Two Button Mouse

Yes, had to buy one because the old mouse died. Its radar-looking red light was erratic, clumsy, a bit daffy as well as forgetful. (I'm not drawing any parallels here between the mouse and the user.)

The little nib is a scroller and the first time I used it the page went whipping past me like a life being reviewed at an accident scene. Now I can hit my target within a reasonable distance most of the time. There are some helpful features I've been told, of which I've only discovered one: you can choose which document to open your files, helpful for jpgs that come in over the transom.

To finish off the desert pictures. . .

Cafe
Yucca Arizona
May 2007


Doorway
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Brick Tiara
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Green Room
Yucca Arizona
May 2007


Sunlight Morse Code
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Honolulu Club
Other Side of the Highway
May 2007

Move-In Special: Act Now!
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Lounge Here
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Gingerbread Porch
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

I'm always amazed by the quality of abandonment that can exist in these small towns, whether it be a collection of bony skulls that adorn a back porch, a lounge chair that some housewife wanted out of the way, or faded gingerbread along a porch's awning.

They remind me of the things I abandon--but less publicly: cast-offs stored in boxes and bins out in the garage. Perhaps that's my version of the desert side of the road. And yet, even though I'm convinced of the necessity of paring down, getting rid of, I see a book discard at the library and pause to peruse the cart. The neighbors clear out for good and I think I could probably use their little discarded riding toy for my grandchildren.

And so, surrounded by mountains of things, I spend my time taking care of them, moving them around, repacking after I've sorted through one more box (what am I saving this for?). I remember when Dave's Dad cleared out his file drawers, the wistful way he said he just upended the drawers of his ideas, plans, hopes for the future into the trash. A melancholy recital of the purge. And I've been the recipient of envelopes, boxes from my own parents, as they tire of taking care of the stuff.

My kids are next. Time to take back my desert garage.

Posers

It's important, nowadays, to get your pose down.

It can be a laid back, arms crossed version like the kid in the middle front. Another popular pose is the peace sign, of which, in this generation, there is no connection to Vietnam, protests or Richard Nixon. Just Peace Out. The all-purpose, lean over to your friends pose is also popular.

But the one that takes the cake in this eighth-grade photo after a school field trip is the boy? girl? in the front left: one leg extended to the side, hood down over face, leaning with arms crossed on the bent leg.

Now that's an original.

Stop and Rest a While
Yucca, Arizona
May 2007

Off
Yucca, Arizona
May 2007

Tilted Timber
Yucca, Arizona
May 2007

Askew
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Motel Kitchen Window
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Outside the Motel Kitchen
Yucca Arizona
May 2007

Zig-Zag.

(Grouping inspired by a cactus from Kingman Arizona)

While trying to get some stuff done, I remembered this great video Peter told me about.

Per Favore? Grazie.
Some Days Are Like That

Alberta's Rose

When Dave's mother passed away, friends of ours brought us a rosebush to plant in her honor. For a full year, it sat in the corner of our yard, surviving against all odds. After removing the star pine tree before we left for DC, I now had a place for the rose. When I tried to lift up the bucket I found out why it had survived: a sturdy taproot had found water.

In the new place, near my vegetable garden, it has done well and I think good thoughts about Sal and Marlene and their kindness. Although not the real name, we call this the Alberta rose after his mother. This year the blooms were vivid, and I clipped one and put in a small vase by the kitchen sink

Trying to hurry out the door this Sunday, I couldn't find Dave.

I found him crouched outside, taking a photo of his mother's rose on Mother's Day.

Saturday's Post: All Things Boardwalk

Wooden and Metal Curves

Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

At the Entrance

Board Wok
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Shark Girls
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Polka Dot Boy
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

And A Chicken in Every Pot
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Idling Cars
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Before

Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

After
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Portraiture
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Empty Seats
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Although it was a rainy day, it just seemed as if all the rides and attractions were pumped up in color, form, line, like the old Boardwalk on speed.

My children used to play a miniature version of this fishing game.

My Aunt Jean came and got me when we lived in Portola Valley because she wanted to go to the Boardwalk, and it was thought I was good with directions. That's my first memory.

The second was the day friends and I were down at the beach, and watching with interest an amorous young couple. Our interest heightened the more passionate they became. The day was hot, summer was long, and he clicked off her bra top. Our jaws dropped and we wondered if we should do something to remind them that they were in a public place. As we talked, his hands wandered to her bikini bottom. Things were getting quickly out of hand, but giggling was more the option than action. To our left, a portly young girl, whose flesh moved in time with her steps, ran down and threw a beach towel over the young lovers. All went still. A few moments later, we figured out that she was putting her top back on. Then his head poked out and looked around at all of us looking at him. She never did emerge, and finally we left and walked down the Boardwalk.

Movie House
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

Shopper's Corner
Santa Cruz, California
April 2007

What do We Do With Our Child?

Dave and I have been working on our travel plans for this summer, frequenting Fodor's and Frommor's message boards about various destinations. This exchange, repeated verbatim below (but with names changed) was posted on the Tuscany message board. The title is: "What do we do with our child?"
*******************************
what do we do with our child?

sam&tom - 03:45pm May 10, 2007 EST

I have a question that noone else seems to have discussed. What if my partner and I want to get intimate and we are on vacation with my 11 year old daughter. What do other people do? We usually keep 2 adjoining rooms in the states but that doesn't seem to be an option in many places. We will be in Pisa, Venice and Paris. Does anyone know any intimate friendly rooms in any of the above locations. I would hate to be in the most romantic places in the world and not be even the most basically intimate.

Write a Message
jim (# 1 of 7)
03:58pm May 10, 2007 EST

oh, for goodness sakes.

John Winkler (# 2 of 7)
08:08pm May 10, 2007 EST

Two words: Summer camp.

I have a question that noone else seems to have discussed.

There may be a reason, called Beyond The Pale , but since you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

Does anyone know any intimate friendly rooms in any of the above locations.

May I stop laughing now? It's beginning to hurt.

JW

sondrajesper (# 3 of 7)
09:59pm May 10, 2007 EST

Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.

sct2283 (# 4 of 7)
10:02pm May 10, 2007 EST

I'm assuming your serious asking this question, but it does seem pretty silly. Why not just the two of you go if you want a romantic vacation???

rjekre (# 5 of 7)
10:57am May 11, 2007 EST

Sell her to the gypsys...just kidding!

YRkar (# 6 of 7)
03:03pm May 11, 2007 EST

Oh the sacrifices we must make for our children, eh?

If its really a problem - why not just get her a separate room, does it REALLY need to be adjoining?

maurie_j (# 7 of 7)
11:06pm May 11, 2007 EST

Yeah, I think your intimate feelings will be limited to hand holding and the quick kiss. Sorry, that's why the dog gets left at home when my BF and I wanna get our groove back. ;)

Chaminade Sights.
In order to get a recipe from their chefs, I was asked to post to TripAdvisor, an online travel site which we use frequently. I don't really know if there was a connection, but I posted under "delightful weekend" and the next day the chef wrote to ask me which recipe I wanted.


Even though the desert area I live has its own charms, I loved the smell of the eucalyptus forest, the stunning pink blossoms against the lush greens and a walk in the forest one morning.

This tree reminded me of those Russian afghan hounds--this pine a drippy sage green wolfhound among crisp pine branches.

The rest of these scenes are from our walk in the forest, ending back up at Chaminade.