November 22, 1963

If you are a certain age, and someone says, "And what were you doing when you heard that President Kennedy had been shot?" you can tell them exactly where you were,

and what you were doing. And you've never forgotten it!

Oh this busy, busy week!!

It has been a busy week at school and at home, getting ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Our district is giving us the whole week off! I'm not sure why, but I'm not questioning my good fortune to not have to use up my "no reason" days to take a trip to see Eliza and Hannah.

Robbie sent this photo - called it "Theo, waiting for Grandma and Grandpa to come."

But the days before a trip always seem to be hectic and crazy - and this week is no exception.

But there was a quote on the daily "Need to Know" at work today that I thought I would share with you. It made me stop and think - especially after I'd gone to Marshalls and bought a new Christmas tree skirt!!

"You can't have everything - where would you put it?"

Someone named Steven Wright said that. And he's got a good point. Especially as I'm trying to pack for 8 days using one carry on bag only!!

Memories

Memories are funny creatures. Odd events trigger them. They are usually different for everyone. And they are often random.

I was thinking that I should post something on my blog. I couldn't think of much that needed saying - at least that needed saying into cyberspace! So I grabbed the top photo in my "to be scanned" box - and this is what I found.

It's obviously in the '80s. We are living on Lime. We have Bonny's bird Hiccup in his/her cage. (Can't remember the gender!!) Damond and Harry look like they just wanted to smear Halloween make up all over the place. Maybe this wasn't even Halloween??

We still have the copper plate that's shown hanging above the fireplace. The jacket Bonny is wearing was one I bought at Bullock's Wilshire when I was in college and paid more than it was worth, probably. It was camel's hair - and I was so impressed at owning it. I actually never wore it much - I kept thinking the perfect occasion for wearing it would come about - and it would be there in my closet, ready to do its job! (Those were the exact reasons it took me so long to actually get rid of it - once it made it to the dress up bin, I figured it was time to let it go!)

And do you notice how many LA Dodger hats are in the family photos from the '80s? (And the basket below the birdcage was around until just last year, when I finally gave it the boot as they say!)

And the pottery pitcher on the mantel - purchased from a U of U Art Show - met its demise in the earthquake of '91. (But I actually still have it in its damaged form - I really don't know why either.)

How's that for funny, odd, different - and random?

Kids Say the Darnedest Things!

I should take pictures of Dylan and George, so you can envision this exchange.

Ray, reluctant new kid in my Study Skills class: "I'm working as fast as I can." (He wasn't!)

Dylan, apparently trying to show solidarity with his new classmate: "You know we have slow brains, Mrs. Terrill, that's why we're in this class."

Mrs. Terrill: "You don't have slow brains. You might have processing disorders, but no one in here has a slow brain. Stop making excuses."

George, random as usual: "Someday we'll all have gills anyway."

(Mrs. Terrill guffaws heartily - much to the amazement of the rest of the class.)

Maybe you had to be there.

The Way I Remember It

I was going through photos in preparation for doing a blog post for my dad's birthday coming up, and came across this photo of Mom and Dad.

It's dated December, 1971, and it really is the way I remember Dad.

Funny how a photo takes you back, not just to the occasion of the photo - this was the family shot we had taken that Christmas - but also to a place in time that is full of events and memories. I can't explain and quantify them all - but they are there!

My Town

I fell and hurt my knees a little over a year ago. And I had surgery a little over 6 months ago. Prior to the fall and the surgery, I had been in the habit of walking to and from school on most days. But I have not been walking to and from school for 9 or 10 months - it just got too painful.

So today I walked to and from school. And I really enjoyed it. I was thinking about how much I love this town. I love the old houses, I love the beautiful flower gardens that seem to abound, I love the many trees that flourish here, and right now I love the brilliant blue skies that weren't even diminished by the fires that hit Diamond Bar today.

(The above photo was taken a couple of years ago, but today looked just like that.)

And as I walked home, I loved browsing in the storefronts on Foothill, stopping in at the wonderful little apron store, and checking out the goods at Country Cottage. I also eyeballed the windows of a new store, Victoria's Cache - which apparently isn't open yet - it's in the spot formerly occupied by the antique store that was mostly junk - and overpriced junk too!

I am teaching a high school student at his home on lower Primrose 2 afternoons a week, so I headed there. By the time I was walking home, it was 5:30 and night was falling fast. But I love that I wasn't a bit nervous about walking up Primrose in the dusk - even if Dad was coming home at the same time and gave me a lift at Greystone!

Hannah posted about loving Monrovia too - and I was thinking that it's truly a little "Gem City of the Foothills!"

I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning's walk!!