Thursday, July 16, 2015

Unsettled

Moving will do that to you, I guess.  Everything one picks up is a memory.  Or almost everything.  Sometimes its "What the hell is that?"  Or, often, "What did I save that for?"  I get that "stuff" is only meaningful to the person whose stuff it is - no one else cares.  But my memory is so bad that this "stuff" is what seems to tether me to the earth.  You know, I read this when....We were [fill in the blank] when we bought this.  And, of course, David is everywhere...

So, in spite of the fact that I am bone tired - moving will do that to you too (I am definitely getting too old for this...) - my nights are full of weird dreams about people I haven't thought about in years....

Back on Planet Earth, played bridge with Robin today (and yes, I have time to do that.  I've moved often enough to have it down to an art), and we played well together, a real partnership.  Robin and I have known each other for 40 years, but there were times when we didn't see each other so often. It is a joy to be renewing our friendship with these weekly bridge outings.

And tonight, joined friends Heather and Jack, and colleague Susan, for a National Theater Live in HD outing at the movies.  You know my motto:  there is no such thing as a bad night at the theater.  I must say, though, this came as close to a bad night at the theater as it gets.  It was a new version of Everyman, written by Carol Ann Duffy.  You know some version of this, death comes for Everyman, who, in running from death, realizes the hash he has made of life.  Great premise, and not bad writing.  And, actually, great acting.  I loathed the staging, however (as did we all); the director should be strung up by his balls.  Or, as Jack put it so much more nicely, "It wasn't very subtle, was it?"  But dinner with the folks was great - I hadn't seen Jack and Heather since coming back from Palm Springs, and both are looking and sounding great..  Okay, I take it back, there is no such thing as a bad night in the theater! 

Sunday, July 12, 2015

As promised. pictures of my new abode.

Here they are...

This is the front of the building.....

 .....the living room...
......the second bedroom.....
 .....the kitchen.....



.......the dining area....

 
 .......the master bedroom and bath....

 .....and, the real selling point, the patio....


 Keep in mind, this is as staged by the realtor.  The final results will be different.  The view, though, remains the same.

More anon.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

I'm Moving!!!! and everything else that's happened

When last heard from, I had just come back from San Francisco, and was about to settle in for a stretch in Vancouver, working, and enjoying summer in my northern paradise.

It was not to be.  Friend Art in Palm Springs was going into the hospital for what was meant to be a simple operation to remove a spot of cancer on his lungs.  Instead of leaving the hospital the next day, he went into cardiac arrest.  Mariah and I were worried enough that we decided to fly down.  I met Art through Mariah, who has a 30 year history with him (mine is a mere 20, only close the last 6). Anyway, not going was not an option, both to support Art and to support his partner Wally.  That was Wednesday, June 17.  Within an hour of learning what had happened, I was on the road down to Seattle to pick up Mariah and get on the plane.

The plane part wasn't all that easy, as it turns out.  Round trip to Palm Springs, in the summer, when it is 116 degrees out?  $1100 round trip - for one of us.  And then you could barely get on the plane.  Well, that wasn't on, so we decided to fly to Ontario, a smaller airport mid-way between Palm Springs and Los Angeles, and (in spite of the fact that we had four cars available to us in Palm Springs - Mariah's, Nora's, Wally's and Art's) rented a car.

First, dinner at the Chalet with Mariah's partner Mar before heading for the airport


And then off to Palm Springs.  By the time we got to Ontario, rented the car, drove to Palm Springs, and got to my place (Mariah stayed with me) it was after midnight, and we were physically and emotionally bushed.

Well, it was hot indeed, but the air conditioning worked, and mornings (as in 5 A.M.) were still lovely.  We didn't hang around too long:  Art was in the hospital in Riverside, about an hour and a quarter drive (and yes, the car was air conditioned).  Art was still alive when we got there, but in an induced coma, so after checking in, we took Wally out to lunch.  And yes, we were laughing.  Under the circumstances, you have to.


Art's cousin Judy and brother Danny had also flown in, and by the next day, Art was awake, although, as you can see, with tubes from (almost) every orifice.


....more meals (well. you've got to eat, and the restaurants were just across the street from the hospital, and air conditioned.....


In spite of the heat, everything at my house was blooming....




The next development at the hospital was the C-deficil scare (That's the hospital bred bacteria that actually can kill people with weakened immune systems, and travels via spores from one hospital bed to the other, hence the disposable gowns and gloves and booties...)



.....not to mention the scares of another infection (tamed by antibiotics) and spots on lymph nodes (cancerous?  Nobody knows) ......

Remind me never to be taken to the hospital under any circumstances, no way, no how.  It is truly awful (although I have to tell you that as hospitals go, this one was first class).

Ultimately, on Saturday the 20th, we had to come back to Seattle.  Both Mariah and I had to get back to work, and, having shown our support for Wally, there was really nothing more we could do.  Although Art was still in the intensive care unit, we were all hopeful he would be out in a few days, and out of the hospital a few days after that.  (P.S.  and so it came to pass).

Friend Arlene in Seattle had - before all this transpired - bought theater tickets for Saturday night, so I went directly from the airport to her place, where we caught up over a lovely dinner in the garden.  And it was lovely, which is more than I can say for the theater.  It was an "experimental" play, called Dirty.  I mention it only to tell you to avoid seeing it at all costs!

Brother Bobby (so called, not really Mariah's brother in fact, just in spirit) had just arrived in Seattle from Puerto Vallarta, so we had a quick brunch on Sunday .....


...before I headed back up the highway for Vancouver.

And it's not as if this was the only thing going on in my life.  Some of you know that I have been talking about moving/downsizing for a while.  Yes, I have really enjoyed my place in Steveston, and it is lovely.  And yes, I know it is theoretically possible to downsize without moving, but I have never been able to manage it.  Besides, the real estate market is hot in Vancouver, and I thought it was a good time to get some money out, while the getting was good.  Well, the stars seems to have been aligned.  I found a great place at a reasonable price (a miracle in itself, but it was being sold by an estate which was looking for a quick sale and not looking to squeeze the last dollar out of the transaction  -I will do another post after this one with the link, so you guys can get a preview), my place sold in short order, and moving date is July 30.

Well, of course, there has been chaos ever since, boxes to the Salvation Army, more boxes to the women's shelter, bags (and bags and more bags) to the thrift store, boxes of books to the office in preparation for our book sale in the fall), a garage sale, and, of course, bags and bags of garbage. It is not true to say it feels good doing this - the truth of the matter is, I am bone tired (let's not forget, I am still trying to work while all this is going on).  But it is true to say that it will feel good to get it done.  And I am well on my way.....

And I am very lucky to have good friends helping me out in the process - friends Deb and Robin assisting with the garage sale ($270, but an amazing amount of stuff out the door), friend Enid finding a taker for my unneeded furniture and a buyer for the piano (yes, a piano, it has been living in the garage.  It was my mother's piano, but I at least have the pleasure of knowing it it going to a good home), friends Deirdre and Susan and Lois packing with me yesterday and today, and all the rest of you - you know who you are - who have given me physical and moral support - thank you!

And the best part of the moving has been getting to know Sharon, my realtor, who has been incredibly helpful and supportive.  She lives in my new complex (which, by the way, is called Tugboat Landing, don't you love it?), and is fast becoming a good friend.  And a body can't have too many friends....

And, of course, the rest of life goes on.  Bridge with the boys on Friday June 26th (it is, of course, handy to be playing bridge with the owner of a moving and storage company), a cocktail party at the club house of my new complex to meet my new neighbors (no, it wasn't planned around me, but they were kind enough to invite me, and the timing was perfect),and theater with Tom.  That was actually great fun -  a wonderful dinner in an Italian restaurant on the North Shore, Bella Cuchina (five stars, for sure), and a great play, The Rabbit Hole, in a neat little theater (also on the North Shore, of course).  And that is a play you SHOULD see if you get the chance.  A good play, well directed and performed.  Two thumbs up.

And of course, the annual Swiss Teams event at the Duplicate Lite Bridge Club in White Rock.  Those of you with long memories might remember that last year's event had a cowboy theme.  This year's event was The 60s.  What with moving and all, I couldn't get into the costume thing, but every one else sure did.....



Our ever smiling director Jane.....








...and, of course, my beautiful friend and partner Robin, who won the prize for best costume....


...Dick and Sandy won the prize for best couple....




Our bridge was terrible, but we did have a good time.

And that's it for now.  The move is in a little less than three weeks.  I will try to check in before then, but in case I don't, stay turned.....