COOL CATS, HOT CATS.

     Hanah came for a visit before she goes back to Arcata (7 hours away from here by car) to finish another semester of college. This time there were no Japanese cousins to occupy her room, so she stayed there.
   
I suspect (I might be wrong, of course) that, her first inclination was to spend days, lying on the couch, watching videos and listening to music. Fortunately - unfortunately, we hired carpet cleaners to take care of our floors, before Serena arrives. The situation was really desperate!
     All of us had to, so to speak, get into the yoke and pull, getting all the junk, cluttering the house, out. It got really dirty, before it got a little cleaner, though!
     We pulled it off without a hitch! The carpet cleaners came, did their job and left.      They missed one of the spots, of course, where Chickie or Sylvie marked the living room as their territory in the living room, and my daughter went beyond the call of duty, washing it, until the smell disappeared! I am so proud: this is a new sign of maturity in her!
     

One evening I wasn't as excited. Despite my objections, Hanah shaved the hair on one side of her head. I am still trying to figure out, why I felt such anxiety and heartbreak. Could it be, I am concerned, whether she will be pretty enough to attract male attention? Or whether she will attract unwanted attention from some bohemians?
   
 
     My misgivings didn't make any difference: she did as she pleased.
Then, for a couple of days Hanah was sick. She thought, it was strep throat, and we went to get a swab for it. Fortunately, it was something else, and she didn't have to take antibiotics.

    






     What about Sonny, you ask?

     He began to work at Macy's. A few days a week he dons on black shirt, black pants and shoes, as well as a name tag with Macy's logo on it. He disappears only to return with sore feet and a satisfied smirk on his face.
      Yesterday I understood, what my own mother went through, not knowing, where, the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks, I was. Sonny left at five in the morning, promising to return at two in the afternoon, and didn't come back 'til 5! It turned out, somehow his schedule changed, and he had to work for 9 hours that day!
     Did you hear about El Nino? Some of those scientist types are promising us rain and cold, bit what we got is a heat wave!
                                  I object! 
It's hard not only to work in such weather (98 F or 36.6667 C), but also to stay alive! Chickie doesn't even mind sleeping next to an improvised cooler, concocted by Hanah, when she saw him lying, like a dead cat!

RUBBER BAND TIME

     My husband's niece is coming from Japan to study

Reina

English. Her sister, Reina, was here last year, and she - and we - had very busy, productive and fun time together. At least, I hope, that's what she thought!
     I said, the niece is coming from Japan, but, in reality, that Japanese girl lives and studies in Korea. Her parents sent her and her sisters there in order to absorb "the Motherland" culture. They are a part of the Unificationist movement, you see, and believe that, Korea is the "chosen nation" and all that ... stuff...
I don't agree with that anymore, but I like my sister- and brother-in-law, as well as their kids!
     Time here seems to be like a rubber band: sometimes it stretches on and on, and then snaps and flies as fast as lightning! Suddenly, I have a lot to do: appointments and preparations fill up my days. Today a physical therapist will come for the first visit with Roberta. The house needs to be cleaned and de-cluttered. 
     Sonny found a job in Macy's. Today he'll go to fill out some papers for his employment. Until now he stayed up nights and slept during the day. It looks like I'll have a heck of a time every morning getting him out of bed and to work! 
     Well, as you see, there are a lot of new beginnings and hopes in our household, as well as anxiety about the future. Pray for us!

KILLER MATTRESSES AND LUCK IN MAHJONG

     Roberta fell again. She, somehow, upended a mattress, standing behind her door (I should've removed it a long time ago). I heard a bump and ran to her room. I couldn't open the door: the mattress blocked it. Roberta lay crumpled on the floor next to the bed. 
     Sonny was able to get in through a crack in the door and opened it for me. I later understood that, Roberta was unconscious for a couple of minutes. Then she came to, and we lifted her onto the bed. She hit her back and head on the bed's metal rail. There was a big bruise on her side, but no blood or bumps on her head. 
     Just recently we spent five hours in the ER. Neither Roberta nor I wanted to repeat that experience. It might've been a mistake, but we still didn't go there. Roberta is unsteady on her feet, her back and head are tender to the touch.
     Yesterday was Tuesday and the mahjong day! I convinced Roberta to stay home this time: there was no way she could take the hours of sitting and talking.      Doris, Victoria and I met at Mary's house. She made some snacks, and I also brought  chips and sweets. We talked comfortably, sharing our lives and experiences with each other.
     Then it was time to play. 
     I love mahjong! It takes patience, especially, with Daniel - Mary's nine year old son, chattering, like a monkey, at my elbow. All of us played to win, but I won four ((count it!)) - four - times out of five! It could be my Jewish scepticism, but I keep thinking, something must be wrong in the Universe, if I'm having such luck!
     My friends restrained themselves from strangling  me, and we ended our get-together in loving and happy ways. 

BY THE GRACE OF GOD - repost

Gospodi, pomiluy!
                                       Lord, have mercy!
     I made peace with and am happy to acknowledge all the changes that took place in my relationship with Taka, my husband, although we have a long way to go yet. I am less depressed or prone to drama. All this progress I attribute to God's mercy. 
     At first, actually, I wanted to say: I attribute this progress to starting to write this blog and stories, which I always wanted to do, but didn't have the guts to try. I was also looking for a way to develop my character and understand the reasons for all the problems I have completing the tasks or living up to a standard, which I, myself, uphold. Working with my counselor, Mr. P. and learning just a bit from the Al Anon meetings helped me immeasurably. 
     Still, all of these reasons for my advance as a human being pale in comparison to one fundamental truth and reality: God's Mercy.
     And yet, I complain. My health is poor. I struggle with one thing after another to feel better, but, more often than not, manage to just keep my head above the water. "I can't live like that anymore!" Yet, I hear of people, born without arms and legs, who lead lives, full of gratitude and benefit to others. I hear of the people, who lose everything to disasters or wars. What right do I have to complain about small discomforts in my life?
     We are fortunate people! Not only Heavenly Father does grants us His Mercy, He also imbues us with the sense of hope and the ability to find the right perspective to life. The gifts we have: the Earth, the air, the beauty and goodness of the nature. They are given to us for free! How great it is to come outside after staying home with a sickness and take a breath of fresh air or feel strength in my legs after not being able to move freely! 
     By the Grace of God we exist. But Grace stays alive only if it can flow through us to others. Like a stream feeding a lake, it needs to find an outlet, or the body of water will turn into a rancid bog. 
     Let's bring God's Grace to those around us! Let us be the conduits, the vessels, through whom the humanity and the world can find the ability to live well in harmony, to breathe freely and build into a mighty stream of positive energy to enhance our corner of the Universe!

WHAT'S IT GONNA BE LIKE WHEN WE ARE OLD...

     What's new? Not so much. Although...
     I talked Mary into going to see a play at Hanah's theater in Santa Rosa. She, in turn, talked her sisters into coming with us. One of them lives in Santa Rosa. We made big plans, which I related to my family and Roberta...
     On the night before the trip she fell. Landed on her right side, bruising a cheekbone and her hip. 
She didn't look too bad, but the memory of my dad's final fall and fatal consequences of it were nagging in my mind. On Saturday there was no chance in my mind, I would go to Santa Rosa!
     We went to the ER instead. Five hours later it was determined that, Roberta didn't do to herself any life threatening damage, but that she, probably, fell down because she was dehydrated and had a urinary tract infection. They decided to keep her in the hospital for a few days.
     In the meanwhile, Mary and one of her sisters drove to Santa Rosa to meet with another one of their siblings. They didn't make it to the theater, but had a good time, nevertheless. 
     When I went to see Roberta the next day, I found her in the company of a nurse. It turned out, she became suspicious of all the fuss the staff was making over her and decided that she didn't have to take it anymore. She pulled out her IV and slapped the nurses' hands away, as they tried to take care of her!
I spent some time, trying to pacify her. The doctor was supposed to come in the morning, the next day, so I came back early and for four hours 
(f-o-u-r  h-o-u-r-s!) sat by Roberta's room, waiting for him. The nurses told me, he was on the floor, and even went to let him know, I was waiting. He never came. 
     Roberta's aggressive attitude changed into pleasant delirium. She pointed at some place in the room and said, there was something moving there. Then she discussed with me a picture, that hung in front of her on the wall. Apparently, amid the flower gardens depicted there, my friend saw a cat and a man in a black hat, standing behind the bushes. As the day progressed, I was regaled with more and more fantastic tales. The shoes were flying and someone was walking outside toward our window. The fact that, we were on the third floor, didn't seem to bother Roberta at all!
     Four hours later I've had my fill. I left the hospital, drove home and... got a phone call from the elusive doctor, saying, they were letting Roberta out that day! Ah, what's the use complaining about it!
     Once in her familiar environment, Roberta began

Chickie is making Roberta
feel better

to get her wits back. Oh, there was a moment when my knees almost gave out, as she handed me her TV remote control and irritably asked to change it back to speaking English. I heard it already speaking English, but she didn't! Fortunately, when I switched the channel to her favorite program, she discovered, she can understand "Chinese", afterwards!
     I am amazed, how easy it is to get confused! All it took is a little infection and the loss of the familiar circumstances, and Roberta lost her marbles. What'll it be like, when I am her age?

THEATERS, HANAH AND BEARS, OH MY!..

Taka had a four-day-weekend, and we decided to go to Santa Rosa, to see a play that Hanah helped to stage.

   Here she is, in a group of her fellow - stage designers, who intern at the Santa Rosa Junior College Repertory Theatre.  

  

The backdrop that Hanah helped painting.

             We went to see 

Rogers and Hammerstein's musical, South Pacific. I am not a big fan of theirs, but being in theater holds powerful attraction for me, and I loved to be there.

Afterwords, we met with Hanah, who showed us, what contributions she made to the stage design: "See those two wispy clouds on the left? They are mine!"                                                                        

Hanah is thinking to continue in that line of work, although, I hope, she will still pursue her own art. 

We took Hanah home that evening, and she spent the next day with us.

           

Victoria's granddaughter turned one year old, and Mary and I were invited to her birthday party. Mary took me to her favorite toy store: Talbot's Toyland.

It was spectacular! I am convinced: the store is magic. From the outside it doesn't look all that large, but, once you are inside, there is no end to the rooms with different toys! Amid the usual array of soft plushies and model kits stood great big bisons, bears and giraffes, at least, twice the human size! A small bullet train ran around the perimeter of one room; miniature Ferris wheels turned and miniature cars ran in two directions along the miniature bridge. And miniature Eiffel Tower softly glowed nearby!

I got lost in piles of toys, and Mary had fun helping me choose presents for Victoria's grand kid and my own children. If you think, 22 year old Hanah and 20 year old Sonny didn't get excited about their small presents, you would be very mistaken!

PAINFUL CONFUSION

                             

I had an argument with someone. He is a person, who helped a lot with my inner growth over the past year and a half, or so. I fully acknowledge that and because of it I was the one to apologize and ask to resume the relationship.

     Why do I feel so sad, then? 

     I didn't cause the argument. The person critiqued my writing and then said, he is not interested in arguing with me, and if I wanted to argue, I should find someone else.
                                                                                               

            I am glad, he gave his opinion, but then he sounded like I had to just accept, whatever he wrote! I don't care as much about being criticized, as being, basically, told to shut up! 

     I welcome all reasonable comments. I thought, that person was my friend, and would've been ecstatic to get his opinion. He acted, like an irate teacher instead of a friend. 

     But that's over, right? I apologized for openly writing about that incident and including his name in the blog. I even erased the part of the blog, where I did it.

     Tell me, I was wrong! I felt, like he attacked me in my own home - my blog, which I started to be able to sort out my thoughts and actions. 

     I thought, he was my friend. It happened before: I assumed, people were my friends just because we were involved in the same church, for example. They proved to be nothing of the sort. Am I nuts, or naive or just stupid to think, I should not be the target for someone's sore psyche? 

     I hope, he will realize the damage he's done. If he is someone he appears to be, he will re-visit the situation and apologize to me. I just hope, I can treat him with the same respect and open heart, as before.