chosen to cancel my subscription at the end of the term when I had called back in December (oh yeah?), but that my subscription would now end and a refund would be coming to my credit card within 72 hours. I am hopeful that will happen.

The company is called NewSub Magazine Services, and the best phone number to reach them is 203-595-8255.

More from Isabel Allende

It's been four years since Isabel Allende's last novel, Ines of My Soul, so I was more than ready for Island Beneath the Sea which arrived fairly quickly from the wait list at the public library. I love Allende's lyrical prose and the multigenerational epics she weaves. Zarité (Tété) starts life as a slave in late 18th C. Haiti, is moved to New Orleans before it is part of the United States, gains her freedom, but not without a price. Only small amounts of magical realism find their way into the story (bits of voodoo mixed with Catholicism), but the passion of love and life permeate every chapter and character of this novel.

So Long, 6th Graders

This morning the first graders sang "So long my friends, it's time to be moving along" to our 6th graders who will be moving to jr. high this fall. Of the 60 kindergarteners who started at Vista seven years ago, 20 were in attendance at this special ceremony. As a special treat, Tim and Judi McKee, the kindergarten dynamic duo teachers, said words of wisdom and remembrance of that formative year. This class was the last class the McKees taught before their retirement. This has been a special class of students who will be greatly missed next year.

Tiling Plans

With summer here, my to-do list has expanded to include house projects, the kind that get put on hold until summer. I have two projects for the tile guy - backsplash for the kitchen and tiling over the brick fireplace. Here are two ideas for the fireplace - the picture on the left is from the web and shows a tallish fireplace with a contrasting design in the middle - the other picture is tile from a showroom in Pasadena that we went to 5 years ago. I'm thinking about a combination of the two.

Happy Birthday, C!

Today is C's first birthday as a college graduate! Kelsey joined us for a celebratory lunch at Bangkok Blue in LaVerne. We tried to go to Hayato Sushi, but it is not open for lunch on Sundays.

We really enjoy this Thai food which is some kind of fusion. For example, we've never had salmon at another Thai place, but Joyce (the owner and chef) makes a great dish with salmon.

Multitasking

Hiking the Wilderness Trail allows me to accomplish several things at once. The obvious one is to get exercise. We walked the 5-mile trail in a little over 1 1/2 hours, so I'm pretty sure I got my 10,000 steps in for today.

I also like to take my camera to capture some images. Today I looked down at the trail we just came up and enjoyed a number of blooming yuccas.

Third task was some catching up on NPR podcasts. I listened to 3 sessions of "Most E-mailed Stories," including a story on Emily Dickinson and programming robots to play music at Cal Arts.

Lieslsaur

Check out Liesl's blog here for recipes, book reviews and video gaming info.

June Book Club Pick

Next week our book club will discuss Gail Tsukiyama's The Samurai's Garden. The other books I have read by Tsukiyama are about women from ancient Japan, so I was surprised when this book takes place during WWII and the main characters are men.

The book concerns themes of loyalty, solitude & loneliness, love & loss, beauty & truth, among others. As my friend, Jennifer, says, Tsukiyama is a B+ writer. Good enough to read, enjoy, and learn some history, but not earth-shattering.

Actual Birthday-Day

It was hard to top the fun party on Sunday, but yesterday was a pretty darn good birthday which included:

Playing trios with Lynn and Katy

Coffee and Some Crust vegan pineapple muffins with Claire

Catching up with Toni at Village Dance Arts

Claire painting my toenails

Having a private little party at the Turrell Skyspace at Pomona College with two of my favorite people....
which included amazing chocolate tortilla chips and leftover beverages from Sunday's shindig

A Thought on Turning 50

From Sunday's NY Times. If I'm in for more happiness, I don't know if I'll be able to stand myself.

On Birthday Parties

When my mom was a little girl, as one of five children, she could choose one year in which to have a birthday party. When she turned 11, she invited the girls from church and the neighborhood children for cake and ice cream.

I remember having a party when I turned 5. I don't know if I remember the party because we have a picture of it, but I had five friends come over for cake and ice cream. I remember opening presents and I laughed at the way one gift was wrapped (the guest had wrapped it herself), but it turned out to be a very cute coin purse that I really liked. I later felt very bad about laughing. I think I had at least one other party growing up, but details are fuzzy in my mind.

Tomorrow I turn 50 (!), and several months ago I decided that it would be a good year to have a party, so yesterday I ordered up some Mexican food and a birthday cake, invited my dear friends to bring a beverage, and we enjoyed the warm weather and each other's company in our great backyard. I could NOT have done this all without the wonderful help from Hal and Claire who made sure that food appeared, patio furniture was cleaned and in place, guests had people to talk to, and many more details. I feel very blessed.

Enchiladas, rice and beans from Los Jarritos, black bean and corn salad, green salad, and pupusas (still cooking inside at the time of this photo). We have lots of leftovers!
White cake from Costco. Harvey Mudd Chemistry is enjoying the leftovers today.
My friends giving me a birthday serenade!

Annual Voyagers Potluck and a Show

Kudos to Claremont High School's Musical Theater for a great production of West Side Story. Our church group had the annual potluck at our house last night with a stroll down to Bridges Auditorium for the closing night of the show.

Taking Over. . . I Think I Am

Two years back from sabbatical, and I'm slowly taking over leadership in various parts of my life. This morning I took the big box of stuff to become the Vice President for Membership of my local Orff Chapter (Inland County). I also put out the online newsletter for our board.

Last month I took over co-chair of the membership committee at church.

Last fall I became the coordinator for alumni activities in the Inland Empire for Carleton.

Now/next month I take over duties for coordinating the Elementary Instrumental Music Program for Claremont USD.

I think I'll take a nap.

Strange Week at my Alma Mater

Yes. I love my alma mater, Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Here are two wild events that happened there just this week. First, the Goodsell Observatory was dressed up as the world's biggest R2-D2 and made it into The Chronicle of Higher Education. Today, 529 students broke the Guinness Book of World Records to create the longest chain of spooning. See, it's not always snowing in Minnesota!

Two Good Reads in a Row!

It's a treat when I can find two good books in a row, just like I did this week. The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean has been on my read list for a while, and Jan from book club loaned it to me last month. An elderly Russian woman with Alzheimer's cannot remember her day-to-day details, but relives the art museum in Leningrad during the siege where she was a tour guide. It sounds as though it could be depressing, but the writing is tender and lovely.

Multicultural Day

Today is "The best day of the school year" at Vista - Multicultural Day. For the past several weeks, each classroom has been studying a culture and decorating their room with what they have learned. Today each student took their passport and went to two countries and an assembly. In each country they do a craft, eat some food, maybe hear some music and learn about that culture. At the end of the morning each student returns to class to pick up the flag of their culture and the whole school parades through the halls to end up in front of the outdoor stage where we all sing the three songs we've been practicing in class. This year the songs were De Colores, This Pretty Planet (by Tom Chapin) and We All Live Together (Greg and Steve).

I forgot to bring my camera, but I have this picture from when Claire's class learned about Africa in 1st grade. The elephant is supposed to be life-sized.

Let the Summer Reading Begin!

I bought The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich off of the $1 cart at the Claremont library last December, and after loaning it to Claire in January for her flight to Baltimore, I finally had the chance to read it. It was worth the wait! This is my second Erdrich book, and I really enjoy her writing style, her characters, and her storytelling. Every time I thought the novel was at a good ending place, it would turn another corner.

I have decided to try to read at least one book/week this summer with a goal of 50-100 pages per day. I have a long list of books to tackle!