crucible of ennui

such sweet slumber to be surrounded thus, bliss indeed.
jc
12/13/11

Kitten was in the holiday parade!! This was our third year walking with our Girl Scout Troop. Last year and this year the girls decided to do a rag doll group theme.

This was last year.

The girls decided to go with the rag dolls again this year. Yay the dress still fits and yay we found the socks and y… crud. The yarn wig was thrashed from a year of Pippi Longstocking summertime adventures. Okay. Problem solved. Rag scrunchies.

Before I found the red and white striped t-shirt (oops, sorry mother in law), I was going to use a bunch of old kid t-shirts I had in the recycle mats bin. I was thinking a multicolored bunch of swing-y tufts at first, but then I found the stripes. Just sitting there in the garage, with a mustard stain. I’m sure she was going to throw it out anyways.

The first few strips I cut were parallel to the stripes. Bad idea. Unless you want BACON HEAD!!!

“Why does that child have bacon attached to her head?”

Recut the rest of the strips the correct and lucked out that the strips rolled into tubes and looked like candy canes. NOTE: If you don’t want tubes, cut the fabric perpendicular to the way you were cutting to get it to curl Easy peasy lemon squeeze-y.

Grabbed a covered elastic band and started tying strips on, simple knots. I had 20 strips per band.

Tah Dah!!!

I pulled her hair up into two high pigtails and then braided, then wound the braids into buns. Wrapped the rag covered rubber bands around the braid buns.

I think she likes them.

My autumn starts slowly, creeping around the edges of perception; a notable crispness of detail against a haze of ending summer. It’s a promise of rest after the false start of giddy spring and that last burn of summer has shed. Fall is a new layer of skin; an earned armor. I’m wiser and protective of my blessings, closer still to the truth of me.

How many mothers do you have? I think I’m up to 7 at this point in my life. My two foster moms, one adopted mom, 3 friend moms and finally, one reunited birth mom. I am so lucky and blessed to have lived this fabulous life.

Thank you unknown russian family for not adopting me – I don’t know who you are or why you gave me back to the city of Los Angeles, but I’m thankful you did as I hate borscht.

Thank you Aunt Shirley – BEST FOSTER MOTHER IN THE WORLD!! Thank you for always staying in touch and treating me like a daughter even after I was adopted. Girl – you’re like 90 and still rockin around the Valley.

Mom – I miss you. Please watch over me and help me not to mess things up too much.

Beth – Thank you for opening up your home and life. You taught me how to cook, how to shop and oodles of other inappropriate topics anyone is free to ask me about offline.

Christina – my voice of conservative reason. You may be a peer, but I give weight to your opinions. You have no idea how many times I call you to run things through that amazingly succienct mind and heart of yours.

Flavia – I think of all my surrogate moms, you may be my most favorite. Gorgeous, sassy and fabulously witty… Yeah. I want to be Flavia.

And finally Laurie – when mom passed away, I took the chance to contact my birth mom. And Laurie is everything I wanted to find. Everyday we work and build and learn about each other. The most amazing gift of all – her friendship. Thank you Laurie for setting me on this fantastic journey!

I’m a mom now. I LOVE my babygirl. I count my blessings in her and my life every morning and night.

Love your Mom. You mean the world to her.
Wade in the Water
Laurie, my mom, piano
Kira, cousin, guitar

Miss you Mom
Diane Napolitano
1944-1998

One part fresh squeezed orange juice
One part pineapple juice
One part peach juice
Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.
If you’re over 21, I recommend an additional part of rum. I like rum.

edit: I forgot that the drinking age was 21… not 13.

text message from BFF: Happy Easter!! Don’t eat any bunnies.

Thanks Beth… thanks for that friendly, but tragic reminder.

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Originally uploaded by Glenn Calvin

“My daddy pulled it out of my face!”

How funny is this? Now that I’m not working, I’m busier than ever.

This week is the last I have before Cat gets out for Christmas vacation.

The plan? Cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.

It’s the end of Sunday dinner. Glenn is trying to convince Catherine to eat the gravy skin for $20. Should I put a stop to such shenanigans?

Or should I put down another $20?

Two words. Roller Disco.

Tonight I visited Skateland for the first time in 26 years. It hadn’t changed a bit… I remembered the all girl skate, the backward skate, the lights-off skate, the hook-your-pinkie-finger-into-the-back-loop-of-your-junior-high-school-boyfriend’s-jeans skate and, of course, the hokey pokey.

Magic happened as Joan Jett started to sing about her love for rock and roll… 9 disco balls were hit with lights and the fog machines started to fog… 1982. Kinda like Xanadu, but without Gene Kelly.

I guess the walk away on this post – I still heart Xanadu and Roller Disco.