Bon Jour

The art--and Frustration--of the Interview

Cousins day - February

Happy Thanksgiving!
I did something today that probably nobody else reading this did...at least not today. I baked a pumpkin pie, made stuffing, and cooked a turkey, Walt and I had a second Thanksgiving dinner before we went to a cabaret show in Sacramento. Our Thanksgiving yesterday was OK. It was very nice to be with my mother, but it didn't seem right without other family around. With only one exception since I was born, Thanksgiving has always meant a big home cooked feast and lots of family around. When I was very young, it was at my grandparents'. The gathering always included my father's parents, my go

Things You'll Never See in Davis
Wandering around New York over the weekend, I saw a few things that you'll never see in Davis. Some I took pictures of, and some I wasn't able to get. For one thing, while the country as a whole will "never forget" the tragedy of 9/11, in New York, "remembering" is almost militant, in a sadly touching sort of way. American flags sprout up in the most unexpected places, like the windows of buses or the backs of garbage trucks. Fire trucks sport memorials to member

A Dozen Things to be Thankful For
This isn't officially a meme. It's just that I wanted to do something Thanksgiving-themed and this seemed the best way to do it. 1. I am thankful that I have a mother to celebrate the holiday with. I see so many her age or younger who are in such poor shape (or no longer with us!) and I am so grateful that I have been able to keep her in my life for so long. 2. I read such horror stories of families in turmoil, tips for how to handle holiday stress and I'm glad this has never really been a big problem for us. True, this year there are only three of

Thursday Thirteen
Thirteen thoughts about Thanksgiving1. I hate that it's not the same as it was when the kids were younger2. Dark meat turkey is the best3. Whole cranberry sauce is OK, but I prefer jellied4. I don't like olives, but the table doesn't look right without them.5. Make two pumpkin pies, even though we won't eat them, because then there will be leftovers.6. I wish my mother remembered how to make her stuffing. It hasn't tasted right in years.7. Even if the family is scattered on Thanksgiving, the ones I feel the loss of most are David and Paul.8. Nobody sets a beautiful table better than my mother.9. I fail to see the appeal of that da

Oh THAT's What Sleep is Like
We have returned from New York. We were back in the house by 1, my journal entry from yesterday was posted by 2, and I was in the recliner by 3 sound asleep until 9 p.m., when I awoke to a quiet house--Walt had already gone to bed! I had more sleep during my "nap" than I've had in one shot since I left Davis! I am reborn. I'm also ready to go back to sleep for the night. This is good! It had been a miserable night. I just don't know what it is with me and beds. The bed seemed to be very comfortable, but I was in agony at 1 a.m., despite having put a pillow at my back to give it support. I was wid