WALKING TO SAN FRANCISCO

My son is walking to San Francisco. 600 miles. Whittier, CA  to San Franciso, CA.Today is his birthday and it's his 5th day, alone, and on foot.

     One of my clients once told me that there was no one in the world who could make her as angry as her children. I agree.  

     In my professional life I deal with the most intimate details of a person's life.  Clients tell me what side of the bed they sleep on, where they keep their underwear and how they like to shower.  We discuss money situations, how they interact with husband/wife, children, co-workers, what bothers them about the person they live with and lots more most people only discuss with their therapists.  I'm an interior designer.  

     In spite of all this personal information and the quirky things clients do; and in spite of the surprising and sometimes idiotic things other family members do (including hubby), nobody moves me like my kids do.

     Grocery shopping yesterday I had to hide behind the loaves of bread to wipe away my tears as I thought of my son's swollen feet and sunburnt ears.  It's his choice, his adventure, I thought, but those feet still popped into my mind's eye.  And I worry he'll be attacked by a bear or a wild cat!  

     My children have grown into very interesting adults.  They are smart, honest, strong and even when they are afraid, they do the right thing.  My heart bursts with pride when I think of them and of their "wild and crazy" challenges.  But, honestly, sometimes I wish they were still little and listened to what I said.  I pray for them each day and send them white light.  

     Please keep Adrian, my son in your thoughts. 

Back from the Bermuda Triangle

     After spending the prescribed time in the Bermuda Triangle, I am finally back at work.
My Bermuda Triangle typically starts a few days before Halloween; continues with Thanksgiving and should end the day after Christmas (hence the triangle)--but truly, are all the brownies, cookies, fruit cakes and truffles gone by December 26th?  Not in my house.  We are blessed with friends and relatives who shower us with  goodies traditional during the season, so MY Bermuda Triangle extends through New Year's and finally, FINALLY ends the night of Jan. 6th when we cut the Three Kings Wreath in celebration of the Epiphany and try to pass the buck with that little plastic doll stuck deep inside the soft, sweet, delicious wreath.  "What?" you say.  More on that later.
      When the kids were little, Halloween was a much bigger production, nowadays, I drive down to the store and buy a barrelful of candy and have my husband pass it out while I watch re-runs of "Law & Order".  At some point that night I ask him to give fistfuls away because I don't want a bushel of M&Ms left over (oops, I just revealed that I don't always pass out "green/healthy" candy--but what the hey, it's Halloween!)   
     Thanksgiving is another story. While I never have to cook for that celebration, I'm usually up to my elbows in Christmas shopping before Thursday--yes, I start before the "official"  gunshot goes off.  This year, however, Diandra and I started about two weeks before Thanksgiving, shopping, setting up two Christmas trees, countless other decorations and merchandising our beautiful products for our Holiday Boutiques.  We had scheduled several Boutique Events, but because we've moved out of our showroom and have taken ECO-Design Ware the direct sales (party plan) route, the Events were to be held "chez moi" and my courage ran low.  Diandra and I decided two events would be enough and had a great time at our first one eating cookies, drinking hot apple cider and gossiping.  So in a sense, I felt that I was ahead of schedule getting the house ready for visitors and celebrations and felt my shopping was under control.  
     Well, who knows what happened because, although I never felt rushed (in fact, I thoroughly enjoyed all the time before and all the time after Christmas), I kept having to go back to the stores.  Honestly, I think I was so organized and so set on enjoying my time with family that I i began to feel deprived!  I was depriving myself of all the hustle and bustle of the stores, all the glittery lights, the sales, the lines, the cold, the hot drinks in your car, the rushing.  And what's Christmas without all that?!!  So I did it, just for fun!  
  And then, the day after Christmas, my husband and I left for a trip--we left our kids and all the leftovers (!) alone in the house--our oldest who had traveled from San Francisco to spend time with us, our youngest, who had traveled from Santa Barbara to be with his parents and our middle child, who lives with us and was happy to see us go.  We did come back on the 31st, but, to an empty house--no, wait, it wasn't empty, it was full of ants, after the parties our kids had.  But we were happy to be back. And our kids re-appeared after the new year, and I tried to work a little, but found it impossible because we believe in new beginnings and so we started remodeling the kids' bathroom that Monday.  
     On Thursday the 6th we cut the wreath.  The wreath is a pastry in the shape of a Christmas wreath that holds a little plastic baby inside.  Family and friends gather together, as did the shepherds and the Three Wise Men to visit the Baby Jesus.  If you get the plastic baby in your slice, you are obligated to have a party either on Feb 2 or host the cutting of the wreath the following year.  
     So now, several pounds later, and completely happy and satisfied, I emerge from my Bermuda Triangle:  Diandra is our hostess for next year. The remodeling will be done tomorrow when Erick (my tile contractor) installs the shower doors.  And I will be happy to go back to worrying about other people's remodeling--for that's what I do for a living, I'm a designer.