Thursday, April 14, 2011

Don Quixote


Man of the Mancha at the Mesa Arts Center. Shana's studying in a little town called Alcala de Heneres, where Miguel Cervantes was born. He wrote Don Quixote and she has recently been on a windmill tour, Don Quixote's route. I got reacquainted tonight at a wonderful production. The acting, singing, costumes, set and story was perfect. And the moral?

To live the impossible dream!
(even if everybody thinks you're crazy)

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Window Pain

I'm not big into window coverings. Right after we moved in, I ripped out almost all of the custom-made wooden shutters. They must have cost somebody a fortune, but they made me feel claustrophobic. Plus they just screamed eighties. I've had a couple of decorators pop in over the years to give me all of their fancy ideas, but was never able to do anything about this one window. The kitchen's too dark already, I like looking at my tree too much and it feels so urban to keep it bare, so New Yorkish. I figured if people driving by at night felt like they had to peep in, go for it. My neighbors across the street, an elderly couple, always went to bed pretty early and for ten years, I never saw a light on in their front room. Never. But now they're gone. First him, then her and now there's a new neighbor. One of Shawn's patients, actually, and the lights are on, reminding me that we're not alone. That guy will need to get used to seeing me walk Sully around the block, all pony tail, white legs and no make-up, but it's the inside view I'm worried about. Me all squinty-eyed, wandering around in the middle of the night, Cali the cat drinking water out of the faucet (gross, gross, so unsanitary, I know), a mail-strewn messy countertop, Shawn all crazy-haired in the morning, making coffee in his flannel smiley face jammie pants. So maybe it's time to throw up a shade.

Nobody needs to see any of that. 


Monday, April 11, 2011

Movie Madness - Arthur

Ooohh...a billionaire alcoholic!! But at least it was cheeky fun drunk, Russell Brand, in this better than being at work romp.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Have A Nice Day

I thought we were goners last week. 100 degrees in April. I gave up. I shoved all of my jeans to the back of the closet until, I figured, October and went to Marshall's to get a couple of summer dresses. But things turned around. There were several patio dinners, lots of sleeping with the windows opened nights, going to work and leaving Sully outside without feeling guilty. Today we're heading up to 59. 59 and rainy.

Boots. Now I need to find my boots.

Friday, April 8, 2011

The Eleventh Hour

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a budget. After a riveting, simply riveting, day of drama, all those guys in DC appeared to make a deal. Everyone was all nicey, nicey. Nobody got a black eye. Go to the Grand Canyon and take a donkey ride. Go get a Pap smear (for now). Call up one of your millionaire friends and go celebrate. Maybe they'll even pick up the tab.

Couldn't Tame The Beast

I Got Carded At Costco!

I was texting away in the check-out line, so the guy didn't get a good look at my face, but still.
He said, "Can I see your ID?"
Yes, it's right there.
No, not your Costco card, your ID. For the wine.
I smiled. Really? Are you serious?
Yep. We ID for everybody under 30.
(OMG!) Wow. OK. I got out my wallet and we both struggled to get my license out. It's hard. It always gets stuck. I was giggling. Giggling. I wanted to hug the guy.
I said, I'm way past 30.
He took a look at the card. "No you're not."

Thursday, April 7, 2011

10,000 Maniacs

When Shawn saw a couple of bees inside the house, he ventured outside to find a massive hive buzzing away. Big, black three foot by one foot oval vibrating orb. We called the experts and this guy's twin showed up at my door.
 Mr. Wikipedia of bees. He said the hive had been there for about four hours. The bees set up shop, got in the house through the light fixture and they were already building their honeycomb. Those suckers work fast. I asked him how many he thought there were and he said 10,000. He went on and on and on, totally engrossed in his passion, willing to stand there all day and educate me. Bees are wonderful creatures, you know. Suddenly I'm in the middle of a Christopher Guest mocumentary.
I kept waiting for him to break out of character and start laughing. There's a movie in here somewhere. He was just so excited in his little bee outfit and red bandana, protecting the neighborhood, rounding up the beasts, sprinkling lavender powder everywhere. 

I sort of felt bad that he had to kill them all.

Prague

Shana headed to Prague for a little rendezvous with Shila The Great.
(here they are last summer)
Shila blew through U of A in 2 1/2 years and is in grad school in the city. I didn't want Shana to miss the opportunity to see the place with an actual local, so since she's doing Spring Break on the cheap and skipping summer in Europe, we splurged for the weekend. The only problem was that she had to go alone. Too pricey, too far, not enough true love of Shila for any of her Spain peeps, or room in the dorm, either, for anybody else to make the trip. So Mom got to worry as she made it solo through Madrid, Frankfurt, Prague, waiting for the "I'm here" email now that texting's out since Shana's stolen cell phone is probably on Craigslist Barcelona by now. She made it. I can't wait to hear all about it.

Lipstick Call - TGIT

It's Thursday. No gloss, just girls, needed at the Spotted Donkey Cantina. Well, a couple of guys showed up, too for a little learning. Real Estate 101 with the new match.com favorite - first the offer, then the sale, World Geography - BA nonstop to London, Sociology - separate bathrooms are key, Religion - mother knows best, Politics - right's not right, right?, Lawn Maintenance - hedgehog lady garden vs. velvety winter grass, Theater - Into The Woods set design, P.E. - bar laps, Science - the gene problem, Creative Writing - 29, athletic build, social drinker, Economics - get the bigger beer, Psychology -  Lipstick Calls are good for your brain.