John McCain embracing the Chrismas spirit

We still have way too much fun with John.....

Little big man

This is my little boy- being a big boy- comforting me in the hospital. He has been amazing- very nurturing, doing all he can and reminding me that I have to sit and heal- so I don't get scar tissue in the area that was operated on. He tells me: Mom- I still have scar tissue from skating lances pool on my leg- you don't want it to be like that! Well, he did have a terrible "goose egg" on his shin from skating that day:

My boys- they are taking such good care of me. Even Duke learned how to french braid my hair for me- because I can't wash it and felt dirty and gross. See that french braid in the photo above- Duke did it himself.

And my friends- so sweet. People bringing food and picking up my boy for school and bringing him home. Friends loaning me movies and keeping me company on the phone and praying for me.

This is the week I usually mess things up- when I feel just a little bit better but a whole lot more guilty about making my boys do everything for me. I sit on the couch and learn more about nothing while I ask Duke to wash some clothes and ask Chris to bring me an icepack. They don't mind, but I do.
I'm going to be a good girl and sit- just like Chris told me to- so I don't get scar tissue. So soon I can take care of them.

Thanks to all who have helped me.

Breakfast with John McCain

Okay,Chris is still hanging out with John McCain, so I have more fun and frolic to share. Thanks for watching.

John McCain likes Cheerios:

John McCain is with us all

John McCain came with us to a Mexican restaurant, and hung out in the bar :
Here he is, having a sip of my black russian:

More John McCain

John McCain getting some skateboarding practice in our Microwave:

John McCain at Santa Monica Skatepark:

John McCain

If you are confused about why there are photos of John McCain doing things and stuff, read here. Otherwise, just enjoy the shots!

John and Froggy:

John caught a MerMan!

He's a funny guy (My son)

My son and I recently went to a bookstore and he saw this John McCain action figure.

He wanted to buy it and I told him no- he only wanted it because it was the only toy of interest in a store full of books.

The next day Chris earned some money and he asked me to drive him back to the bookstore to buy the doll. I drove, he bought. He wasn't even reluctant to spend his hard earned cash. He unwrapped the "Call to action" figure in the back seat on the way home and started saying "I'm John McCain, and I've approved this message".

I drove and giggled.

Chris took John to a school function that night, then played with him the next morning. We took John McCain to the beach, the market, the coffee shop, for sushi. Chris uses my cell phone to take photos. Kind of like "Flat Stanley" but 3-D. And weirder, like my son.

I will be sharing John with the rest of the world now.

And for the record, I would have happily bought an Obama doll, but they were sold out.

Another wonderful thing that makes me happy

I love this hedgehog ribbon!
I mean, I really really LOVE it! I squeal "Hedgehog Hedge Hog!" when I see it. I got it from Nancy, of course, because she was using it on some clever clothes, because she sews things and stuff.(If you look really close, you can see the hedgehogs on the link provided) I think a clever friend of hers actually designed the cute clever hedgehogs. Can you imagine? I would be painting hedgehogs all over my house, tattooing them all over my body- my car would be one big cute hedge hog.

I am truly excited about one of my favorite author's books being made into a movie and coming into the theatre a week from Friday, so I am re- reading the book and using the Hedgehogs as a bookmark! Now I am extra- extra happy. For those of you who know me- that is pretty hard to do.

Things that make me happy

The lyrics that make me really happy when I hear them are:
"And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid, there's one more thing, I've got the pink slip daddy!"- it's by the Beach Boys, but I'm sure everyone knows that right?

The guitar solo that makes me really happy is
one that starts out attacking and pounding and hitting and smashing and then it gets very subtle and gentle and coaxing. Kind of the opposite of the usual for a guitar solo. It's in one of my favorite songs by my all time favorite bands. The song is called Little Man with a Gun in his hand and the band is The Minutemen. Check it out.

More favorite lyrics are these:
"My parties have all the BIG names and I greet them with the widest smile, tell them how my life is one BIG adventure. Always they're amazed when I show them 'round the house to my bed, I have it made like a mountain range with a snow white pillow for my BIG fat head. And my heaven will be a BIG heaven, and I will walk through the front door." That one's by Peter Gabriel. It's called BIG TIME. I like to scream that some some time to try to convince myself. I'm not a Huge fan of his, but I dig that song, it makes me happy. I think it describes me a bit- I do have a big fat head, and I do have big parties with lots of cool people.

I like when I've had a really bad day that I can try to think of a few things I like and try to share them with people I don't even know.

Check out Keb Mo- he's like that too.

More California Summer

So, this is the summer my boy learns to surf. First time out he gets up on the board, second time he takes a bonk to the head- big blue bump. He didn't mind, was back in the water 10 minutes later to keep trying.
We had a great family trip to the beach on Sunday with our friends & family.
But now because the fin attacked him, (Surf injury #2 and only 4 days out....) he has to stay still for 3 days- which is rough to do when he s so "surf stoked"

We are looking forward to this weekend... Stay tuned!

California Camping Vacation

Little Beach People Feet:

This last weekend we had a fun time, driving up the coast, camping at a site with friends and family, watching Duke surf, watching Chris run around. My neck even survived the air matress! I feel so grateful to live in California and there is so much left to discover.

Priceless....

3 Round Trip airplane tickets to Traverce City Michigan- $ 1,900.00
Taxi fare to and from airport- $ 60.00
Having a 4 generation photo for your son's photo album- Priceless.

I was told Grandma never smiles in photos, but I have my ways:

This is the first photo of this kind as well:

Grandma's 3 (out of 5) remaining children,
Her Grandchildren and (2 out of 4) of her Great- Grandchildren.

waiting and NOT sitting

As some of you know, This week I have not been able to sit at the computer, or sit on my couch or sit behind the wheel of my car. Because of that, I have not been able to read fabulous writings by Chuck Palahniuk, or sit and edit wonderful photos from our Michigan vacation, or walk or drive around to commit more not so random acts of kindness.
But I am getting there. Slowly. Painfully. I am almost there.
So, I have to ask you to help. Chalk someones porch or driveway for me today. Leave a toy on a doorstep or banana bread with white chocolate chips on a car hood for me. Do it for someone and you will find that you are doing it for yourself.
I am tired from NOT being able to do these things, I am saddened by it. Being tired and sad makes it harder to heal.
Today my sweet Duke built a mountain of pillows, gave me my pain meds and put his laptop on my lap so I could quickly check emails and do some computer stuff before I have to lay down. So this is my message to you: COMMIT AN UNEXPECTED ACT OF KINDNESS. That, and watch all skin wounds carefully and go to the DR. at the first sign of trouble. Stay away from people when you are sick, even after you feel better and the weather is nice outside. Be good to the world. Even though lately I am surprised at how much bad stuff happens to good people, I still want to be good. Get out there and be good.

Kitty Plates

My friend who lives in California like I do, likes to buy kitschy things at thrift shops and such. One day she came home with this amazing artwork- soft fluffy kitty's under glass. It is actually a plate with fuzzy kitties glued on and then covered with another clear class plate except that you couldn't use it because of the gold stuff (is it called brick-a- brack?) covering the under plate and over plate seam. Still, I love the kitty plate and took these photos with my cell phone to share the lovely art with all who would look:

Here is a close up to show the amazing detail:


So, this past week I went to see my 90 year old grandmother in Michigan- she lives in a small town that takes 2 planes and an hour car ride to get to her 60 acres. After bringing my bags down to the basement room where I was staying, I found on the wall ANOTHER KITSCHY KITTY PLATE! I was shocked and amazed. I brought my husband down to look, then my son, then my dad, then my cousin. We all laughed at the improbability of it all. We compared the kitties on the phone with the kitties on the wall. (My grandma says her's are cuter)

How does one woman buy a kitty plate in a thrift shop in Redondo, and another woman buy a kitty plate at a garage sale in Michigan? Where are the other two that would make up the set? I am determined to find them. The family of kitties must all be united! I have now begun the search to get myself a set of kitty plates. It seems to be my destiny. Grandma has one, Nancy has one... What about me and my needs?

Drive by L.A.

In the spirit of Nancy, Because I love her spirit, I am embracing the drive by L.A. photo thing, except that I am letting my 9 year old shoot, because I am still deathly afraid of another accident.

Here is his recent work.

"Mannequin Pays Parking Meter":

"Blow up Toy on Corner":

Acts of kindness that aren't random

As fun as field toy tagging is, we have been having much more fun tagging our friend's houses, and our friends. Recently I was with my friend and her teen daughters and I secretly and discreetly put a toy in the hood of the oldest girl's sweatshirt. When she got in the car and leaned back against the seat, she discovered the toy and didn't know where it came from.. Their Mom tells me that she and her sister are having fun finding and hiding the toy

In spite of my recent sensitivity to incompetence in the world, I am still working every day to perform acts of kindness that aren't random- they are planned:

This guy is the protector of the field....

I am talking about my cat; "Trumin the assassin" he follows us while we toy tag, because he thinks he's a dog. He also protects us from gophers!

May 6 2008- Chalk Tagging

My Mother died on May 6th 1992.

Some years on the anniversary of her death, I spend a lot of time crying or feeling sad or reminiscing.

Today instead I celebrated the lives of two women I admire and adore and I chalk tagged their homes.

The first one because it is her birthday and I've been chalking her driveway every birthday for 4 or 5 years and I thought she might be terribly disappointed if she came home to a blank driveway. Plus I like to let her neighbors know it's her birthday too, and what better way than with a chalk mural?



I also tagged my friend's porch, just because I love her and wanted her to know.




I still miss my Mom, but today was a good day. I'm glad she taught me how to have good clean fun!

Lucky

Every year from March through May this hill has a blanket of purple flowers on it. I have come here with friends and family to take photos- as do most of the people who live in this neighborhood.

This year it occured to me and my son that there might be another fun activity to be had on this slick, soft purple pad of flowers.....

"Extreme Flower Frolic!"

It works quite well.

We did also take the annual purple flower photos, and I am once again convinced that I am the luckiest girl in the world. I have two boys who love me dearly, and who will turn a family photo session in to an extreme sport.

Toy Tagging...

Tip-toe-ing up the stairs to a friend's front door....Toy in hand. It's hard to keep from giggling.


Have you found a tiny toy when you got home from work or school? Are you discovering smiling little friends in places you wouldn't expect? Perhaps you've been "toy tagged"- it's the newest fad- the coolest way to recycle.

Toy Tagging day 3

Still having fun with the toy tagging thing. But in addition to leaving toys in the field by our home for people to happen upon, there are other toys mysteriously appearing.... has it happened to you?
Can you see Buzz?

There is a little guy at the bottom of this pole:

SEE?

I like these plants better with surprises inside:

another mutant turtle: