Two days

In two days I:

Drove four 10-year-olds to San Francisco. Got stuck on I-80 behind what looked as though it must have been a horrendous wreck.

Walked four 10-year-olds around Ghirardelli Square, and tried to convince three of them they needed to eat lunch. One needed no convincing at all.


Got them to the Balclutha - laughed, cried, and made a new friend in one of the parents.

Checked into a hotel, and immediately got back on the road to drive to Santa Cruz. Only got lost once....and not badly.

Got an amazing tour by a local - got to see the devastation in the harbor from the tsunami and the aftermath of the recent flooding in Capitola. I had no idea that Capitola had suffered so much damage recently. I was stunned that I live only a few hours away and was completely in the dark about what had happened there.

Ate amazing good at a sushi place called Pink Godzilla. My new favorite place. Tried some new dishes, had some old favorites...yummmmmmm.

Drove back to San Francisco in time to fall into my hotel bed.

Got up early, picked up the same four kids, drove them down Lombard Street and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Explained three times why it is called the Golden Gate Bridge.

Got really homesick for the North Bay driving them home.

Survived about 14 potty stops. Deflected spats between two of them - an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend...and yes, they are 10.

Helped one of the 10 year old girls who unexpectedly got a "visitor", and was completely unprepared to have this happen on a fifth-grade field trip.

Am now completely exhausted, having a glass of wine, and contemplating bed before 8pm. Yay, me.

Tweet

A New Leaf

It is spring. I know, I know. Today included two or three rounds of hail, high winds, and gallons of rain. But, it is in the air...that itch to get everything clean, everything organized, and get productive after a winter in my hibernation cave.

How shall I start? Think I will look to Anna for help.

No 50 emails a day making me feel like I am always behind. Just a new task every couple days. I can do this, and so can you.

Check out the button on the right, click and join Anna, and let's get moving!

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Vodkamom: Estelle - in a five-year-old body.

Vodkamom: Estelle - in a five-year-old body.

Now, how could I ever top this one?

When I need a breath of air, when I need a laugh, Vodkamom is always there.

Sunday sillies

Sheesh. Yesterday was too dark. Even this morning. Change up.

Baked brownies, rented movies, and took my girl to the park. Have you ever seen such dirty feet? Not me - I can't see past her smile.

Backlash.

Ever heard of magical thinking? Yeah.

My mother died when I was 10. I never got to see her at the end; never got to say goodbye. Maybe she wasn't really dead. Maybe my behavior was bad enough that she just left. She was living somewhere in he world unencumbered by a barely 10 year old girl who sometimes was self-centered (just ask my aunt, I was - and I had poor penmanship, too.)

Or maybe she died because I didn't do something to better care for her when she was sick. I mean, I was 10...I should have been able to cure her, right?

Right?

It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I learned abut magical thinking. Common.

And it wasn't. my. fault.

And yet...

I wrote about breast cancer yesterday.

And this morning a woman I know died. From breast cancer.

I was up in a beautiful mountain town, with a great guy, and all I could think all day was....(fill in the blank). I could have done more for my friend Heide, should have raised more money for research, should have known to reach out to someone more.

I am taken immediately back to that 10 year old child, Scared. Anxious. Afraid.

What makes you afraid? What do you feel responsible for?