Cruisin'

I'm leaving on my first ever cruise on Friday (unless the Jungle Cruise counts, in which case I've cruised lots of times!). Right now, I've got enough stuff together for about three cruises, so I'm trying to weed things down. Way down. I always pack too much. I think it runs in the family...

Speaking of the Jungle Cruise, Cat and I are planning a trip to Disneyland on Easter weekend. I know it's going to be crazy crowded, but we are the queens of the fast pass! I expect we'll just do one day there, since she's got a final Friday morning, and we'll be driving down after.

I'm saving all my PTO for our next trips. We'll be doing our annual week at "summer camp for adults" (Coco View in Honduras) in August, and Cat and I are going to Cape Cod for a week sometime in September. Lizzie's been there, but we haven't. We'll probably revisit some of the places we saw on our New England trip 12 years ago and also visit some of the places we missed. We may just take a bus or train or ferry or something to New York City. Who knows?

No more septic

For those who may have sentimental memories of it, the septic tank is gone.

The last wrap-up bit I've got to have taken care of is a leak in the backflow, so the water's not back on yet. I turned it on yesterday, and what my septic guy had described as a "small drip" is actually a steady stream of water. When we thought it was a small drip, my backflow guy and I decided to just wait to fix it until the annual inspection in May. It can't wait that long.

I found a place that makes fake rocks to go over plumbing. I'm probably going to get one to hide (and protect) the whole backflow assembly. Now that the fence is gone, there's nothing to keep it from being hit by a wayward car. Besides that, it's downright ugly.

Long Week

The problem with having had so many holidays in a row is one gets spoilt! I worked only three days each of the last two weeks, so having to work five days this week feels like forever. Is it Friday yet?

It's been a quiet week with no crises. I've been putting together the training schedule for the year. The biggest challenge there is coordinating with all the other events.

We're watching all the Harry Potter movies -- just finished the first one last night. Since there's not much going on on TV, thanks to the writers' strike, this is a pleasant alternative which should take us through a couple of months, anyway.

Outstanding Older Worker

In case you haven't heard: Bess was selected as New Mexico's Outstanding Older Worker for 2007.

Tummy Tuck Jeans

I just tried on a pair of Tummy Tuck Jeans, and they really do look good. Two things are holding me back from buying them, though:

1. The ones I tried on cost $100!!!
2. I've just gone down a size and am planning to go down another, so would rather wait until I've done so to even THINK about spending that much for jeans.

So I bought a couple of $30 pairs of another brand, instead. They're fine. Got colored ones (brown and dark brown), so they'll look dressier than blue for work. And a really adorable top.

Cat and I spent New Year's Eve in the city - just until around 4:30, or so. We walked to Fisherman's Wharf, had a divine lunch at Scoma's, then walked back to Macy's and shopped for an hour or two. We were feeling a bit punk, so didn't do our usual stroll up Lombard Street, and we also skipped Ghirardelli Square. As it was, we walked about 5.4 miles (I wore my pedometer). Cat found a COSMIC dress at Macy's. Which she bought. It was getting crazy crowded on Powell Street - like Disneyland in the summer - by the time we headed for BART.

What a difference ten years makes!

One drawback to going through old papers and stuff is all the cool distracting stuff one finds. I love this picture of the cousins. Lizzie 9, Alex 6, Gilbert 5, Catherine 4, Fallon 3. March 18, 1990.


Back row: Daddy Bob, Wayne, Brother Bob.
Front row: Kim, Nancy, Me (with Lizzie in the oven). August 24, 1980.

This must have been taken at Grace and Herschel's anniversary party. Who remembers the day I ate my brother, my husband, my brother-in-law, and my sister-in-law's brother under the table? I still remember their looks of amazement when I went back for thirds!

Happy December!

It's beginning to seem a bit like Christmas! I'm bothered by all the Christmas hype beginning before Halloween, even though I really do understand retailers trying to stretch the season as far as possible. It's called mixed feelings. I started playing my Christmas music at my desk today to get into the spirit. Once Thanksgiving ends, I'm ready to think Christmas.

Little Jem is so adorable. He tried to give his mother a "time out" a few nights ago. I guess he puts Lucy into timeout nightly. She absolutely loves him! I was worried about how she'd get along with him, but I guess she really needed her own little boy. He definitely loves having his own dog! He climbs all over her, and she just revels in the attention. He brushes her and tells his mom when she needs to go out. They have a terrific time together.

The whole sewer project is beginning to come together. I bought the permit yesterday (>$3800!!!) and delivered it to our contractor. We had a plumber look over the interior, and there are a few really weird things. The laundry area in the garage drains into the pipes under the shower in the corner bathroom. Which beats draining outside, which it used to do. We're going to have to have a 2" drain line put in, because that's totally not to code. It looks like there are pipes in place to actually bring the laundry into the end of the kitchen, instead. Jerm can put in a 220 line there - hey Jerm! How about just moving the 220 from the front bedroom into the laundry room? Does that make sense?

I don't remember how or why the kitchen sink begain draining outside. Did you know that thingy was made so one can access a clogged drain? It was never meant to actually be the drain. Once we're hooked to the sewer, I'll get our plumber to fix it properly.

Manna from Heaven?

This was totally freaky! Cat and I went to the laundry room at the apartment to (strangely enough!) do our laundry. Someone had left a bag of clothing, free for the taking on the counter. I said, "What a great idea!" Cat agreed.

Then we both did a double-take, and realized Jem could definitely use some new clothes. We'd just been talking earlier in the day about how all his pants are too short and how Alex needs to put his sizes up on the Christmas gift site.

So we snagged 'em. When we got back to the apartment, I looked closer and realized that the name "James" was written on the bag.

See what I mean by freaky?!

Why to avoid Elephant Bar

This totally stinks. Alex had a fourth interview scheduled this afternoon at the new Elephant Bar here in town.

Now, one would logically expect that a fourth interview meant she was being considered very seriously.

When she got to her interview, she was told that the last position had been filled this morning. Couldn't they at least have done her the courtesy of phoning her to cancel the interview? How hard would that have been?

How rude!


Yesterday:

Didja feel the quake?

We did -- thought it was the lady upstairs, who walks rather heavily. It's the first time she made the kitchen table wobble! This morning, while I was in the bathroom at the house, I heard a "ping" and the glass from the light fixture on the ceiling fell off. Didn't break, but it sure was surprising!

A week in Quintana Roo (September 1-8)

Saturday

We took our customary 6 a.m. flight to Houston, grabbed a quick burger at Ruby's, then on to Cancun. The airport was not at all what I'd expected. Most times I've flown to Mexico or to Central America, we've disembarked via rolling staircases (think Burbank, only hot and humid). Cancun has the same cool jetway gizmos most of our major airports have.

After very successfully and smoothly gathering our luggage and winning the "you don't get searched" lottery in customs (I'm serious -- we had to push a button to find out!), we discovered that we had to run a gauntlet of salespeople to get out of the airport. "Your tour only includes Tulum -- Ours has Tulum AND Xelha!" We escaped unscathed and managed to find our pre-arranged transportation folks - Chaza Travel, owned by Palace Resorts. After cramming ourselves and our luggage into a wonderfully air-conditioned van, we headed south for our various resorts.

I remember the other folks on the van by which beers they bought at the stop at a convenience market we convinced our driver to make. Mr & Mrs Corona were from Angels Camp, and Mr & Mrs Bud Light were from somewhere else -- but they owned 200 weeks at Aventura Spa Palace. I still can't figure out why on earth anyone would buy 200 weeks of...basically a timeshare. I guess they could live there for nearly four years. Of course, you've still got to pay the "all-inclusive" fee which is around $2000 per week. Wow. A bargain. I keep thinking they could probably have bought a "real" condo and actually have something to show for their money. And who on earth goes to Mexico and drinks Bud Light? But, I digress. We drank Tecate. There must have been another couple, but I apparently have forgotten them completely. And I'm out of kinds of beer. [edit: the other couple drank Dos Equis!]

Aventura Spa Palace was our first stop -- It's absolutely genormous. We found out later it's got a zillion rooms (1266). Huge. Totally huge -- did I mention huge? Really quite beautiful and lush, it's also an adults only resort.

We were the only two left, so we knew our stop was next: Xpu-ha Palace. It has a luscious open-air lobby with a soaring thatched roof. We were greeted with glasses of champagne. This is my kind of place! We also discovered we'd been mispronouncing the name for months. It's "esh poo HAH." The "sh" is really soft, but not quite just an "s".



Then we sat down with the cruise director -- that's not his title, but that's what he did -- and scheduled some of our tours for the week. They were included with the "all-inclusive" package, so we needed to sign up quickly while there was still room available. We also got signed up to hear the big Palace Resorts "sales pitch" in exchange for a bunch of free stuff: $100 in Resort Bucks, and $200 in spa services.

Then, it was off to our room. Xpu-ha has a lot of acres, but not a lot of units. 144, I think. There are clusters of villas, each with an upstairs and downstairs unit. We oohed and aahed over our in-room jacuzzi, then headed off to find some dinner. I knew this was an ecological preserve, but knowing and seeing are different things! We managed to find a couple of crocodiles, zillions of turtles, and some flamingos in their respective habitats on our way to dinner.

There are two restaurants and a grill on property. Of course, being an all-inclusive, we had our magic bracelets which got us everything, including drinks. Our favorite restaurant quickly became the Italian one (Ragazzi), and our favorite waiter was Filiberto.

Sunday

We slept a bit late -- we're on vacation! We re-visited all the animals, and discovered some more, on the way to and from breakfast. Our villa was very near the aviary and the deer park. Our only "planned" activity today was the big sales pitch. It took place at Aventura Spa Palace, so we planned to lunch there and try out their pool, and maybe beach, after the pitch. The sad thing is I dropped my camera in the parking lot (the Nikon that used to be Bobby's), and it hasn't worked since. Of course, I blew the most expensive part, the sensor. Thank goodness I've still got the Canon and it's still working great. Note to self: buy a neck strap.

We survived the pitch -- somehow 50 weeks went from $75,000 to 80 weeks and $12,000. I don't get the numbers, but the more I think about them, the less logical they get. I still don't get the bargain, when you've still got to come up with airfare AND that pesky all-inclusive fee every time you visit.

The lunch restaurant was over a couple of bridges over the pool(s?). The pools were packed and there was a DJ directing activities -- the one I saw on the way by was some sort of putting contest. Lunch was a lovely buffet with lots of choices, and of course, we had our magic bracelets which were good at any Palace Resort. After having viewed the zoo that was the pool, we decided to retreat back to our quiet Xpu-Ha.



It's my first experience with a swim-up bar, and they're really great. Whenever we'd get too hot, we'd just slide off the stools and swim a bit, then come back all refreshed.

Monday

Today we toured Chichen Itza (Chee-chen-eatza). Way bigger than Copan, and really in beautiful condition. I have no idea how the various restorations were done, but it looks truly amazing. We never made it to the old part -- took a wrong turn, and ended up at the hotel, then just ran out of time. It's a long drive -- about 3 hours each way, so we only had 2.5 hours total at the ruins. We had nearly an hour on our own after our guided tour.

We actually did turn on the TV once to see where Hurricane Felix was headed. I'm really glad we're not at CoCoView in Roatan. They got evacuated, and most of them ended up going home.

Tuesday

If this is Tuesday, it must be Tulum. Tulum is the only Mayan ruin on a coast. It was crazy hot and humid. We'd learned from yesterday, so each had brought a hand towel to sop up the sweat.

Our tour took all morning, so we'd scheduled some of our spa treatments for the afternoon. While K got a pedicure, I got a full massage and facial. My first of either. Very, very relaxing. The spa had the most delicious. light herbal fragrances wafting about, and the most soothing music I've ever heard in my life. I headed off to the aqua bar to wait while K had his scalp massage. We were both as relaxed as rubber bands after that!

We joined two couples we'd met on the tour this morning for dinner. They're from Tulsa, all went to high school together, and were celebrating their 50th and 51st anniversaries together. After dinner, we headed for the lobby. The ladies and I all sang Karaoke. Fun times!

Wednesday

We'd originally planned to schedule a couple of boat dives, but after three straight days of touring and activities, we decided to take a day off. We slept WAY late, then spent the day drifting from bar to pool to bar to lounge chairs to lobby to restaurant.

I had some more camera issues. Stupid ones, this time. I ran out of room on my memory card, so decided to go through and delete duplicate shots, fuzzy shots, etc. When I got home, I discovered I'd deleted everything. I have no idea how I managed that.

So I've got shots from Saturday and Sunday before I dropped the Nikon, and Wednesday through Saturday, after I erased the Canon. Completely lost the two most photogenic days. Hopefully, I'll be able to snag some of K's best shots later to share.

Thursday

Today was cenote diving day! I tell you, If I'd seen the DVD first, no way could you have gotten me down in those caverns. On the other hand, night diving should be no problem at all after this!

Picture yourself in ... say ... Carlsbad Caverns with stalactites and stalagmites and other cool rock formations. Then, picture that it's entirely full of water and you're swimming through wearing your scuba gear. There were no really tight squeezes -- I'd say even the skinny passages were no narrower than three or four feet. I always focus on not hitting my tank during those situations, which keeps me too occupied to be nervous.

The one place that very nearly freaked me out was the air dome. We swim up to this area where there's about 3' of air between us and the top (with bunches of tiny stalactites). It just felt plain wrong to take my respirator out and drift up there. That was the only time I was aware of the current, and it kept pushing me where I didn't want to go. That's the one place where I felt a bit claustrophobic and really felt like I was underground. Okay. A lot claustrophobic. Fortunately, I don't "do" panic.



We dove two different parts of the same system: KuKulKan and Chac Mool. Each dive took one tank and about 40 minutes. The freakiest thing was the halocline -- where salt and fresh water meet and mingle. It was like my mask had been fitted with frosted glass, or there was seriously funny gas in my tank. Fortunately, we'd been warned to expect it! By the way, the special finning technique referred to in the halocline article is a frog kick. I'd almost forgotten until I read it. Under normal circumstances, one uses a flutter kick, but the frog kick is less likely to stir up silt and mess up visibility for everybody.

After we returned from our excellent adventure and had some lunch, I headed off for a much-earned pedicure!

Friday

We were (as usual) the first on the bus, and the only "tourees" from Xpu-ha. There was a bit of confusion loading folks at Aventura Spa Palace, making us triply grateful we weren't staying there. After everything was sorted out and the bus was full, we were on our way. Today we'd signed up for the Paradise Snorkel trip. During the trip we got the sales pitch for all the other activities that were available, too, and that we could bill to our room. We ended up also choosing to ride ATVs and a Wave Runner. The snorkel part was only about an hour long, so we had a lot of time to fill. We rode the ATV (following a guide) for about 40 minutes, then followed another guide on our wave runner for about 45 minutes more. Both were fun, but I think the wave runner was coolest.

Our lunch at the Paradise resort was included, too. A couple of musicians came and serenaded us, and we got a couple of complementary (gosh, you look nice!) shots of tequila. Which I sipped and enjoyed! We took it easy on lunch, because we knew we wanted to have a large dinner and enjoy all our favorites one last time.



Saturday

Everything went smooth as clockwork -- we'd ordered a room-service breakfast to have out on the deck because of our early departure. We didn't get to eat too much of it; however, because we were scrambling to finish packing. We did manage to leave a bag of T-shirts up on the top shelf, but the resort is shipping them to us. We got to the airport and through security THREE HOURS before our flight, so we were able to enjoy a long and leisurely breakfast at Margaritaville, then watched planes taking off and landing for another hour or so. About half an hour before boarding, we went to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company to have a couple of drinks for "the road."

We had about four hours in Houston, so were able to enjoy a delightful dinner at one of our very favorite restaurants: Pappadeaux.

One of my bags (the big one, of course) took the scenic route home, but I got it back on Sunday. I'd last seen it in Cancun. When we collected our bags in Houston, it was nowhere to be found.

Leaving for Mexico

See you! I don't know if I'll find an Internet cafe or not. Probably. Seems like everywhere has one these days. If so, I'll blog a few times so you know I survived those cenote dives...

Need a new monitor!

So, yesterday I added some money onto my Starbucks card online. $20, I thought. Later in the day when I used it to buy coffee, I discovered I'd added $50!!!! That's enough to last me for months. Maybe six or seven or more, even. I prefer local coffee houses to Starbucks, both because I prefer the coffee and because I like to support local businesses; however, some places Starbucks is just more convenient. I know it's not my eyes, because I just had them checked two weeks ago. Must be my monitor. It is getting kind of fuzzy. Sigh.

I saw "Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical" last night at California Music Circus in Sacramento. Very, very freaky. A bit like Phantom of the Opera, but with not so cool music. Plenty of music, just not as good. Some awkward and strange lyrics - a bit stilted sometimes.

JEKYLL: How can I pursue the truth, When they can block each step I take?

UTTERSON: Henry, you have come too far - Remember what you have at stake!
JEKYLL: John, I know I'm right! I must let my vision guide me! I'm so weary of the fight! There's so little left inside me!

UTTERSON: If you know that you are right, Then you've got to see it through, You've got to see it through!

JEKYLL: Seven years ago, I started out on this alone, And it's alone I'll see it through To its conclusion!

Who are they To judge what I am doing? They know nothing Of the endless possibilities I see! It's ludicrous I'm bound by their decision!

UTTERSON: Seems vision Is a word They never heard!

JEKYLL: If it mattered less, I'd treat them with derision - It's absurd!

UTTERSON: And yet, the fact remains, Those bastards hold the reins!

("Pursue The Truth" lyrics)

Phantom on steroids.

Bumped into my friends from Stockton, Andy & Leslie, while crossing the street back to the parking garage. One of those "it's a small world" moments. What were the odds?

My mother's memorial

As a family, we had a graveside service for my mother last Sunday morning. It was really lovely -- thanks to Jeannette for putting it all together!

In the afternoon, we had a memorial service at the Herzstein Memorial Museum.

The pastor Bess referred us to was excellent. He could not have been better! Part of the memorial included an opportunity for anyone to get up and talk about my mother. Jeannette and I were the only ones who did.

I think everybody was crying by the time we were both done, and nobody could imagine putting together a coherent sentence.

I hope Jeannette will post what she wrote and read. It was ... wow. Absolutely incredible and wonderful.

When she started, she said she was a writer, not a speaker, so she was going to read what she'd written.

[edit: here's a link to Jeannette's Blog - Darlingtonia Californica: Funeral Observances on August 19]

After she spoke, I got up.

I said ...

Jeannette says she's a writer. Well, I would say she's organized. I left MY notes at the hotel!

You may never have noticed, but we never actually called our mom "Mom." She was Mama or Mommy when we were little, and later we graduated to calling her "Mother." I never made the leap, though. I always called her "Mommy."

One of my greatest memories is how she would always worry about us.

I know when I drove down to visit, she expected me to call when I left so she'd know when to expect me.

Invariably when I'd arrive, she'd say, "You can't possibly be here this soon!"

Soon, I learned to call her twenty to thirty minutes before actually leaving, saying something like, "We're just about ready to hit the road."

I was trying to compensate a bit for my lead foot, and I really was telling the truth!

In spite of all that, I still very often would hear, "You can't possibly be here this soon!"

And now, what I want to say to my mother is ... "You can't possibly be here this soon."

* * * * * * *

Rebecca provided the music -- she'd downloaded some of our mother's favorite music onto her i-pod. We heard part of "Four Seasons" and closed the memorial with "On Eagle's Wings."

And God will raise you up on eagle's wings,

bear you on the breath of dawn,

make you to shine like the sun,

and hold you in the palm of His hand.

I'm smart and witty

That's what my fortune cookie said, so it must be true! I went to Panda Express while my oil was being changed. I guess Dave Wong's has spoiled me completely, because I found Panda pretty darn mediocre. The food tasted like it had been sitting in heating dishes for a long time, and I was there only a few minutes past Noon.

I also got my eyes checked. I went to a different doctor this time, and I like her a lot! My uncorrected vision is perfect for reading, so instead of fitting me with a distance lens and a near lens as my previous guy did, she suggested I just wear one lens for distance and go lens-free in my near eye. What a concept! Half the price!

I was short a bunch of stuff for actually living in my own house, so I had to go buy a few things -- laundry detergent, shampoo, cotton swabs...

This is sort of pathetic:

Thursday night I had to go buy an air mattress to sleep on because I've never gotten around to setting up the king-sized bed I bought a couple of years ago, and there's no way I can do it by myself. I totally did not want to sleep on the sofa with Lucy (my dog) sticking her nose in my face every 17 minutes all night long!

When I got home and started to blow the mattress up, I discovered the pump requires batteries, so I had to go back out to get those as well. Whatever happened to putting "Batteries Not Included" on the outside of the box?

Goodbye to my mommy

Ruth Isaacs, who retired in 1993 after teaching 30 years in the Lancaster Elementary School District in Lancaster, California, died Monday, July 30, following a long battle with cancer. Before her illness made it impossible, she served along with her husband Bob as Southern California Representative for the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association.

The daughter of Irvin Peffley and Grace Currin Peffley, Ruth was born September 1931 in Denver, Colorado, and moved to Amarillo, Texas as a small child. She met Bob Isaacs of Clayton, New Mexico at Amarillo High School, and they were married in 1951 at Polk Street Methodist Church in Amarillo. Ruth graduated from Texas Tech University in 1958 in spite of having three small children by that time. She taught school in Lubbock until Bob completed his degree and moved the family to California in 1959.

Ruth is survived by her devoted husband of 56 years, Robert Wolfe Isaacs; her son Robert Philip Isaacs of Hiram, Georgia; her daughters, Jeannette Darlington of West Hills, California, Charlotte Frye of Stockton, California, and Rebecca Bruno of Fremont, California; and her only sister, Dorothy Amos of Columbus, Kansas. She also leaves four grandsons, five granddaughters and a great-grandson.

A memorial service will take place at the Herzstein Memorial Museum in Clayton, New Mexico. In lieu of flowers, Ruth requested that donations be made to the Union County Historical Society, P.O. Box 75, Clayton, NM 88415.

Published in the Los Angeles Daily News on 8/3/2007.

Charlotte's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

That would be Monday, and it actually only started badly. When I got to my car to leave for work, I had the delightful surprise of a broken side window and a bunch of missing stuff. I'm still steamed.

Did you know it costs $181 to put a new window in a Breeze? Geez.

I filed a police report, which one can easily do online these days. I remember years ago when my purse was stolen out of my car in front of the nursery school, a couple of officers actually came to the house to take my report. Times have certainly changed.

I also sent a letter to all the pawn shops in town with a copy of my police report and descriptions and pictures (where possible) of everything I could think of (of any value) that was missing. At least this way, I don't feel quite so powerless. Maybe I'll get something back. Maybe. Hopefully.

What I feel most badly about is I had some special jewelry in a bag (along with some clothes) in the car. I was bringing it from one place to the other, left it in the front seat because I had too much too carry, and meant to go right back out for it. Got distracted by something and forgot. Durn! Double Durn! And it's a royal pain to have lost my planner, too.

On the bright side, somebody else lost their car from that parking lot the very same night. Could have been way worse.

A little on the warm side...

Actually, today is much cooler than a few days ago. I think we topped out around 108, and today's supposed to be somewhere in the 90s. I just washed the dog and the car, though, and I'm personally as hot as I've been all week. Nothing like working out in the sun to break a sweat! I doubt if it's even up to 80 yet.

I've been going through old school photos -- some of my high school friends and I have been trying to figure out who everybody is in the class photos. Here's a cute one of me (fourth grade):

Cat won the Willie!

She couldn't make it to the ceremony between having to work today and some car issues, so I accepted it on her behalf. Cabaret won in almost every category: Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress, Music Direction, Director, and Choreography.

Cat was nominated for a Willie! And new mail scam to watch out for.

Thought you should know...

For her role in Cabaret last year. The award ceremony is later this month -- let me know if you'd like me to try to get you tickets.

I got a scam letter today. Snail mail (how strange!). The letter said I'd won $68,000 and there was a cashier's check for $2450 I was supposed to deposit that was to cover "accounting, tax processing and clearance fees". If it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

I found an OCC alert about this series of scams on the US Treasury website, so I'm going to mail copies of the letter and check to the US Post Office to report these folks for mail fraud.

These crooks get unsuspecting folks to deposit the check, wait 48 hours, then call them for more instructions. The next step is that money is then wired to the fraudsters, supposedly to pay the fees for the full amount that will then -- (ha!) -- be transferred into the mark's account. It actually takes a week to ten days for the original cashier's check to be identified as a counterfeit, and then the person who got scammed is left holding the bag and has to pay back their bank.

Watch out for this one. It looks pretty darn real - I can see how people get sucked in! I was already planning how to spend the money if it turned out to be legitimate. Sigh.