Unforeseen Adventures

I was supposed to arrive back in McAllen at 10:35 pm Sunday. Instead, we sat in the plane in Dallas for nearly two hours before they decided they couldn't fix the wonky switch in the cockpit. We spent another hour milling around the airport before they assigned us a new gate and plane.

The delay would have been more bearable had there been access to food. But by 8:00 pm every restaurant in the terminal was closed. I ate the Cliff Bar and peanuts I keep in my carry-on and had Mike stop for greasy tacos on the way home before I was sated.

The trip itself was great. Spent time with friends and family, ate Thai food, went to afternoon tea with the girls, visited JPL, sorted stuff in my parents' attic. It felt like home--eating breakfast at the dining room table, helping mom with the crossword puzzle, going to church, driving around the old neighborhoods. It was nice to prepare food and eat it without PK hovering expectantly.

I was a little sluggish my first day back, but today I got up early to make witch finger cookies for Mike to take to work and did 3 miles on the walking path. Put on my Pink Ladies jacket and headed over to the ward for Trunk or Treat.

Been home with the porchlight on and just got my first batch of trick or treaters at 9:15 pm. Only two of the six kids even said "Trick or treat" and only one said thank you. I'm handing out the GOOD candy, too--PB cups, Junior Mints and Butterfingers! I must be getting old and crotchety.

SGHS Class of 86

Ah, the beery ritual of the Class Reunion!

The 20th had fewer attendees than the 10th. The staples--former football players and cheerleaders--were well-represented (and well-lubricated by the cash bar). Other groups were MIA. Some people sent in their bio sheet, but didn't come; others attended, but didn't submit a bio sheet; still others bought a ticket but didn't show up. For a graduating class of more than 800, it was sad to have maybe 100 people (including spouses) in attendance.

I learned that Rene Hernandez, my date to the Winter Ball, died of leukemia 6 years ago. One guy from stage crew is now a sound engineer for Jay Leno. The guy who brought a batch of marajuana brownies to the algebra class Christmas party (which I did inhale) has given up pot and owns a restaurant in San Diego. A guy who sat by me in freshman English bought a house on Alpine Villa Drive across the street from the one I lived in for 5 years. Small world, eh?

Also noted: one obvious boob job, weight gains, receeding hairlines, diminished and/or elevated cool quotients, and a handful of classmates who looked exactly the same as they did 20 years ago.

Thanks to Mike, we won two awards: Traveled the Furthest to attend and (tied) for Most Children.

After the official festivities wound down, we decamped to a club in Old Town. When it closed at 2 am, one reveller invited everyone back to her hotel room. Mike and I (wisely) bowed out, but Wendy continued partying on and reported some interesting (read: carnal) developments in the wee hours. File that under Leopards Don't Change Their Spots.

I'm glad we went. Since attendance was small, there is talk about planning a reunion for 85, 86 and 87 next time around. That would kick ass. And I'd be totally on board for the after-after party.

Goin' back to Cali

I'm mostly finished packing--just a few things to remember to bring. Keys to mom & dad's house, DMV paperwork, my itinerary of who I'm seeing when.

Got an appointment with David the Hair God tomorrow afternoon for reparative work.

Bought a body shaper that sucks me in enough to wear my plum silk pantsuit (if I don't waffle and go with the blue vintage ribbon dress instead). Feeling a little better on that account.

Mike is going berserk over the Mets/Cardinals game, interjecting loud compliments on the Cardinals' pitching and whooping when they make a stunning play.

I've never seen him like this. I guess you don't truly know a man until you've watched him watching sports.

Ta ta!

Random bits

--Washed the hair. Now have rocker/librarian look. Too much layering. I may have to see David the Hair God while I'm in California.

--There were two men getting spa pedicures at the same time I was. I've never been outnumbered by male clients at a salon before. I'm still in Texas, right? Trippy.

--A sign in the massage room warned that services would be terminated if clients became sexually aroused or exposed themselves. Problems with that, eh?

--There is a creature moving around in the wall behind the computer desk. I banged, hoping to scare it away.

Dammit

I just tried on the killer green suit I had planned to wear to the 20th high school reunion this weekend. Uncomfortably snug.

And my new hair guy gave me Rachel hair. It looks nice today, but I have no idea whether I can recreate on my own what Carlos did using a blow dryer, round brush and a curling iron. I don't even own a curling iron anymore.

It makes me 1) afraid that I'm frightfully vain and 2) afraid of shampooing.

Expletive, expletive, expletive.

Backyard Safari

A few snaps of the backyard and environs for your viewing pleasure.

The back of the house, still life with patio furniture.





The addition, christened the "Tea Room" during Angela's visit. AKA the flood zone.



The Grove. Two oranges and a grapefruit, we think.

The Dilemma

I haven't posted much about church. Not because there isn't fodder (boy, HOWDY is there fodder!) but because I have some reservations about how my unvarnished, new person observations and on-line processing would go over with the locals.

I don't want to censor myself here. But I mentioned my blog while I was helping with the house painting and one of the church ladies said she'd like to read it.

I got slapped with the label "man hater" when I was the New Gal in my Ohio student ward. It was inaccurate and seriously detrimental to my social life; I battled this wrongheaded notion the entire time I lived there.

I don't want something like that to happen here, especially since we're here for the long haul. Of course, I own the things I say here, but reading my blog doesn't necessarily provide the Whole Picture of ME. I'd like people here to get to know me in three dimensions. I'm not sure how the blog fits in. I don't want to alienate anyone.

Then again, I may forge new friendships based on shared dislike of the Sunday School teacher's 100-yard-dash through the lesson material every week.

Give said the little stream

I spent the past 2 days helping a couple in my new ward pack, paint their house, and sort garage sale stuff. My mom has been pep talking me to volunteer, so I did. It got me out of the house and put me in better spirits.

And I scored some church books as their thank you--ones on marriage, motherhood, priesthood that I will have fun dissecting, plus some Lowell Bennion/Carol Lynn Pearson volumes.

I got to spend time with some women in the ward that I normally don't see--the ones who disappear into Primary and YW. The Primary president is a HOOT. Reminds me of Swizzies, big time. She's setting me up with her hair guy and gave me the lowdown on some folks in the ward (apparently, we have a Close Talker). Oh, and she wants me in Primary, bad. Oy.

I met another woman who works at the local bookstore and was also great fun to talk to. She doesn't come to church much; had I not showed up for the volunteer gig, I wouldn't have met her. She asked how Mike and I met--and had actually heard of Sunstone! Can you feel the kinship?

I also got recommendations for female doctors and learned that the local school district is always looking for subs. If subs get combat pay like they do in CA, that might be worth doing a couple of days a week.

Or maybe I'll rent myself out as a personal organizer, painter, and home stager.

More wedding & bachelorette party photos

This batch courtesy of high school pal, Wendy, and her fascination with all things Mormon.

The limo spirited us away from the rehearsal dinner about 10:00 pm and took us to a salsa club until the wee hours. And yet we all appear the next day fresh as daisies despite the wilting heat.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=pi9fe2z.3g8e4dvj&x=0&y=-hzvm10

Be sure to read the captions. It's not quite like being there, but it's close. Except the part where she made fun of my spreadsheets.

The first guy you see me dancing with--blue shirt, hazy off-center picture--he's the one who gave me his phone number. Didn't quite seem to grasp that I was busy the next day getting married and wasn't going to call him.

On Being Unemployed

The last time I was unemployed was a stretch between college and grad school, some 10 years ago. I was also dealing with health problems and a surgery that took 6 months to schedule, making it hard to do anything but thumbtwiddle. In addition to feeling icky physically, I was feeling icky emotionally. Not a pleasant time.

I'm trying to have a different attitude this time, but it's still a struggle on some levels to enjoy the down time.

On the plus side, I get to plan meals and cook and venture into new recipe territory (thanks, Adriana). I get to organize my stuff in a new, large space. I get to add to or make over the landscaping. I have time to read, watch movies, blog, read friends' blogs, sleep in, and watch HGTV for ideas.

OTOH, that damn ingrained WASP work ethic leaves me feeling like a sloth for not having a tangible work product at the end of the day--a cleaner house, more unpacking done, etc. Do other housewives or househusbands feel like this, or is it just me?

I know the only pressure being applied is from the weight of my own expectations. Maybe I can table them until after I get back from California at the end of October--and in the meantime try to enjoy what may be one of the few less-encumbered periods in my life.

I'm sure once I am working again, I'll kick myself for not taking full advantage of my current life of leisure. I can always be more systematic about job hunting later on.

Memed

DC Rush Hour got me with this one.

1. Reach for the nearest book to you and open it to page 12.
2. Find the 3rd sentence.
3. Find the 4th word in that sentence.
4. Do a Google Image Search on that word only.
5. Choose the 5th image and post the resulting picture to your blog, along with the word you Googled and these instructions so others can play!

Book: The Elements of Style, Strunk & White.
My word: admires

My resulting image:

Here comes the Eurythmics' song again

Our house. Our mailbox and street swamped by yet another torrential rainstorm. This is getting tedious.

Photo Safari

Just thought I'd post a few pictures from McAllen taken during my forays. Apologies in advance for the sure-to-be-wonky spacing of pics and captions.




There are several of these around town. I wonder which is the best Best Little Warehouse in Texas?




Local gas prices, rumored to go even lower to keep us addicted. Pay no attention to renewable energy sources behind the curtain!



Victoria's got no secrets. We do. Intimate Secrets. My secret? I ran that yellow light. Shhhh.

I Spy

I misguidedly clicked on a window telling me to update my computer's Java platform. I thought it was something I needed to do--kinda like when Adobe Acrobat tells you when an updated version is available. Since Adobe Acrobat is fairly useful, keeping it updated is a good idea.

Well, what I clicked to update was more malicious. Now I have pop-up ads indicating I can clean all the porn off my computer (oh?) or apply for some third-rate credit card. These are annoying, of course. Worse are the audio-only movie ads that come booming out the speakers at random intervals. I hate them. They startle me. First thing in the morning, I don't want to be startled.

The only part worse than having to deal with these intrusions is that I unwittingly did this to myself. Argh. Maybe when my spies realize that I only visit friends' blogs, Google, and look up driving directions around McAllen, they'll get bored enough to go away. Nothing to surveil here. Move along!

Beanie Weenie

Tuesday morning. Grocery shopping. Canned foods aisle, bean section. Limited selection.

Store brand, Hill Country Faire.
Goya brand, budget-friendly y hecho en Mexico.
S&W on the Specialty shelf; overpriced.

Which brand far outnumbers all these combined?

Bush's Beans. Coincidence?

Tito's Tacos

My dad (and years later my college roommate) introduced me to Tito's Tacos. It's on the westside, so I don't get there often. I used to plan my flights so I'd get in to LAX when Tito's was open so I could fulfill salsa and burrito requests for Utah-bound Tito's fans.

Our trip to LA last weekend to attend the memorial service for Marianne also afforded us the chance to dine at Tito's.

Mike, who ventures farther across the Tito's menu than I do, ordered a chicken tamale, a cheese enchilada, and a crispy beef taco with cheese. I always get a meat and bean burrito; the only variation occurs in the number of tacos I order.

I don't know when I'll get back to Tito's; hence, there was gluttony. Chips, salsa, guacamole that Mike ordered. A taco covered in shredded cheese with salsa ladled over the top mixing with the juices of the meat inside.

Waiting, waiting impatiently for the burrito to cool enough to handle. Nibbling an opening. Kneading the glorious bean and meat filling out the top and into my ravenous mouth. Suckling, slurping, savoring. They call it Tito's. I call it heaven.

Given our proximity to Mexico, there MUST be something comparable to Tito's in McAllen.