Day off

We had the same day off!!! Marlon threw me on the back of his Harley this morning and we took off. Headed to Sedona for breakfast - at the Coffeepot, where else? Then headed over to Payson 'cause the drive is pretty. When we got back into Phoenix at two in the afternoon, it was 98 degrees which is NOT bike riding weather. But it was still fun. I have my very own helmet, now. Ironically, it's the SAME helmet Marlon has - only in a smaller version. Pretty hot, huh? :)

ctg

I miss you, Mom.

Summer Fashion

Seriously?

Favorite child

Email from Jenna today which made me totally crack up:

Mother's Day Weekend

My work took the employees to the Diamondback's game on Saturday. Our seats were in the new all-you-can-eat section. Who better to go with me to an all-you-can-eat event than my favorite boy!!! The all-you-can-eat is typical ball park food: popcorn, peanuts, chips, hot dogs, soda and water. I guess there was a ball game going on - we were too busy playing with the cool features on Jeremy's cell phone and eating hot dogs to watch it! Have you ever noticed that Jeremy has his Mother's smile?

On Sunday, Jeremy was out of town. He was given tickets to the Diamondback's game - so Jenna and I used them. We're not huge baseball fans - but Jenna is a huge fan of nachos and I am now a huge fan of Gordon Biersch's garlic french fries. Seriously good stuff. The Diamondback's were playing the Washington National's, I have no idea who won the game we were distracted by all the eating, and posting this really cute picture on Jenna's Facebook. Umm, Jenna? Has anybody told you that you look like your Mother?

When we got home from the game, Jenna, my good child, gave me the ultimate Mother's Day gift: she cleaned my bathroom. I love a clean bathroom - that I didn't have to clean myself! And she showed off the skills she's learning in college. She made Chocolate Mousse, from scratch. Not my kind of scratch: chocolate pudding and Cool Whip. Nope. For real from scratch: whipping cream, eggs, sugar and Ghirardelli chocolate. Five bowls, four spatulas and a double boiler later we had Chocolate Mousse. It was Sooooo good! My mother-in-law, Jeri, came for dinner and got to share in the chocolatey goodness. (Jenna put on that apron for you, Brenda!!)

I have good kids. I really do.

Serves who?

Brenda has me addicted to these Pita Chips. She serves them with hummus, I didn't know I liked hummus!!! So I'm chowing down on these things, eating my way through the bag, when I glance at the back. Serving size: 6 chips.

Who are they serving?!!! SIX chips? Who is going to eat SIX chips? I think I need to write to the Simply Naked people and tell them that SIX chips is NOT a serving. Six chips is a taste test. See if you like them. After six you would have a pretty good idea whether or not you wanted to eat any more. You wouldn't put 6 little chips on a plate and serve it to somebody. They would think you were crazy. Or stingy. Or really, really weird. Or that you really don't enjoy their company so eat your measly SIX chips and get out. Puhhlease.

THIS is a serving:

Small treasures

Dad's desk. At first glance: OMG!!! What are we going to do with this!!! It looks to be full of STUFF, until you dig through it and find a little treasure.

One of Mom and Dad's favorite authors is JA Jance. I think they had ALL of her books and had met her personally at book signings in the valley. She writes a couple of different mystery series: The Joanna Brady mysteries (about a female sheriff in Bisbee, AZ), and the JP Beaumont mysteries (about a detective in Seattle). Before her first novel was published, she wrote a book of poems called After the Fire which she wrote while dealing with the end of her relationship with her alcoholic husband. Dad was touched by one of her poems, "Insomnia" and sent Ms. Jance an email to thank her, a copy of which was in a pile of papers on his desk:

Sept. 26, 2008

Dear Judy,

Just a thanks note. I'm the Paul from the signing in the Chandler Hamilton Library that mentioned that you had me crying at the removal of Dan Sloan's body. And it gets me everytime I re-read that chapter.

I'm also the Paul part of Paul & Carol. However, Carol passed about a year and change ago from cancer complications and other things. We had 50 years together so that was good. The 50 years, that is. The thanks part comes from you bringing along "After the Fire" to the signing. When I got to "Insomnia" that hit me squarely. Like you have been looking in the windows. It made much sense to me and finally I can begin to encroach upon the "other side" of the bed. So thanks ever so much.

Hugs,
Paul

Ms. Jance replied:

Dear Paul,

Thank you for writing. Please accept my condolences on the loss of your wife. Compared to the fifty years you shared, a year and some change isn't long. I hope After the Fire gives you some comfort. Grief takes time.

JAJ