Doing What We Do Best!

The annual South Bay Writers' Workshop potluck picnic, held yesterday at Andrews Park, Redondo Beach. It should be pointed out that adult beverages in a City park are strictly forbidden but that two of our male members, ages 90 and 86, feel they are sufficiently adult enough to know that a glass of wine isn't going to hurt them any. Do not deny these sophisticated, world citizens their pleasures!

PLAYING with the DOCTOR

Today, I had a routine appointment with my GP. I was called, Nurse Jessica weighed me, took my BP and temperature. Then she abandoned me.

I sat and sat and as I did, noticed that the room was noticeably chilly.

"Doctor" finally tapped on the door, swung it open and we exchanged the usual greetings. Hugging myself, I remarked easily, "Damn! It's cold in here -- I was about to set fire to the magazines -- get a little warmth in here!"

I just wish you could have seen the startled jump he gave.

(Snort)

"Not Afraid of Life - My Journey So Far" by Bristol Palin with Nancy French William Morrow 256 pages $25.99

On October 18, 2011, Palin will be 21 years old. Now I wasn't born in Alaska, didn't grow up there, my mother never ran for a public office in her life ... but I have to ask -- how much living can a 20 year old have done?

I've made it as far as page 164. Palin is sitting at the kitchen table, feeding the baby while reading Star (trashbloid magazine.) She is stunned to see a picture of the baby and then angry becuse the photo collapses her agreement with People magazine for exclusive shots -- for a great deal of money. Sleazy Levi has struck again! (Note: his mother has been buying him chewing tobacco since he was in 7th grade.)

Palin's message is somewhat crisscrossed: premarital sex is bad, but the resulting baby is like totally awesome!

I found this to be somewhat strange, vaguely off-kilter ... the names that Sarah and Todd gave their children.

Oldest son, Track - "because he was born during track season and my parents love sports."
Bristol - "Dad told everyone I was named after Bristol Bay, where he'd fished since he was a kid, but Mom told everyone I was named afer Bristol, Conn., home of ESPN where she'd hoped one day to be a sportscaster."
Piper Indi Grace - "after the Piper plane my dad flies, the idea of 'independence' and the grace of God."
Willow - "a small community that began in 1897 when miners discovered gold and for Willow Bay, one of my mother's favorite sports reporters."

It occurs to me that they may have been out in the bitter, biting cold a little too long...

I Like Ike

"Going Home To Glory - A Memoir of Life with Dwight David Eisenhower: 1961 - 1969" by David Eisenhower and Julie Nixon Eisenhower Simon and Schuster 336 pages $10.12 at amazon.com

Author David is Ike's grandson and he spent many of his youthful summers on their farm in Gettysburg, PA. He weeded the garden, tended the horses and painted the fences.

I looked Ike up and was stunned to read that he was born in 1890! His presidency from 1953 to 1961 made him a contemporary, sort of, as I was 13 in 1953. "1890" just sounds so ... really last century, totally unconnected. He died, aged 78, at Walter Reed hospital ending a long stay there in 1969.

Mamie was born in 1896. When they married he was 25 and she was only 19. She lasted another 10 years after he died, dying aged 87 in 1979.

They enjoyed a quiet life post-Presidency, summering at their Gettysburg farm, wintering on the Eldorado golf club grounds in Indian Wells, CA. Ike's two best friends there were Freeman Gosden and Fred Allen. Ike and Mamie were frequent guests at the Annenburg estate, Sunnylands. It seems that all they ever did was play golf and bridge! It doesn't get much quieter than that... You can tour this house by typing "Eisenhower Eldorado home" on Google. The place was huge!

Dinners were formal, coats and ties for the men, unless they were alone. Their preference was to use TV trays in front of the television. Ike loved gadgets and he drove everyone crazy switching channels when he was given a remote control for the TV.

Ike's famous cooking was basically his loyal Sgt. Moaney doing all of the prep work while Ike then poked stuff with a fork or ladle for the cameras.

He and Nixon were always close, but he and Kennedy, while cordial and respectful of each other, didn't like each other at all. He and Truman got along fine until Eisenhower fled the Dems and joined the GOP. That tore it with Harry.

Triva: Actress Joan Olander signed with Universal Studios on the day Ike took office. Studio heads promptly re-christened her "Mamie Van Doran" in homage.

Officially Summer!

This morning, Richie put the towel across the spring-loaded curtain rods in the sklight in the living room. Now it's nice and shady and when dusk falls, I just reach up with a pair of longish tongs and pull one side down. Next morning, up on the stepladder and put it back. Requires a bit of athleticism, but well worth it. It's at least a 10 degree drop in temperature.

Today I'll pack up the fall-winter clothes and install summer stuff in their place. I will be growling at some of my t-shirts. I hate the "clingy" look and even though I buy that type in XL, they're still not loose enough to satisfy me. I yank at the side seams, stretching it all the way to the bottom of the shirt before I struggle into one - to not much avail. Many of us have belly flop and remembering to stand tall and suck it in is wearying.

It's true that Southern California weather doesn't vary much and that we don't have four, distinct seasons like most of the rest of the country, but because of that, I think we notice our temperature differences more. I DO shiver when it's 60 degrees in February. Cue colder climate denizens to: start screaming in disbelief, roar with laughter or yell "Idiot! Try 32 below!" (Your choice of actions.)

If I ever discover a place that is roughly 72 year 'round, I'll send you a postcard.

Two Score & Three Years Ago, Our Forefathers...

Whoops! Wrong event! Today, July 2nd, Richie and I celebrate 27 years of (mostly) marital bliss.

Because we were 43 and 42 when we married, it is unlikely that we'll live to celebrate a 50th anniversary and at 93 and 92, it's unlikely that either one of us would recognize the other!

Marital Trivia:
Dear friends ages when we married:
"Raffish" - nine
Tony - 22
Bob - 59
Pat - 50
Joyce - 66
Dale and Pat - 63

Personally, I've always thought Richie picked 4th of July weekend to get married so that he wouldn't forget an anniversary. Such is the man's sense of sureness that he is positive all the hoop-la is for him!

Come On, Summer!

A reader just wrote to say that she'd tried carpaccio and loved it. She did say hers was wagyu beef which is certainly one-upping kobe!

Trader Joe has some new stuff -- "Naturally Smoked Sea Salt from South Africa with a umami taste." I bought some, but can't imagine what I'll do with it. Put it on the table for guests, I guess.

Habanero Hot Sauce. This is a serious heat source, but by no means fatal. Less of a vinegar taste (unlike Tabasco) and more of a spreading heat.

You be the judge! I think this is a dubious idea at best -- sparkling sake! My only experience with sake was many years ago and, frankly, it didn't take prisoners and dropped me on my derriere.