One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 50

Photo is of my dad (middle in tie) at the grocery store he owned in Oak Cliff, Dallas, 1930's. My brother said that dad gave food to many, many people during the depression.

#50 - “When mentioning several people in a sentence with yourself, always list yourself last.”  To know if you should use “me” or “I” leave everyone else out of the sentence, and if it sounds right with “me” use “me,” otherwise use “I.”

You’ve heard me say before that mom was all about appearances. Well, she believed with ever fiber of her being that what came out of one’s mouth could make or break one. I may have been born and raised in West Texas where “done went” and “ain’t” are part of the local vernacular and have absolutely nothing to do with intelligence, but even as a small child I winced when someone said them.  I still do.

Aside from the grammatical and appearances issues, I just think that #50 is a really handy mnemonic.  And “mnemonic” is a word I adore. Mnemonic.  Mnemonic.  I love saying it, but occasions to use mnemonic don’t come up that often. I mean how do you segue from, “How’s work SueAnn?” to “Good. Working too hard.  You know how it is, but let me tell you about my favorite mnemonic.” Click on Read More Below...

Mount Holyoke Frances Perkins Program

Thanks to Very Smart Gal – Lynn Meredith for telling me about the Frances Perkins Program at Mount Holyoke, described on the Mount Holyoke website as a “specially designed program for women of non-traditional age who wish to complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree.”  Since my mom didn’t even graduate from high school until she was over 40 and had five kids, this program has special meaning for me. I virtually grew up on college campuses as mom went on to get her bachelor's and enough hours for several master’s degrees.

I love this description of the Mount Holyoke Frances Perkins Program:

“Recognizing that the quest for knowledge does not end, Mount Holyoke College welcomes women who follow unconventional paths to its gates and through The Frances Perkins Program opens the nation's oldest women's college to students of nontraditional age. Women who have dependents or are veterans are also eligible to apply for admission through this program.”

As you may recall from my August 1 review of Kristin Downey’s book about Mary Frances Perkins, I was astounded that I knew nothing about this Very Smart Gal who was the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet. I am happy to know that someone else recognizes the amazing accomplishments of Frances Perkins, and I am truly inspired by the Frances Perkins Program at Mount Holyoke. 

Thanks Lynn!

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 49

#49 - “Always stick up for your sons/daughters-in-law.”
Even when I was a little kid I noticed that my mom was always very, very nice to her four sons-in-law and one daughter-in-law. Even under the best of circumstances that must have taken a certain commitment. You know how it is. No one is ever as perfect as your perfect child. 

Interestingly, although I noticed how nice mom was to Jack, Carroll, Bill, Cathy and my multitudinous husbands (I’ll bet you’re wondering how multitudinous), I didn’t particularly notice if they deserved her kindness. They could have been horrible and mom wouldn’t have ever said so. Whether she thought it will remain a mystery that she took to her grave. Click on Read More Below...

The Glass Rainbow: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke

My friend Orlinda Naranjo (The Honorable Judge of the 419^th District Court) once said to me, “You read to learn don’t you?” Although I’d never thought about it, her comment ended up being very insightful, and getting insight into one’s self is always a benchmark on the meandering trail of our lives.  I didn’t learn a thing from The Glass Rainbow. I was however, reminded of how eloquent James Lee Burke can be, which is why I often pick his novels to listen to when the hubby and I are making a road –trip together.  He, and many of my other closest friends, read to “escape” and/or for entertainment.  Don’t get me wrong, I like to be entertained too, but I am highly entertained by real life. Whatever, SueAnn. Just tell us what the book is about and if it’s good.

OK. The Glass Rainbow is Burk’s most recent in a long series of who done it’s,  staring Dave Robicheaux, a rode hard and put up wet detective in New Iberia, Louisiana.  This one is good, one of his best, but not as good as Tin Roof Blowdown. There are the usual suspects, a couple of murders, a family member endangered, twisting plot, depraved characters, yadda, yadda. But in my opinion, there are only three things about this book that make it worth the time: Click on Read More Below...

Gals Graze

(Andrea Ball, Kay Rawlins and Dean Lofton)

Everything I know about Andrea Ball came from her writing in the Austin American-Statesman, and the 50 minutes we spent together at lunch Thursday – oh yes, and her hilarious blog, Real Estate Rumble, where she says she is “a nobody with a husband, two kids and three dogs, and has absolutely no business doing a real estate blog.” Only a skilled writer can make non-profit news anything less than a cure for insomnia. And as the writer for the Charity Chat blog, Andrea’s that gal, and now I see why. Yeah she smart, but it’s more than that, and I think it’s her exceptional honesty that at first seemed almost radical, “When I got your email inviting me to lunch, I thought, ‘who the heck is this person,’” then intensely interesting, “the Statesman got so many press releases from non-profits they had to do something with them, so they landed on my desk and Charity Chat was born,” to inspiring, “one of my babies was born so premature it wasn’t cute or sweet, it was just scary looking.” What you get from Andrea is what she is, and I really like what she is. Kay Rawlins spent 10 years in commercial banking in the UK, then completed her degrees in both childcare and education and business management and owned and ran two successful children's nurseries while also tutoring college students in childcare. Since moving to Austin in 2004, Kay has been involved in many fundraising events for various non-profit organizations, and currently serves on the board of the Center for Child Protection, which is where I met her. Kay and I were pulled together by some mysterious energy force and feel deeply in like, or at least I fell in like and she is gracious. Anyway, she and her husband own the Austin Aztex professional soccer team, where she manages a bunch of young, muscular, and as Kay explains, “extremely polite” men. Is it hot in here or is it just me? Dean Lofton is a new friend about whom I know little, but have staked a Very Smart Gals claim on nevertheless. Actually, you don’t have to know too much about Dean to be impressed. She’s a publicist, a writing instructor (gulp), and married to a Jazz musician, Jeff Lofton. You must check him out at Ruth’s Chris, Thursday nights – tell Bill Andrews [owner] I sent you. As you can see in the photo, she’s also a gorgeous red headed vamp! Dean does a writing workshop called “Writing Your Life As A Woman” she describes as “A class taught in the style of journal writing workshop - guides women to write their stories and discover their voice - gentle encouragement in a non-academic, creative environment - no writing experience necessary." Sounds like wonderful therapy, and it’s got to be fun with Dean the class leader. Go to her link and read the “Contract For Writing Your Life As A Woman©” You’ll see what I mean. 

What a great bunch of Very Smart Gals!

From SueAnn’s Science Desk

Every now and then, because I am intrigued by science, albeit superficially, you’ll have to suffer through my yammering about same. Or just skip over it. So here are a few of the tidbits that got my attention recently:

What the hell is the AAAS? I have no idea, but their hosting a “Women in Science” panel discussion. I detest acronyms, and for the life of me cannot figure out why any organization would use them. They tell you nothing, convey no meaning, and carry no passion.  Let’s see, the American Association of Animal Science? Anal Science? I went to their website and it doesn’t even tell what AAAS means on their homepage! I had to go into their website to find out that they’re the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Thanks for letting me vent.

Researchers have long known that laughter boosts the immune system, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces stress, but they are now claiming that it decreases appetite at the same level as a gym workout. Laugh more, eat less. Sounds good to me, these aught to be worth a few calories. "I feel sorry for people who don’t drink, smoke or overeat. Because someday they’re going to be in a hospital bed, dying, and they won’t know why.” (Redd Foxx). "They say animal behavior can warn you when an earthquake is coming. Like the night before that last earthquake hit, our family dog took the car keys and drove to Arizona." (Bob Hope). 

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 48

#48 - “When someone gives you a gift, or simply does something nice for you, hand-write and mail a thank you note immediately.” 
(Photo is of my sisters, Honey and Gloria, and Dot's legs.)

The mere act of looking at this one of one hundred things my mom taught me a million times makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. She was so adamant about prompt thank you notes, I worry about not sending them the way some people worry about burning in hell for their sins.

Me:  Mother forgive me for I have sinned. 

Mom:  When was your last confession daughter?
Me:  Yesterday.
Mom:  What is your sin?
Me:  I waited two days to send Sandra a thank you for the bracelet she gave me.
Mom:  Sorry honey. You’re going to hell. Didn’t I tell you a million times?
Me:  Yes. That’s OK. I deserve it. Bye.

I even collect thank you cards the way some people collect Coca Cola memorabilia. “Oh, that would be perfect for thanking Carol. She loves cats.” I have a side table by my chair with a drawer dedicated to thank you notes and pens – ever ready to execute etiquette with eloquence. 

Me:  Mother forgive me for I have sinned.
Mom:  When was your last confession daughter?
Me:  Two minutes ago.
Mom:  What is your sin?
Me:  I typed a thank you note to Mary on my computer and printed it on to the note card.
Mom:  You are no longer my daughter.
Me:  Yes I know. I just want to stop breathing.

Mom:  That can be arranged. 
Click on Read More Below...

Gals Graze

Yesterday’s Gals luncheon, which included (pictured, clockwise) Alisha Ring, Rachel Muir, Debbie Kern and Paula Disbrowe was dynamic, stimulating, and très amusant!
Alisha graduated from UT then moved to NYC for five years, but she returned to run the Austin Technology Council (seemingly dragging them from the brink of collapse), then became the GM of The Texas Tribune. Apparently Alisha is like the bluebird of happiness flitting around, landing on organizations, getting them good, then flying off to vitalize another! She is currently leading a collaborative technology initiative for UT.
Rachel founded Girlstart and hardly needs an introduction as this keen-edged stiletto knows everyone in town. She’s been featured on Oprah, CNN, and the Today Show for gaud’s sake! She most recently raised a billion dollars for Mother’s Milk Bank (OK, maybe just multi-millions), and now she’s going to heft Convio (non-profit fundraising software) to the Fortune 500 with her freaky marketing skills.
Debbie (also featured below under “My Friends”) is a very high-level events planner/marketing genius and owner of i3 Marketing Group (think Paris and IBM), five-time chair of the Center for Child Protection's PlayBingo fundraiser, scary smart, and a superior friend.
Paula is a chef and a food and travel writer, who is probably most famous for her fab cookbooks, one of which, Real Cajun, co-written with Donald Link, just won the 2010 James Beard Cookbook Award for American Cooking! If you don’t own her Cowgirl Cuisine Cookbook, go on Amazon.com and get it right this instant! It’s FAB. Paula is also the marketing guru for Feather Down Farm Days, which is like eco-tourism, but farm-y, fun and luxurious, where she recently entertained a half-dozen of Martha Stewart’s editor/mavens! Paula is everywhere you look and lookin’ good! These are some Very Smart Gals!

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 47

#47 - “Don't wear your glasses, they hide your true beauty and make you look weak.”

This morning as I perused the list of one hundred things my mom taught me a million times, seeking my elusive muse, #47 jumped up, grabbed my hand and said, “C’mon SueAnn, pick me! I always make you smile!” I often mock mom’s one hundred things, but there’s an esoteric little fold of gray matter snuggled away in my noodle that senses a fundamental, albeit chafing truth in her lessons. And gal-howdy this lesson is loaded. There is the glasses thing, and the not wearing of them, there’s the “hiding true beauty,” thing, and of course, the land mine, “looking weak.”

Let’s start with glasses. I wonder if I would have made better grades in high school if I’d been able to see? On the other hand, at least my school photos didn’t include cat-eye glasses.

Epiphany Pause! So that’s why I dropped my baton a lot! I was a twirler, and apparently a visually impaired one at that. Click on Read More Below...

Special Moms, Special Healing - For Special Needs Moms

My friend Julie McAllister, mother of two special needs children, has created a website to help moms "love themselves as much as they love their special needs children," and I think that's very special! Her oldest was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (an Autism Spectrum Disorder) at age five and the youngest developed multiple food protein intolerances shortly after birth.  Special Moms Special Healing came to being when Julie, who I met when she was the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters, started researching online for resource material that targeted mothers of special needs children, and found virtually zero. Julie's website provides support and information on the topics of "Self-Love, Forgiveness, and Nutrition. If you know a mother of a special needs child, please pass along this website link. They will surely benefit from Julie's considerable experience, education, and training - and, she's a Very Smart Gal!

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 46

#46 - “Always clean your kitchen while you cook. 
It should be clean when you sit down to eat.”

Just when I think I’ve finalized the list of one hundred things my mom taught me a million times, another one springs into my consciousness. Like a car running a red light, it appears as a blur in the corner of my eye causing me to stomp my break and blurt out an expletive!  Sure enough, last week, just as I always do before I take my hubby his dinner plate and sit down for dinner, I was putting up food, and cleaning the kitchen counter and stove top, when a thought bubble popped up over my head, “Oh my gaud! Another of mom’s lessons.”

This one of one hundred conjures one question and one fact:
1.  Does everyone clean their kitchen while they cook?
2.  My husband doesn’t.

I worship Food Channel star Giada De Laurentiis. When she cooks in her “church of the immaculate kitchen,” it looks like a high-tech clean room. I strive for her virgin white kitchen ethic; but in reality, Rachael Ray is really more my style, sloppy and colorful. Of course both have minions to come along and clean up after them during commercials, so no reality there.

I should probably clarify that I like to leave a clean stove and countertop, but washing dishes is right up there with cockroaches on my list of things to hate. I say this with a complete lack of irony. I will do almost anything to avoid washing dishes. Which brings me to my husband. Click on Read More Below...

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Set in Charleston, South of Broad is one of those panoptic novels about a generation of family, friends, marriage, class distinction, prejudice, fortune, mental illness, the glory of sports, AIDS, murder, child abuse, marital infidelity, religion, long-held secrets, and just about everything else you can cram into a book, including a natural disaster (hurricane).  It would take a page of writing just to tell you the plot details, so I won’t. If you must know, check out another review, or read the book, which won’t be a waste of time.

Pat Conroy can sure spin a melodramatic tale though. And his writing is occasionally exquisite. Every now and then he’d pour out something that made me bang my head with my fist and say, “why-can’t-I-write-like-that!” But the problem was, it almost felt like he was in a good mood one day and decided to focus on writing beautifully. Then all the other days he just felt like developing characters. It didn’t read like a colorful and seamless tapestry of story woven through characters. His characters are absolutely the meat of this book, and juicy they were, but they also didn’t feel real. They were too perfect or too bad or too smart, simply designed to spice up the story.

Good writers tell stories. Exceptional writers make you think and feel. The only thing South of Broad made me think was, “Gaud, what next? A Mars invasion?” and “For christ sake, just tell us why Leo’s brother offed himself,” although the reason is pretty transparent from the very beginning. And feel, well South of Broad made me feel like I’d just had a meal at Luby’s Cafeteria – everything looked so yummy, but was mostly bland, except the coconut pie, which was excellent!

Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen by Jimmy McDonough

Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen starts and ends with bizarre letters to Tammy from author Jimmy McDonough, which just felt creepy, and nearly derailed me from reading the book altogether.  But fortunately, it quickly moved on to the engaging story of Wynette’s upbringing, first marriage (of five), young motherhood, and her tenacious pursuit of a career in country music. Unfortunately, what began as a truly inspiring life quickly turned into a horror story when Tammy got rich and her health went to hell in a handbag.

There were, however, several things I learned about Tammy that made this book well worth the read. For example, I didn’t know that Tammy was the first country artist to produce a platinum-selling album. And McDonough’s tales of how Billy Sherrill and Wynette wrote, recorded and produced her music made we want to go back and listen to the music, words and phrasing. I also really enjoyed reading about Tammy’s marriage to Jones, which was apparently born of infidelity and true love and filled with passion and craziness. What was most disturbing to me about Wynette’s life was her distant relationship with her children. She obviously loved them, but at the same time, neglected them horribly. Friends described Wynette’s children as being uncared for, dirty, unfed and emotionally detached from their mom.


Wynette’s life ends in horribly poor health, a suspicious death, a conniving last husband, and little left of her legacy other than, “Stand By Your Man.”  To this day, one of her kids supports herself cleaning houses. What a sad epitaph. 

If you are interested in the history of country music or Tammy Wynette, I think you’ll enjoy Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen, just know that it all ends, well… tragically. 

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S. C. Gwynne

The entire time I was reading this book I kept coming back to the fact that my dad was a grown man (25 years old), when Quanah Parker died and therefore lived in the era of the Native American genocide! Wow! For those of you who don’t know, Quanah Parker was the last chief of the Comanches, and son of Cynthia Ann Parker, a captive white girl, and Comanche Chief Peta Nocona. Although I know almost nothing about my dad’s side of the family, there are three things that make me think that there’s some Native American blood running through my veins. First, my dad had Native American facial features. Second, he was from Oklahoma, and third, I vaguely recall my mom saying something about her in-laws being "a bunch of Indians," insinuating something like hillbillies.  I tend to romanticize about Native Americans, and although I think that their genocide by European American and Mexican settlers was horrible, humanity has always had, and probably always will have, a propensity for “running off” whoever has something they want. Not to condone it, but history also tells us that Native American tribes fought over territory as well. As war-prone as humanity has always been, evolution seems more about survival of the "fight-est" than than the fittest! Click on Read More Below...

The Woman Behind The New Deal – The Life and Legacy of Francis Perkins, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance and the Minimum Wage by Kristin Downey

Francis (Fanny) Coralie Perkins was the first woman appointed to the Presidential Cabinet, serving as Secretary of Labor for 13 years under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Her fate as a founder of many of the social services we now take for granted may have been predetermined, but I think that it was sealed on March 24, 1911, the day she witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in New York, which caused the death of 146 garment workers, almost all of them women, who either died from the fire or jumped from the fatal height. It was the worst workplace disaster in New York until September 11.

“It is a great historic irony,” says author Kristin Downey, “that Frances is now virtually unknown. Factory and office occupancy codes, fire escapes and other fire-prevention mechanisms are her legacy. About 44 million people collect Social Security checks each month; millions receive unemployment and worker’s compensation or the minimum wage; others get to go home after an eight-hour day because of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Very few know the name of the woman responsible for their benefits.” Click on Read More Below...

California Dreamin’ Tour – Day 7

Well, we changed course (again) so we didn’t make it to the Mojave Desert (dang). Instead, we decided to drive through Palm Springs, just to see what it looked like. I expected it to be ugly, flat, and hot, but it was only hot. The setting was a surprisingly beautiful study in contrasts – stark, rugged mountains surrounding the lush and luxurious oasis of Palm Springs. My other motive for driving to Palm Springs was to see the Rivera Resort, which the locals call the “Riv,” and the resort operator calls the “Legendary Rivera Resort and Spa.”'

I wanted to check it out because when I was a kid I watched lots of “I Love Lucy” and they were always talking about going to the Rivera in Palm Springs. It was a favorite Hollywood celebrity hideout during the late 50’s and early 60’s, and the place to see and be seen. So we found our way to the resort, and it was uniquely fabulous. We simply had to stay the night, and the entire 24 hours we were there we felt like celebrities ourselves! The vibe was so retro-chic. I kept expecting to spot Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor or Marilyn Monroe at the pool.

Understandably, the triple-digit summer heat slows their business to a crawl, so we got a poolside suite for $97!!They said that our same room rents for more than $450 a night in the fall and winter! We loved, loved, loved it! Sadly, we’re headed back to Texas (reality, work, etc.), but with loads of wonderful vacation memories!

California Dreamin’ – Day 6

Wow! What a day! Big Sur, the Monterey Aquarium, no hot water at the Super 8 (more on that later)!  No matter how many times I make the Highway1 drive through the Big Sur, I am struck speechless at its beauty – well, obviously not completely speechless, but words do seem inadequate. Around every bend is a staggering view that restores your faith in just about everything.  

Couple of recommendations: Make the drive on a weekday, and not during the peak tourist season (duh). Make the drive from North to South so that the passenger in the car has the best views. That way you also end the drive somewhere other than hyper-expensive Monterey/Carmel. Super 8 charged us $220 for a room, we had no hot water, and they could have cared less.

I’ve been to the Monterey Aquarium before too, but it was even more mind-blowing, this visit. The jellyfish and seahorse exhibits were new and mesmerizing. Since we wanted to get on the road early, we went just as the aquarium was opening at 9:30 am, which turned out to be a stroke of luck. When we left, there was a very long line of impatient children and cranky parents waiting to get in – so go early!

We decided to cut our trip a little short (ran out of money), so instead of going on to San Francisco, which we’ve done a few times, we turned towards Highway 5 back to the LA area to spend the night and again, luck was with us. We found a very nice motel room, $87 with hot water, in of all places, Pasedena! Turns out, downtown Pasedena is trés cool. We had the nicest dinner at a popular little trattoria, Mi Piace, then slept like babies and arose to a virtually empty Sunday morning freeway. Next stop? Hmmmm. Not sure….

SueAnn

California Dreamin’ Tour – Day 5

Santa Barbara reminds me a lot of Aspen, jaw droppingly beautiful and very consumer-focused, but much more tastefully presented.The stunning homes, the smell of eucalyptus and ocean air, and the Four Seasons Biltmore definitely elevated our endorphins. Even our way less expensive, but very cute motel, The Sandman Inn was a treat.

 Since my travel buddy Deb and I are on a budget, we didn’t buy much, except bottles of wine, which were surprisingly inexpensive. The irony being, it wasn’t even California wine it was South American.

This was sort of our day of rest. We tootled around town, got our nails done, caught a few rays, had a nice glass of wine and dinner on State Street (the main drag), as we watched the "beautiful people" stroll by. Then we went back to the motel and spent hours plotting our drive through the Big Sur and to Monterey, where we’ll visit their famous aquarium. Oh yes, and we laughed our butts off as we pondered a one-night stay-over in Mojave (yes, the desert). When we Googled "Things to do in Mojave," the response was, "Nothing." I want a t-shirt that says, "I survived the Mojave Desert!"

To be continued...  SueAnn 

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 45

#45 – “Make your husband a pie. He'll feel loved.”

This one of one hundred things my mom taught me a million times is one that definitely found purchase in my psyche. I never leave town for more than a day or two that I don’t make my adorable hubby two-dozen baby pecan pies. In fact, it is the only other thing that puts that uniquely goofy smile on his face! You know the one.

Making a pie can be pretty easy if you buy a ready-made crust, but traumatic to tragic if you try to make the crust from scratch. Making a good piecrust is a skill you either have or don’t, like a good singing voice. Or, something you can learn and master if you do it several times a week, like golf. But it is not something you can do well once in a blue moon. Click on Read More Below...

California Dreamin’ Tour – Day 4

The Getty Center, in the Brentwood neighborhood of LA (yes, OJ’s hood), was created by a $600 million dollar grant from J. Paul Getty, who was born Jean Paul Getty in 1892 and died in 1975. As you can see from these photos, this place is architecturally stunning. Although I was terribly underdressed, we had a lovely lunch at the restaurant, which also provided exceptional people watching. Then we perused the museum store, walking away with some cool books and tasteful memorabilia. As far as the art collection – we actually saw little of it, as there just wasn’t time to do more than scratch the surface. 

I did, however, find out some very interesting trivia about J. Paul (I figure we’re on a first name basis now). His dad, who made his money in Oklahoma oil, decided J. Paul was a bum when after finishing college and making his first million with his own oil company, J. Paul announced that he was going to retire and move to LA to become a playboy. In fact, this pissed dad off so much that he left J. Paul a piddly $500,000 in his will. Eventually J. Paul ran out of money (in the process of being married and divorced 5 times), or perhaps to “show” his dad, so he had to go back to work. In 1949 he bought the drilling and concession rights to a barren tract of land where no Americans had ever drilled, nor had oil ever been discovered. That land straddled Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and as the story goes, the rest is history. So I guess we can thank J. Paul not just for the Getty Center, but also Desert Storm and the Gulf War, but on to more pleasant thoughts.

Yesterday’s journey was also about driving Wilshire Boulevard and Hwy 101, or as it is locally known, the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).

Oh, I almost forgot. We did surf for a couple of hours with Matthew McConaughey in Malibu, but then his wife and kids showed up and we all had to act like we didn’t really know each other. As you can clearly see from this photo, he was pretty disappointed when we left. Today is all about Santa Barbara, and that means shopping, which could be very interesting since neither Deb nor I have any money. Mas Mañana! SueAnn

  

California Dreamin’ Tour – Day 3

Who says you can’t learn on vacation? So far I’ve learned:

1.  Not planning ahead provides surprises! Some wonderful, some not. For example, by not mapping out my entire vacation (my type-a personality is on vacation too), I’ve learned that California hotels and gasoline are damn expensive! If I’d known in advance how expensive, I probably would have va-ca'd in Arkansas, or Austin!
2. In some high-tourists areas, you have to pay to potty!
3. I’ve re-learned that staring at the ocean will suck the stress right out of your soul!
4. Although I love the luxury of swank hotels, the hillbilly in me tires quickly of “Disney Land” perfection.
5. Balboa Park (San Diego) demands a separate dedicated vacation!
6. Laguna Beach is waaay cooler (as in groovy) than Newport Beach!
7. Every now an then when you think you’re in the armpit of America, i.e., Long Beach, you stumble upon a gem, i.e., the Marina Motel ($65/night), and the Sushi Studio! Our sushi chef, Pond, was killer! Travel partner, Deb, in her vast sushi consuming experience, just said, “Wow us!” or something to that effect, and we were! What a cool joint too!

Our one and only stop in LA is going to be the Getty Center and we are sooooo excited! Then off to Santa Barbara.
Ciao Bella - SueAnn

California Dreamin’ Tour – Day 2

As I lie here staring at the Pacific, I can barely get up the will to write! A beachfront suite at the Del Coronado (or as the natives call it, The Del) does not inspire blogging. It inspires a thousand mile stare and navel gazing, or perhaps more appropos to the setting, naval gazing. If I weren’t a glass-half-full gal, I’d fear that the California Dreamin’ Tour is all down hill from here, but I foresee more great adventures as Deb and I meander our way map-less up the California coast.

Did I mention that the current temperature is 67 degrees? No, I’m sure I didn’t. I also probably didn’t mention that the temperature in Yuma Arizona yesterday at 8:00 pm was 112 degrees, so California is definitely the right place for us menopausal gals.

California is a botanical wonderland, and the flowers are glorious. But I have this queezy feeling that it's all "sinner bait," luring us across the Andreas Fault till the accumulated weight shifts the tectonic plates, at which point we'll all go sliding off into the ocean. 

Forgive me, but I have to go back to staring at the ocean. At least my posts will be brief!

SueAnn

One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 44

#44 – “If you want to enhance your blond hair, just squeeze a little lemon juice on several strands and sit out in the sun for 20 minutes.”

When I was a teenager, this one of one hundred things my mother taught me a million times flew in the face of some of my most deeply held beliefs. First, I didn’t want to “enhance,” my blond hair, I wanted to “Kim Novak” it to Nordic white, or at least to a Sandra Dee champagne blond! Second, I didn’t know how to sit out in the sun for just 20 minutes! I wasn’t a sun worshipper. I was the Dali Lama of daylight. I was a swimmer and a twirler, two things you couldn’t do indoors – at least not in my little West Texas hometown, so I was out in the sun, a lot. And as a result, my hair was that glorious blond that only the sun, and the most expensive colorist in the world can produce.

During the summers I didn’t spend 15 minutes a day inside. Having had a fairly unsupervised childhood, I would walk the 2-3 miles to the community pool arriving about an hour before it opened, pacing and baking until the lifeguard begrudgingly opened the gate. My friends would come and go during the day, escorted by their conscientious parents. Then at 9 pm, after about 30 “Get out now!” warnings from the lifeguard, I’d drag myself out, and stumble home, exhausted. I did it every day in the summer, except Mondays, when they cleaned the pool, the most dismal day of the week for me. Click on Read More Below...

Gals Guzzle

Melissa, Mary, Kelly and Sally

Holy cats but the gals had fun last night at Jeffry’s. Martinis, champagne, wine, steak tartare, oysters, frites, fresh-made mozzarella! The evening was described as luxurious, not just the setting (which was by the way, and hopping, and everything half-priced for happy hour), but because we felt indulgent. We laughed, we gossiped, we laughed! Melissa Garnett and her husband own the Uvalde Leader News and the Pearsall newspaper. Melissa is very active in the Humane Society Uvalde, and I met her (round-about) through Paula Disbrowe (whose cookbook, Real Cajun, written with Donald Link, just won the 2010 James Beard Cookbook Award for American Cooking!). What a fun, funny gal Melissa is! Lucky me for meeting her. Mary Wilbur and her husband Bob are very involved as CEO and Marketing Director for Salient Systems, a manufacturer of Video Surveillance Management, Digital Video Recording and Network Video Recording systems. Mary is also very involved in philanthropy in Austin. She and I bonded about 10 years ago when we worked on a gala together. Mary is smart and good through and through. Kelly Jackson is a writer, yoga instructor and partner with her sister Sally as the duo, “Midlife Gals,” a fabulous comedy team, contributors to More Magazine, and much more. Check out their blog at http://www.themidlifegals.com.  Sally Jackson, in addition to being a partner with Kelly in “Midlife Gals,” is an accomplished actor, and a casting director, having cast principal actors for directors such as Stephen Spielberg, Robert Redford, Sidney Lumet, Kevin Costner, Roger Vadim and John Milius. Trust me gals. One of these days you’re going to see Sal and Kelly walk across the stage to accept an Academy Award or an Emmy, or both, and you’re going to say, “Aren’t those the gals that SueAnn told us about?” Unfortunately Linda Benjamin didn’t make it, but I’m sure she’s got some outrageous excuse and since I love her, I will forgive her.

California Dreaming - Day 1

You know you’re menopausal when you pick your vacation destinations based on the daytime highs on the weather map. Aha! My next career, a la Jeff Foxworthy,  “You know you're menopausal when...” But I digress.

Today is the first day of the rest of my vacation, and yes, you’ll have to suffer through relentless emails begging you to read my travel journal. I think I may have the Tom Cruise “Look at me!” syndrome. That’s just sad. But I digress.

So off to California I go where ocean breezes whisk away the mosquitoes, my hot flashes and any semblance of a hair do. Here’s the agenda. First, to Van Horn to have dinner with my youngest, Colt. Then to New Mexico to pick up my BFF, Deb. Then we’ll put on our Depends so we don’t even have to get out to pee as we drive through scorching hot Arizona. Then do a “Thelma and Louise” and drive straight into the Pacific (actually to the Hotel Coronado - ocean front room – yes, I’m blowing my wad)! 

My personal goal for this trip is to only eat where I can throw a fork into the ocean from my table. Actually we don’t have an itinerary per se, but the "turn-around" destination is San Francisco, by way of highway 101.

·      I want to have dinner and stare at the beautiful ocean and people at Georges at the Cove, and eat Crème Brule at La Valencia, in La Jolla.  

·      I want to go to Mr. Sushi on Cannery Row in Monterrey, where your sushi floats to you on the tummy of a little plastic otter, (there’s a little river-mote surrounding the bar).

·      I want to eat garlic ice cream at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

·      I want to spend the night and get a massage at Ventana in Big Sur. Except that probably won’t happen since I already blew my wad in San Diego. It’ll probably be at the Motel 6, no massage, in Santa Cruz.

·      I want to drive down Lombard Street, freeze my arse off on the ferry to Sausalito, and hurt myself on Dim Sum at Yank Sing in San Francisco.

Ciao Baby!

SueAnn