Father Daughter Dance

 Father daughter dance tonight.

 Sofia 10 years old. 5th grade.

The Three Little Pigs Opera

 Earlier in the week I was asking Aria what they were doing and she said they were going to be taking 40 students to the opera to see/hear “Don Carlo”. Then today she sent me this photo of all the family with the caption “at the opera”. Remembering our earlier conversation about 40 students I thought it brave to take a one year old. I asked “Don Carlo”? She responded “The three Little Pigs”. (Don Carlo was yesterday.) oooh I thought but proceeded to ask “in Italian?” Because well you never know. She answered “English”. I’m sure she was probably shaking her head!

 

 

So Many Books So Little Time

 So I just finished the puzzle and was thinking about what’s on people’s book shelves. This puzzle had a lot of classics: The Legends of King Arthur and his Knights, Little Women, Pride and the prejudice. I took a picture of my stack of books I’m reading and noticed something funny about two book titles:”The Friday Night Club” and “The Friday Afternoon Club” two different authors and randomly stacked on my shelf. What are you reading?

 

More Puzzles

 My puzzle source dropped off three gorgeous puzzles.(Thank you Lynda)It’s a beautiful day but since I’m down for the count I’m not going anywhere. I just made some rice krispy treats with the marshmallows the kids never ate. So I’m puzzling and eating chicken soup and dessert! It’s a sure cure. 

 

A Gardener's Son

A memory by Mike Murase:

 

At the Gardeners' Senryu program today, Naomi asked anyone in the audience who was a gardener to stand. I was a gardener in my youth but I didn't stand because I didn't feel I had earned the right to call myself a "gardener."

Ever since the 7th grade, taking care of the yard and gardens in our own family home was one of my chores. I had to carve out time every weekend to mow the lawn, trim with edger, prune the shrubs, hose down the lawn and cut grass, etc.

I also had a side job taking care of the lawn at an apartment building in my neighborhood. I remember the Jewish lady who hired me asking, "Where are you from?" (I figured she was asking me what kind of Asian am I.) I said, "I'm from Japan." The lady seemed relieved, "Oh good, you're from Europe too." Huh?

My last brush with Gardener-dom was during summer vacations, when I used to go on routes with a Nisei gardener who lived across the street. He used to drop his son and me off at a Hancock Park mansion with a very large yard. There were only two houses per block so basically, we were assigned a whole half-a-block of land. He would use his power mower to cut the grass, then load up the heavy equipment on his pickup and go to his next job, leaving us behind with some primitive tools to rake the cut grass and leaves, trim the bushes, etc. On especially hot days, we used to jump in the pool without the homeowner's permission. We just made sure we were out of the pool whenever we heard the truck return.

What did I learn? Discipline? Love of nature? The value of hard work?

I learned a technique for rolling up the garden hose so it would not curl or tangle. You have to twist to alternating sides as you roll and tuck every other roll under. Clockwise, counter-clockwise, over and over. I still use this technique whenever I have to roll something up: extension cords, electronic cables, heavy rope, etc. and I call it the Nisei Gardeners' Roll.

Yael and Barb's Reunion

 I met my friend Yael  at UCLA in the spring of 1971. We became bffs in grad school and have remained close friends throughout all the decades since. She was visiting from her home in Arcata California and we were able to spend some hours together today. Wonderful to have a long shared history with her. We pick up our conversations as though no time has passed. A beautiful friendship is priceless.

  A short story by Yael:

 

It was not even 1950. What did they know about making dolls?                                                                  We were in Milano Italy. Ostensively we were there because both my sister and I had health issues that needed to be addressed by European doctors. In reality my mother had to get away from her marriage to my father.

 We entered a large toy store, a paradise for kids. Mom was going to get me a present for my 5th birthday. I zeroed in on a doll, a big doll, almost my size. She had brown hair and wore a woolen skirt and a white top. She also wore red shoes. In her back was a key. When you wined the key she walked. This was the present I chose. I loved it. I insisted on holding it. But as we were on our way out of the store I dropped the doll and in a second she turned into a pile of broken pieces.My heart was broken I stood there stunned and started crying. Mom pulled me away and we left the store empty handed not looking back. Nothing was 

ever the same. We never again had a real home. Our lives were shattered like the dolls’ body. I never got another doll or another present from mom who shortly after, put us on a plain to Israel, just my sister and me to be under the care of our dad.                                                                              In the years that followed we were tossed around between boarding schools, foster care. We had one good year with dad again before he left Israel.That year,  Judy my sister and I had our own bedroom, with clean sheets, food on the table and a good school.

Past forward thirty two years later.                                    In 1984 Joe and I flew to Russia to participate in Citizens diplomacy as part of International Physicians for the prevention of Nuclear war. That organization won the Nobel peace prize for its campaign against the nuclear arms race.

Julia at that time was 2 years old and Jonathan was seven. It was hard for me to leave my kids with Joey’s mom and a helper but I had to go. 

The trip lasted an adventurous 3 weeks. We covered Germany, Russia and Finland. London was our point of departure back home. We stopped at Harrods, the famous department store looking for presents for the kids. I found the most beautiful doll with blue eyes that closed when she lay down. She looked right at you when she was sitting upright and best of all she was unbreakable made from both stuffed fabric and some kind of rubber. 

We bought her for Julia.                                                                              When we arrived home I was cradling the dole in my arms. From the shock and angry expression on Julie's face we assumed she thought we had brought a baby girl to replace her.                                                              Julie never fell in love with that beautiful dolle  the way I was captivated with that windup toy in Milano when I was 5.

I guess not every girl is excited about dolls. Julia was not. Not at 2 years old or at later age.

The poor doll that flew across the Atlantic and all the way to LA,  spent years in the closet! Julia did not play with dolls, never spent time in her room with her toys but she was good at soccer and basketball.                                  

When Julia had a little girl I fished the beautiful blue eyed dole out from the closet in our LA condo and brought it over to her with the little crib that we got in a garage sale years before. The dole didn’t last long at Julia’s house. One day we found the dole and the crib back at the condo and she had been tucked in a dark closet ever since.

Now finally the dole is mine. I brought her back to Humboldt with me. She is in my room and sometimes in the living room. There is something sweet and pleasant and easy about her. I know she will never break and she will forever have that smile on her face.  

Palm Springs Last Day

  

Friday February 20th today was our last day enjoying the Palm Springs Modernism adventure. We had a tour of a stunning 50s home in the Twin Palms neighborhood, featuring post-and-beam style and breathtaking views, beautifully reimagined by H3K Home + Design. It was a fun step back in time. Thanks to Lynda, Maria  and Sherri for this fun girl friend getaway!

 

Lunch before hitting the road home

The end to a great girlfriend getaway with the Fab Four! 

 

 The traffic home!