The books have changed.
I decided last night that I wasn't as interested right then in Bottom of the 33rd as I thought. I'm now reading Fool Me Once: Hustlers, Hookers, Headliners, and How Not to Get Swindled in Vegas by Rick Lax, and I'm blasting through it like I've been unjustly starved of books for a year. But then, when you're going to love where you live and you want to know everything about it, more than you know already, lots more, you're going to take to these kinds of books. Actually, that's not entirely true, because Lax is a rare breed. He doesn't resort to catchphrases in writing about Las Vegas or possesses an over-caffeinated mind that's spent too much time on the Strip. That is part of his job as a staff writer at Las Vegas Weekly, but his mind goes beyond the immediate Strip, to the people who live and work in its proximity, to the places you don't see automatically like you do the Luxor pyramid, the faux skyline of New York-New York, the castle spires at Excalibur. In fact, he wrote an article last month about things to see beyond the Strip (http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2011/may/19/welcome-other-strip/). I'm already on page 50. I think I'll be done with this one by mid-afternoon and then crave more, which is why I hope my order from Powell's Books containing four books about Las Vegas, including a collection of columns by Las Vegas Review-Journal writer John L. Smith, arrives today.
The week has changed.
It is Monday yet again, a new week yet again. Meridith finished cleaning the front part of her room yesterday, and you can actually walk through it instead of stepping over what has been sitting on the floor for months and possibly years. I consider it indicative of a new start in our lives, though I still have more to do, as Mom told us last night over the phone that we'd have to move basically bare-bones, since there is not a great deal of room in this new apartment. There's more than we have right now, but to make it comfortable, I'm going to have to dump a lot of books, which I don't have a problem with since 80% of those books aren't in my personal collection. I'll only take those I want to read badly, such as H. Paul Jeffers' biography of Diamond Jim Brady, the rest of the Cornbread Nation anthologies (If I haven't read them yet), all of Tessa Hadley's books, and I'll see what else when I sift through the stacks.
And yet, even in a new week, there are a few things that haven't changed. For one, I talked to Dad about 10 minutes ago and he said they're going to have to stay another day, because the mechanic hasn't fully repaired the car yet. He has the parts, but it's been a waiting game with the warranty company and AAA. I told Dad that I hope he and Mom at least do something special for their 29th wedding anniversary. It's today.
What's most interesting about having the run of the house for an entire week is the cycle of chores. The last of last week's tasks was Meridith cleaning the front part of her room. And now the cycle begins again. I have to gather the garbage pails from each of the rooms to put in the kitchen garbage and take out that bag to the garbage bin in the garage, gather the recyclables, dump those into the recycling bin, and roll both bins out to the curb for pickup tomorrow. Because of Memorial Day last Monday, the bins were picked up on Wednesday, but I still rolled them out that Monday just in case the garbage company still decided to do our route on Tuesday, because even with what they tell you on the phone, you can never be sure.
I know I need a shower, but there's one thing already crossed off the list, since I just shaved. I will never, ever, ever, EVER get used to a beard. I tried it when I was in high school and it didn't work then, doesn't work now. I hate that scratchy feeling as the hairs protrude more. It's more bearable after a shave, because at least that fades.
I was thinking about vacuuming around the birds' cages again and near Kitty's cage, because while we were out on Friday and Saturday, she first ripped the stuffing out of her kennel mat (Friday) and then tore out some of the padding (Saturday). It was difficult for the dogs that Mom and Dad have been gone this long, but they've gotten used to it, though because Kitty had been abandoned in the Alaska cold when she was found, she probably thought we weren't coming back, and it was bad enough that Mom and Dad were away, too. We told her every time that we would be back. And of course we came back. And she acted like she hadn't done anything to her mat and just wanted to have someone throw her tennis ball. An angel again. As to the vacuuming, I'll hold off until Tuesday, because it would be best to have it vacuumed close to when Mom and Dad are supposed to get home.
I don't think the chores will be as heavy this week since they'll need some recovery time after the first week that any of us have spent in Las Vegas. It's been 2-3 days at a shot; never this long. As long as they're sufficiently recovered by Friday, because I need the PT Cruiser trunk to bring the rest of my books back to the library, all 36. It's doubtful that we'll be living here much longer (Therefore making it over 7 and nearly 3/4 years and no more), but god forbid we end up here a little longer, I'm switching my library card and the other library cards over to the Stevenson Ranch Express branch, which is either a bookmobile or a small building, based on what I've heard. I am not signing up for a new card in the new system. I will not support such a disappointing venture.
Anyway, this whole experience reminds me of the second time that Mom and Dad flew to Southern California from South Florida, without us that time. They were there for another 10 days, though as Meridith reminded me, that's all the time they had intended to be there. There were no extensions like there had been now. Yet, on that trip, they had found an apartment that Meridith and I only first saw when we had moved there, and Dad had had a job interview at La Mesa Junior High that turned into a job. Same as now. Well, not the job part yet, but as Dad said on the phone this morning, maybe the charter school will call today, decision made, and ask him to come down to sign the contract. Now wouldn't that be a way to celebrate a wedding anniversary!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Money Down and Looking Up
Mom was on the phone with us for over an hour, way past when I wanted to have dinner, though I had it just the same after. We had come home fairly late each evening, as late as nearly 7 p.m. can be, for the past two days, usually eating at about 7:30, and I wanted to try for earlier this time since we spent the day at home. No dice, not with all Mom had to tell us and sometimes repeat, but I understand, since she's genuinely happy about the apartment she and Dad found, so much so that we also learned that they put some money down on it to express their seriousness to the manager about soon moving there.
She described to us everything that's nearby, including Walgreens, Food 4 Less, and I hope Smith's is just as close. Everything will be open to us, she said. We can go anywhere, do anything; after we get jobs and establish ourselves, we can even get our own apartment if we want, since the monthly rent is so cheap in this complex. For now, I just want to follow the first two things. I want to get settled, find a decent job with a decent salary and decent benefits, and finally feel good about where I am, knowing it's where I belong. I know I've repeated that sentiment many times already, but I'm still turning it over again and again in my mind, amazed at this good fortune.
Mom did say that there's not a great deal of room in this apartment, so a large amount of books would have to go into a storage facility. I don't intend to do that. Whereas now I've bought books that I really want to read, my personal collection will remain small and will likely be the only collection I keep. And I don't come upon books for that collection very often. I hope bookshelves will still be a possibility. There's plenty of time to work that out, years in fact. With all that there will be to experience, I'm patient.
She described to us everything that's nearby, including Walgreens, Food 4 Less, and I hope Smith's is just as close. Everything will be open to us, she said. We can go anywhere, do anything; after we get jobs and establish ourselves, we can even get our own apartment if we want, since the monthly rent is so cheap in this complex. For now, I just want to follow the first two things. I want to get settled, find a decent job with a decent salary and decent benefits, and finally feel good about where I am, knowing it's where I belong. I know I've repeated that sentiment many times already, but I'm still turning it over again and again in my mind, amazed at this good fortune.
Mom did say that there's not a great deal of room in this apartment, so a large amount of books would have to go into a storage facility. I don't intend to do that. Whereas now I've bought books that I really want to read, my personal collection will remain small and will likely be the only collection I keep. And I don't come upon books for that collection very often. I hope bookshelves will still be a possibility. There's plenty of time to work that out, years in fact. With all that there will be to experience, I'm patient.
Muddy Waters
For dinner last night, Mom and Dad went to Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ at The District at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson. I crave going there again, for their cheese grits, real grits.
Mom ordered an Arnold Palmer, which is half iced tea, half lemonade. The waitress said that in the west, that's called "muddy waters."
It's not just at the Lucille's chain that that holds true, but also at the M &M Soul Food Cafe on West Charleston in Las Vegas.
With everything I'm hearing about our potential new apartment complex, that it has a full-size pool table in the front office, an indoor and outdoor jacuzzi, a sauna, a tennis court, two basketball hoops, and a pool, I'm ready to adopt new terms for this new life. I used to call that concoction an Arnold Palmer, but I'm fine with changing it. After all, moving to Las Vegas and the surrounding areas is all about reinvention. You have the rare chance to remember who you are and live however you want to live. This is my kind of start to that.
Mom ordered an Arnold Palmer, which is half iced tea, half lemonade. The waitress said that in the west, that's called "muddy waters."
It's not just at the Lucille's chain that that holds true, but also at the M &M Soul Food Cafe on West Charleston in Las Vegas.
With everything I'm hearing about our potential new apartment complex, that it has a full-size pool table in the front office, an indoor and outdoor jacuzzi, a sauna, a tennis court, two basketball hoops, and a pool, I'm ready to adopt new terms for this new life. I used to call that concoction an Arnold Palmer, but I'm fine with changing it. After all, moving to Las Vegas and the surrounding areas is all about reinvention. You have the rare chance to remember who you are and live however you want to live. This is my kind of start to that.
The Run of the House: Day 6 - I've Never Seen a Library So Serious and Forbidding
Because of the County of Los Angeles library system, I discovered Charles Bukowski, and spent a Saturday in our apartment in Valencia that first year reading Notes of a Dirty Old Man by mid-afternoon sunlight filtered through my dusty blinds slightly above my bed. Because of it, I discovered Quentin Crisp, who became one of my heroes, and taught me through his writings that to be yourself is the only way to live and any other way is wasteful. I discovered The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Music of Your Life by John Rowell, and This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes, and all affected me so deeply that they all eventually became part of my collection.
The one book I am proud to have as a memento of the County of Los Angeles library system, not only in light of the loss to come from the City of Santa Clarita taking control of the Valencia library and the three other branches within city limits but also after we move to Nevada, is Subways are for Sleeping by Edmund G. Love, a chronicle from 1957 about resourceful homeless people living in New York City who make their day-to-day lives work. I had this book all throughout my time at College of the Canyons, checking it out constantly, shunning math homework in the cafeteria at a table in the back in favor of reading it again. I think I got more out of those two-and-a-half years of education from that book than from any class, though I did have some decent teachers. This book had come from the Norwalk branch of the County system, and when it came time to return it yet again, I didn't. It had been with me all throughout my time at COC. It belonged with me. So I told them that I had found out after we had gotten back to Santa Clarita from Las Vegas that it must have dropped out of the car at a rest stop on the way back (Not true), and I gladly paid $34: $29 for the book and a $5 processing fee. It will be an honor when I finally have bookshelves, and can place it among the other books I love.
Meridith and I went to the library yesterday to return a few books, ahead of returning the rest next week. Well, mine, actually. She returned every book on her card except one by Meg Cabot. It's appropriate that the last book on her card should be that, since she's a huge Meg Cabot fan. I returned 14 books, and still have 36 to return.
After getting The Wall Street Journal Weekend from Pavilions, and smoothies from Jamba Juice (I got a PB&J one with banana; Meridith got Blue Gummy Bear), we decided we were not going to go anywhere else until we dropped off these books. Heavy bags do not make for an enjoyable day, and so we started walking from the heart of Valencia to the library, past the mall, and fortunately, our shoulders remained where they should be after we were finally able to put down the bags and get the books checked in.
It was a sorry sight at the library. They had called on Friday and left a message to say that the two books I had put on hold would be available until 6 p.m. that day. Normally, when I had a huge number of books on hold, even those holds that I cancelled remained on the shelf not only because they were so many, but because they figured that I would eventually take care of it. Or they just didn't care to look because of the 34 books waiting for me on those shelves (34's just one number at one time. It's sometimes slightly higher). Because of the transfer of these libraries to the City of Santa Clarita, I knew they had to be serious about that deadline, but I figured that since they knew me, maybe they would let those books sit there, knowing that I would be there on Saturday. I couldn't get there on Friday because there was no car and we weren't in Valencia. Our radius was the Ralphs and McDonald's in the shopping center on McBean Parkway, extending out past Meridith's old high school, to the Ice Station, then to the Italian sub place and back. We weren't going to go to the library twice.
Walking into the library, I saw that they were serious. All the holds had been cleared from the shelves, sent back. Such a sad sight seeing so many empty shelves. That's not what a library should be, but that's what this library is, coupled with the self-checkout machines having been turned off. LSSI, the corporate outfit that's going to run these libraries for the City of Santa Clarita, has to do inventory, put new barcodes on the books, and are they going to buy these self-checkout machines from the County of Los Angeles, too? Not only that, but are they at work on a new online library catalog? LSSI is an outsourcing company for those within a city who can't do their own work to make a library function. I don't care what their intentions are, but being that this is an outfit primarily based on the east coast, they cannot know this valley as well as the librarians who had been in place already do. But this is how it is, being that no member of the City Council has a library card. They just want to save money by isolating this valley even further. I care less and less as the weeks go on, being that I'll eventually be living where people remain connected, where there's no such isolation. Henderson may have its own library system comprised of five branches, but at least it's run by the city. It's not been outsourced like this. Boulder City may be all the way in the back, but that one library is part of the Clark County system.
Even so, books should not be treated like this. A library should not look this barren. Months before, the option to buy books gradually faded. The books from those shelves and the turnstile shelves lessened, and soon enough, there was nothing left. Most of the books weren't worth it for me, but at least there was the opportunity to see what your fellow residents read by what they donated. Not anymore.
These three Santa Clarita libraries will close from June 18 to July 1, or so they claim, but one of the librarians said that they'll probably open back up after July 4th. That long without a library? I have no problem with that since I've built up a partial library with all the books I've bought online to read, though not in anticipation of this. But for others, this is inexcusable. A library should be always be accessible, not susceptible to the whims of an inept City Council and certainly not a for-profit company. Certainly checking out books free of charge remains, but libraries should never be monetized. I found an article just now about LSSI:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA456252.html
To me, this sounds like an instance of the City Council not wanting to figure out how to save the libraries on their own, and fobbing it off on a company that does not even know this valley, so they don't have to think about it any further. I wish my years with the Valencia library had not ended this way. I will keep track of what's going on with these libraries after I've become a resident of (likely) Henderson, Nevada, but only this aspect of the Santa Clarita Valley will continue to interest me. Nothing else. I say that now, but then once I have my Henderson library card and my Clark County library card, I may forget about all else after I've spotted the Nevada and Las Vegas history sections, learning what I really want to learn.
Ok, rant over.
Meridith and I left the library after returning the books and making our canvas tote bags significantly lighter, and walked the paseo paths that go past the car dealerships and to where the bike paths and walking paths are, to look out at all the trees that sit on the land that used to be a river. A lot of it is dry and cracked, but a lot more has grown there since we last saw it.
Then back through the paseo paths, to the Valencia Town Center Mall, from the food court to the second floor, past the Disney Store, outside to where the relatively new shops are, including Williams-Sonoma, which we tackled after lunch, because lunch was very necessary, especially lunch at Five Guys. Meridith had a bacon and cheese hot dog, and I had a cheese veggie sandwich, with mushrooms, grilled onions, pickles, tomatoes, mustard, and barbecue sauce. And of course their fries. You cannot eat at Five Guys without having their fries. It should be a law. And I want to know where they get their peanuts because I'd like to find the unsalted kind. The ones I got from Ralphs about a month ago were disappointing.
After Five Guys, where I also noticed that there's a publication called Florida Monthly that I unfortunately never knew about even with all the years I lived in Florida (The clip from the magazine they put up on the wall says "Since 1981")--though I did find the website after we got home--we went to Menchi's, where I found only two decent frozen yogurt flavors in peanut butter cup and pistachio. The red velvet flavor didn't taste close to red velvet and they really need to improve the vanilla and chocolate flavors. While we were eating our frozen yogurt, weighed down by all the toppings we had put on, I joked with Meridith that with all the sample cups we had had, we could have just left afterward.
Then we went to Sephora, where Meridith wanted to find a certain nail polish that you paint over the nail polish you have on, and it gives it a cracked look. She had wanted it ever since she saw it at the Disney store next to the El Capitan Theatre after seeing Pirates 4, and found it there. If you ever want to see one store where the employees have a great love for makeup of all kinds, that's where you go.
Williams-Sonoma was next, and the one thing I find disappointing is that despite the love they promote for cooking, they never stock any culinary memoirs. It's probably not the place to find Anthony Bourdain's books, but there are so many other good ones that should be on shelves next to the cookbooks. I understand that the point of Williams-Sonoma is to find different gadgets and pans and sauces and anything else you want to cook what you want, but reading about the experiences of cooking is equally interesting. However, at $24.95 for some books, I probably wouldn't buy those books there anyway, which may be why they don't stock them.
We walked back through the mall, with a stop at the restrooms near the food court, and then out to where the Edwards Valencia 12 is, to see what was left of Borders. Nothing. The sign was taken down, the inside windows were boarded up, and that was it. I've no sadness for it going out of business because they sold books entirely the wrong way. Barnes & Noble is all about books, and the feeling you get inside is one of wanting to read, to explore everything you can find. Borders just happens to sell books.
We also stopped in at the arcade next to the movie theater, played air hockey, and tried to win a plush Pac-Man from one of the claw machines. The claw on that one never goes down where you position it. It stretches to the side. Two dollars gone, but thankfully it was only two dollars. Meridith wanted to keep trying, but I told her, "That's how Las Vegas makes money," and we left.
Back to our old apartment to peek through the windows and see that it was empty, with stuff left by the previous owners (including two floor fans), and that was it. We got on the bus at the stop in front of Target and eventually, we were home and thoroughly worn out because this was the second day in a row that we had done more walking than we do even in a week. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were the order of the evening, along with a smaller dinner since we had eaten so much during the day. I had thought about beginning to read The Wall Street Journal Weekend, but I decided to save it until today. We're staying home today, it's quiet all around, and it's the perfect time for it.
Out in Henderson, I just got the news from Mom that the job listing Dad had responded to from the charter school on the Las Vegas Review-Journal website was taken down, so Dad may very well get a call soon. They're also looking at apartments again today and found some very nice ones. The one they're looking at again today is two bedrooms with two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. I'm not sure if there is a dining room, too, but the plan for that one is to turn the living room into another bedroom for me, since Mom said she'd never make me and Meridith share a room. Or maybe it was the dining room. I hope so, because we need a living room. The apartment complex they were at also has a fitness center, a tennis court (Meridith's psyched about that), and lots of grass and trees for the dogs. She doesn't want them doing their business on rocks, and Tigger hated that during our first trip to Las Vegas when we stayed at America's Best Value Inn. Having grass for them is the biggest concern. We'll work through the rest.
It's possible that they may leave Nevada tomorrow, although they should spend a bit of time somewhere, since it will be their wedding anniversary. But as it stands, this will be the longest time any of us have been there, and from what we can see, it wil have been the most beneficial because we're so much closer to a true home, the kind that will make me proud to say that Nevada is my home state, and (probably) Henderson my home town. Life as it should be lived.
The one book I am proud to have as a memento of the County of Los Angeles library system, not only in light of the loss to come from the City of Santa Clarita taking control of the Valencia library and the three other branches within city limits but also after we move to Nevada, is Subways are for Sleeping by Edmund G. Love, a chronicle from 1957 about resourceful homeless people living in New York City who make their day-to-day lives work. I had this book all throughout my time at College of the Canyons, checking it out constantly, shunning math homework in the cafeteria at a table in the back in favor of reading it again. I think I got more out of those two-and-a-half years of education from that book than from any class, though I did have some decent teachers. This book had come from the Norwalk branch of the County system, and when it came time to return it yet again, I didn't. It had been with me all throughout my time at COC. It belonged with me. So I told them that I had found out after we had gotten back to Santa Clarita from Las Vegas that it must have dropped out of the car at a rest stop on the way back (Not true), and I gladly paid $34: $29 for the book and a $5 processing fee. It will be an honor when I finally have bookshelves, and can place it among the other books I love.
Meridith and I went to the library yesterday to return a few books, ahead of returning the rest next week. Well, mine, actually. She returned every book on her card except one by Meg Cabot. It's appropriate that the last book on her card should be that, since she's a huge Meg Cabot fan. I returned 14 books, and still have 36 to return.
After getting The Wall Street Journal Weekend from Pavilions, and smoothies from Jamba Juice (I got a PB&J one with banana; Meridith got Blue Gummy Bear), we decided we were not going to go anywhere else until we dropped off these books. Heavy bags do not make for an enjoyable day, and so we started walking from the heart of Valencia to the library, past the mall, and fortunately, our shoulders remained where they should be after we were finally able to put down the bags and get the books checked in.
It was a sorry sight at the library. They had called on Friday and left a message to say that the two books I had put on hold would be available until 6 p.m. that day. Normally, when I had a huge number of books on hold, even those holds that I cancelled remained on the shelf not only because they were so many, but because they figured that I would eventually take care of it. Or they just didn't care to look because of the 34 books waiting for me on those shelves (34's just one number at one time. It's sometimes slightly higher). Because of the transfer of these libraries to the City of Santa Clarita, I knew they had to be serious about that deadline, but I figured that since they knew me, maybe they would let those books sit there, knowing that I would be there on Saturday. I couldn't get there on Friday because there was no car and we weren't in Valencia. Our radius was the Ralphs and McDonald's in the shopping center on McBean Parkway, extending out past Meridith's old high school, to the Ice Station, then to the Italian sub place and back. We weren't going to go to the library twice.
Walking into the library, I saw that they were serious. All the holds had been cleared from the shelves, sent back. Such a sad sight seeing so many empty shelves. That's not what a library should be, but that's what this library is, coupled with the self-checkout machines having been turned off. LSSI, the corporate outfit that's going to run these libraries for the City of Santa Clarita, has to do inventory, put new barcodes on the books, and are they going to buy these self-checkout machines from the County of Los Angeles, too? Not only that, but are they at work on a new online library catalog? LSSI is an outsourcing company for those within a city who can't do their own work to make a library function. I don't care what their intentions are, but being that this is an outfit primarily based on the east coast, they cannot know this valley as well as the librarians who had been in place already do. But this is how it is, being that no member of the City Council has a library card. They just want to save money by isolating this valley even further. I care less and less as the weeks go on, being that I'll eventually be living where people remain connected, where there's no such isolation. Henderson may have its own library system comprised of five branches, but at least it's run by the city. It's not been outsourced like this. Boulder City may be all the way in the back, but that one library is part of the Clark County system.
Even so, books should not be treated like this. A library should not look this barren. Months before, the option to buy books gradually faded. The books from those shelves and the turnstile shelves lessened, and soon enough, there was nothing left. Most of the books weren't worth it for me, but at least there was the opportunity to see what your fellow residents read by what they donated. Not anymore.
These three Santa Clarita libraries will close from June 18 to July 1, or so they claim, but one of the librarians said that they'll probably open back up after July 4th. That long without a library? I have no problem with that since I've built up a partial library with all the books I've bought online to read, though not in anticipation of this. But for others, this is inexcusable. A library should be always be accessible, not susceptible to the whims of an inept City Council and certainly not a for-profit company. Certainly checking out books free of charge remains, but libraries should never be monetized. I found an article just now about LSSI:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA456252.html
To me, this sounds like an instance of the City Council not wanting to figure out how to save the libraries on their own, and fobbing it off on a company that does not even know this valley, so they don't have to think about it any further. I wish my years with the Valencia library had not ended this way. I will keep track of what's going on with these libraries after I've become a resident of (likely) Henderson, Nevada, but only this aspect of the Santa Clarita Valley will continue to interest me. Nothing else. I say that now, but then once I have my Henderson library card and my Clark County library card, I may forget about all else after I've spotted the Nevada and Las Vegas history sections, learning what I really want to learn.
Ok, rant over.
Meridith and I left the library after returning the books and making our canvas tote bags significantly lighter, and walked the paseo paths that go past the car dealerships and to where the bike paths and walking paths are, to look out at all the trees that sit on the land that used to be a river. A lot of it is dry and cracked, but a lot more has grown there since we last saw it.
Then back through the paseo paths, to the Valencia Town Center Mall, from the food court to the second floor, past the Disney Store, outside to where the relatively new shops are, including Williams-Sonoma, which we tackled after lunch, because lunch was very necessary, especially lunch at Five Guys. Meridith had a bacon and cheese hot dog, and I had a cheese veggie sandwich, with mushrooms, grilled onions, pickles, tomatoes, mustard, and barbecue sauce. And of course their fries. You cannot eat at Five Guys without having their fries. It should be a law. And I want to know where they get their peanuts because I'd like to find the unsalted kind. The ones I got from Ralphs about a month ago were disappointing.
After Five Guys, where I also noticed that there's a publication called Florida Monthly that I unfortunately never knew about even with all the years I lived in Florida (The clip from the magazine they put up on the wall says "Since 1981")--though I did find the website after we got home--we went to Menchi's, where I found only two decent frozen yogurt flavors in peanut butter cup and pistachio. The red velvet flavor didn't taste close to red velvet and they really need to improve the vanilla and chocolate flavors. While we were eating our frozen yogurt, weighed down by all the toppings we had put on, I joked with Meridith that with all the sample cups we had had, we could have just left afterward.
Then we went to Sephora, where Meridith wanted to find a certain nail polish that you paint over the nail polish you have on, and it gives it a cracked look. She had wanted it ever since she saw it at the Disney store next to the El Capitan Theatre after seeing Pirates 4, and found it there. If you ever want to see one store where the employees have a great love for makeup of all kinds, that's where you go.
Williams-Sonoma was next, and the one thing I find disappointing is that despite the love they promote for cooking, they never stock any culinary memoirs. It's probably not the place to find Anthony Bourdain's books, but there are so many other good ones that should be on shelves next to the cookbooks. I understand that the point of Williams-Sonoma is to find different gadgets and pans and sauces and anything else you want to cook what you want, but reading about the experiences of cooking is equally interesting. However, at $24.95 for some books, I probably wouldn't buy those books there anyway, which may be why they don't stock them.
We walked back through the mall, with a stop at the restrooms near the food court, and then out to where the Edwards Valencia 12 is, to see what was left of Borders. Nothing. The sign was taken down, the inside windows were boarded up, and that was it. I've no sadness for it going out of business because they sold books entirely the wrong way. Barnes & Noble is all about books, and the feeling you get inside is one of wanting to read, to explore everything you can find. Borders just happens to sell books.
We also stopped in at the arcade next to the movie theater, played air hockey, and tried to win a plush Pac-Man from one of the claw machines. The claw on that one never goes down where you position it. It stretches to the side. Two dollars gone, but thankfully it was only two dollars. Meridith wanted to keep trying, but I told her, "That's how Las Vegas makes money," and we left.
Back to our old apartment to peek through the windows and see that it was empty, with stuff left by the previous owners (including two floor fans), and that was it. We got on the bus at the stop in front of Target and eventually, we were home and thoroughly worn out because this was the second day in a row that we had done more walking than we do even in a week. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune were the order of the evening, along with a smaller dinner since we had eaten so much during the day. I had thought about beginning to read The Wall Street Journal Weekend, but I decided to save it until today. We're staying home today, it's quiet all around, and it's the perfect time for it.
Out in Henderson, I just got the news from Mom that the job listing Dad had responded to from the charter school on the Las Vegas Review-Journal website was taken down, so Dad may very well get a call soon. They're also looking at apartments again today and found some very nice ones. The one they're looking at again today is two bedrooms with two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. I'm not sure if there is a dining room, too, but the plan for that one is to turn the living room into another bedroom for me, since Mom said she'd never make me and Meridith share a room. Or maybe it was the dining room. I hope so, because we need a living room. The apartment complex they were at also has a fitness center, a tennis court (Meridith's psyched about that), and lots of grass and trees for the dogs. She doesn't want them doing their business on rocks, and Tigger hated that during our first trip to Las Vegas when we stayed at America's Best Value Inn. Having grass for them is the biggest concern. We'll work through the rest.
It's possible that they may leave Nevada tomorrow, although they should spend a bit of time somewhere, since it will be their wedding anniversary. But as it stands, this will be the longest time any of us have been there, and from what we can see, it wil have been the most beneficial because we're so much closer to a true home, the kind that will make me proud to say that Nevada is my home state, and (probably) Henderson my home town. Life as it should be lived.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
It Doesn't Feel Like a Coincidence
Normally, I'd save details like these for the next morning, as has been the case the past few mornings (Except for tomorrow morning, since I may post later than usual, being that I got a movie called "Jolene" from Netflix that I've been curious about for a while, and since a movie this morning wasn't possible because of the dogs being picked up to be groomed, tomorrow morning will be it, also because I just got in the mail from Amazon Auntie Mame and Sweeney Todd, starring Angela Lansbury and George Hearn), but this should be known now. Three times in one day cannot be just a coincidence.
The plan today was for Meridith and I to go to the library, but first to stop at Pavilions to see if they had my Wall Street Journal Weekend, and then to Jamba Juice for smoothies to have on the long walk to the library from that part of Valencia. We found my newspaper at Pavilions. $2.19 there, 19 cents tax, instead of $2.20, 20 cents tax at the newsstand. No big difference, and when I can get there, I like the newsstand more anyway.
I looked at the stories above the fold as always, and also finding out that the Off Duty section had a write-up and recipes about the best burgers. Below the fold, I was stunned at the article at the bottom. The headline is "Residents of Old Mining Town Want Gold to Star in Them Thar Hills." The sub-heading says, "In a Nevada Historic District, Tourism Prospectors Don't Dig Plans for a Real Open Pit". The dateline is "VIRGINIA CITY, Nev." At the time we were at Pavilions, Mom and Dad were looking for viable apartments. No news yet on the result of the job interview, but it will take some time. And if it does happen, we want to make sure we have pinpointed where we would want to live, what's good for Mom and Dad. Better now than rushing through it like we used to and ending up where we didn't benefit, like here, right now.
About 20 minutes ago, we got home and there was a box from Amazon at the door, containing those aforementioned DVDs. The return address is Fernley, Nevada.
When I started writing this entry, I looked again at the paper, and pulled out the Off Duty section to see what burgers and recipes were profiled. On page D2, one of the burgers is called "House-Ground Steak Burger". The introduction to the recipe begins: "Chef Bradley Ogden of the namesake restaurant in Las Vegas..."
These are not coincidences. These are strong signs. It's going to take a little more time, but the good and the great that we have waited for in our lives is going to come. I'm ready for true happiness.
The plan today was for Meridith and I to go to the library, but first to stop at Pavilions to see if they had my Wall Street Journal Weekend, and then to Jamba Juice for smoothies to have on the long walk to the library from that part of Valencia. We found my newspaper at Pavilions. $2.19 there, 19 cents tax, instead of $2.20, 20 cents tax at the newsstand. No big difference, and when I can get there, I like the newsstand more anyway.
I looked at the stories above the fold as always, and also finding out that the Off Duty section had a write-up and recipes about the best burgers. Below the fold, I was stunned at the article at the bottom. The headline is "Residents of Old Mining Town Want Gold to Star in Them Thar Hills." The sub-heading says, "In a Nevada Historic District, Tourism Prospectors Don't Dig Plans for a Real Open Pit". The dateline is "VIRGINIA CITY, Nev." At the time we were at Pavilions, Mom and Dad were looking for viable apartments. No news yet on the result of the job interview, but it will take some time. And if it does happen, we want to make sure we have pinpointed where we would want to live, what's good for Mom and Dad. Better now than rushing through it like we used to and ending up where we didn't benefit, like here, right now.
About 20 minutes ago, we got home and there was a box from Amazon at the door, containing those aforementioned DVDs. The return address is Fernley, Nevada.
When I started writing this entry, I looked again at the paper, and pulled out the Off Duty section to see what burgers and recipes were profiled. On page D2, one of the burgers is called "House-Ground Steak Burger". The introduction to the recipe begins: "Chef Bradley Ogden of the namesake restaurant in Las Vegas..."
These are not coincidences. These are strong signs. It's going to take a little more time, but the good and the great that we have waited for in our lives is going to come. I'm ready for true happiness.
The Run of the House: Day 5
In and near Las Vegas, within a day or two, fantasy gives way to reality. If you gamble big, you might lose big. Or your vacation ends and you have to go back to wherever your house is. Or, in my case, time to get to know another potential place to put my stuff.
Mom and Dad decided not to pursue that condo (house, I know) in Boulder City for three reasons: First, there are some cracks they saw that we would likely have to have repaired. Secondly, the walls of the house have some kind of design we have in Florida that Mom apparently didn't like, though I don't know what kind, since I wasn't really paying attention during that part of the conversation with her on the phone, though Meridith was listening. I was really tired at that point in the evening, having not stopped moving the entire day. Third: condo. That means that whatever might have to be repaired there, we shoulder the cost. That's the same as here in Saugus. Mom and Dad don't want that anymore because we had enough of that experience mostly with the plumbing and though part of it was covered by dint of using whomever was in the home warranty plan (All useless because they didn't actually fix the problem and we had to go to someone else and hope that they would do the work required), we still had to pay. There was enough hassle with that, and an apartment would be better because whatever needs to be fixed, there's no cost. I liked the condo, the balcony, the space that would have allowed me to finally put in bookshelves. But there's also another consideration: It was right near the highway in Boulder City. There were no supermarkets, no daily-living stores around that we would need. To get there, we'd have to drive some. We do that already from Saugus to Valencia, and we want to be connected to somewhere, not isolated.
I wasn't as broken up about losing that porch-like balcony and that space, because of where Meridith and I had been yesterday. My plans had been simply to put Mom and Dad's bedsheets in the wash, shower, and wash the dog's bowls. I figured we would stay home yesterday because we planned to go out today. One day would seem to be enough. But Mom was on the phone with us in the late morning, telling us that we should do something. And considering the dust I encountered with sweeping out the garage, and the usual crud that gets tracked into the house that was sucked up into the vacuum when I did Mom and Dad's room and the hallway that connects my room and Meridith's room, I could have used some fresher air. And that's what I got after Mom said that we should go to that Italian sub sandwich place to get two of them for later, especially since the free sub that she was to get would still stand. They had made four sandwiches for us last time, but one of them was the wrong one. Not that they made it wrong, but someone else had ordered it for us and they put it into our bag, so Mom called them the next day and was told that we'd get a free small sub next time because of it.
We started out at 11:50, since the bus would come at around 12:01 p.m. I brought the anthology Man with a Pan with me, but ended up not reading a lot of it throughout the day. I still like to have a book with me, and it'll be easier today when we go to the library, because I'll have my bag with me, so I can put it in there.
Our first stop was the bank, because we had an assortment of nickels, dimes, and quarters to be turned into $31.50, and I had to deposit my latest paycheck into the ATM machine. Meridith also had to get some cash out of there from her and Mom's account.
Next was lunch at McDonald's. I had forgotten that it was Friday, thought that it was Thursday, and tried to order the 20-piece Chicken McNugget special, which came with two medium drinks and two medium fries. I figured that if I wanted more fries after that, my brain would pipe up with, "You've had enough. Get up and start walking, fatass." The two medium drinks would have been useful because Meridith needed one, so that was taken care of without having to order another one.
But since it was Friday, after we had ordered what I thought was the special and a Quarter Pounder with cheese and bacon for Meridith, I had to order two medium drinks and a large fry, which we both shared, and which was enough. Later, I was keen on part of the peach pie they have now (It's a lot better than their apple pie), and Meridith wanted to try a Rolo McFlurry. So I split the peach pie with Meridith and ended up finishing off the McFlurry. Nothing to worry about, since we had a lot of walking ahead of us.
We started at the intersection near the Ralphs we were going to later and passed the senior housing, 1 and 2 bedrooms available, as the sign says. Then we crossed another intersection because we'd get right to the intersection near Meridith's old high school, Valencia High, and we wouldn't have to cross the street a second time. But I was taken by rows of houses, collectively called Creekside Valencia, and I was entranced, and wondering why we didn't move here. There was a pattern to the houses, you'd see the same design of a balcony railing three or four times, but it was so peaceful, and there was an out-in-the-country feeling about it, away from the traffic in Valencia, away from what usually frustrates people about this kind of life, what wouldn't be healthy for any other creature but one residing in Southern California who doesn't notice it all that much. I was miffed by the number of SUVs that passed us as we walked by these houses, looking at those porches, imagining rocking chairs of our choosing there, of just looking out at the scenery, relaxing, reading, whatever we'd want to do that would contribute to the peacefulness of the area for us. SUVs and soccer moms, I get that for reasons of temporary storage and how many kids can be stacked into it, but all the time? Some choice.
On our way out, we found a cluster of benches surrounded by plants, including a big round pot on a square pedestal and the dirt seemed to have a mix of sand. It was nicer than the benches that were near our old apartment behind the shopping center that includes Pavilions and Peet's Coffee and Tea.
As we passed Meridith's old high school, I pointed out the auditorium we had seen her perform at with the orchestra and she said she had pretty much faked her way through the entire performance, since she wasn't entirely sure of the notes for the music they played. I told her that she would make a perfect Southern Californian then, if we had stayed any longer, like years longer, and thank god that's not happening.
Past the parking lot that faces the various sports fields on the campus, I noticed the building across the street from the school that contains ice skating rinks and hockey rinks. It's called Ice Station, and I figured that here we were, and we should take advantage of it, see what's going on. I thought we would have to pay to get in, but that's not the case, only when games are going on. The most you'd have to pay for is skate rentals on days like that one. But we had no intention of doing that.
We went in, not so much winded from the walk, but pretty warm from it with the slight heat during the day and the wind that had been blowing steadily, and went upstairs where they have an arcade. We first went to where hockey players were practicing, and then to the ice skating rink where many people were skating. It wasn't that cold for us because of the walk, but in an ice skating rink, you definitely notice the temperature change, but it was a relief, and I imagine that Ice Station will have a lot of visitors during the summer, or whatever's left of the summer when the temperature decides to go up because it's not as hot as previous Junes have been.
I loved the arcade. There was an air hockey table, so Meridith and I had to do that (It has become her favorite air hockey table, because there's multi-colored lights that spin on the top whenever someone scores a goal, and she scored nearly all the goals and won), and they had a machine with Ms. Pac Man and Galaga, but Galaga only for me. It's not played that much because I finished with a score of 56,000+ and I ended up in 2nd place on the "Galactic Heroes" high score board. Meridith took a picture on her phone.
The restrooms are the nicest-smelling and the cleanest in all of Santa Clarita. And the faucets, when you push the top down, actually remain on for a few seconds. It's not like you push it down and then a second later, it shuts off. That's not easily found around here.
Then the Italian sub place, a cold cut sub for Meridith and a vegetarian sub for me, and then back to Ralphs, but not before stopping at Creekside Valencia for a second time, and sitting on one of those benches and just taking in that blessed peace. Rare are those moments in Santa Clarita when you feel completely at peace. That was one of them.
Ralphs was a great pleasure because Dad wasn't with us. He strives to rush us through the store every single time, questioning what we need, and usually with a look that says he wants to leave already, even though we just got into the store and we need a few things. This time, I only needed bananas because I had run out, we needed another gallon of water for the dogs because the only one we had was running low, and I wanted to see if Blue Diamond almond milk in that aseptic container was still available. It was, at 2 for $4, but I settled on one, and decided to try the original this time, though I'm very much attached to the vanilla flavor.
Then back to McDonald's to get a plain double cheeseburger and a small fry for Tigger and Kitty for later, but since we had gotten to McDonald's at 4:40, and the bus wasn't coming until 5:56, we had some time. So I ordered a frozen strawberry lemonade for Meridith, heavy on the strawberry syrup, and a Reese's McFlurry for me. That's my once-in-a-while McFlurry, because once in a while is enough. I had some time to read as well, so I skimmed through the Southern California Gaming Guide that I had picked up at Ralphs and read a bit of my book.
We got home, and I was bushed. But we had more to contend with because Kitty, not happy at us having gone out and certainly not with Mom and Dad still not home, ripped all the stuffing out of the kennel mat we keep in her cage. I didn't know there was that much Shamrock Shake-colored stuffing inside that mat. It filled up most of the white garbage bag I put it in.
The mat is completely flat now, but we're putting it back in because she needs something in there (The only other option is that nothing goes in there), and we're hoping that she doesn't do anything else to it.
There was some time on the phone with Mom afterward that led right into dinner, since we had put the sandwiches from the Italian sub place in the fridge to get colder, and then in went the bedsheets and the pillows into the wash, and I decided to wash the dog's bowls. Better then, after they had had their cheeseburger and fries.
After all that, I didn't quite feel like a zombie, but I think I was getting there. I started Bottom of the 33rd by Dan Barry, but didn't get too far into it yet, and TV was limited to that evening's episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. I didn't have the desire for anything else.
Right now, the dogs are being groomed by Shannon, who picks them up and brings them back. I've got to figure out what library books I'm going to return today, enough so that I have less to return during the week, and I've also got to write a list of those books so I can look for them after we move to Vegas and I sign up for library cards in Henderson and with the Clark County system. Those are the ones I want to start with, as a link from Santa Clarita to Las Vegas, and then I can burn that bridge with each book.
Oh! One more thing that didn't really fit with anything here: Mom and Dad had quite a busy day yesterday, going to Chinatown, driving the Strip, keeping tabs on the PT Cruiser, but while they were on the Strip, just before the Wynn Hotel, Steve Wynn's Rolls-Royce cut them off. They weren't sure if Steve Wynn himself was in it, but his driver sure was, and it was definitely Wynn's Rolls-Royce, because the license plate said "WYNN1". Mom tried to get a picture, but her cell phone wasn't acting right in that moment. Even so, only in Vegas. And more evidence that that's where I want to be.
Mom and Dad decided not to pursue that condo (house, I know) in Boulder City for three reasons: First, there are some cracks they saw that we would likely have to have repaired. Secondly, the walls of the house have some kind of design we have in Florida that Mom apparently didn't like, though I don't know what kind, since I wasn't really paying attention during that part of the conversation with her on the phone, though Meridith was listening. I was really tired at that point in the evening, having not stopped moving the entire day. Third: condo. That means that whatever might have to be repaired there, we shoulder the cost. That's the same as here in Saugus. Mom and Dad don't want that anymore because we had enough of that experience mostly with the plumbing and though part of it was covered by dint of using whomever was in the home warranty plan (All useless because they didn't actually fix the problem and we had to go to someone else and hope that they would do the work required), we still had to pay. There was enough hassle with that, and an apartment would be better because whatever needs to be fixed, there's no cost. I liked the condo, the balcony, the space that would have allowed me to finally put in bookshelves. But there's also another consideration: It was right near the highway in Boulder City. There were no supermarkets, no daily-living stores around that we would need. To get there, we'd have to drive some. We do that already from Saugus to Valencia, and we want to be connected to somewhere, not isolated.
I wasn't as broken up about losing that porch-like balcony and that space, because of where Meridith and I had been yesterday. My plans had been simply to put Mom and Dad's bedsheets in the wash, shower, and wash the dog's bowls. I figured we would stay home yesterday because we planned to go out today. One day would seem to be enough. But Mom was on the phone with us in the late morning, telling us that we should do something. And considering the dust I encountered with sweeping out the garage, and the usual crud that gets tracked into the house that was sucked up into the vacuum when I did Mom and Dad's room and the hallway that connects my room and Meridith's room, I could have used some fresher air. And that's what I got after Mom said that we should go to that Italian sub sandwich place to get two of them for later, especially since the free sub that she was to get would still stand. They had made four sandwiches for us last time, but one of them was the wrong one. Not that they made it wrong, but someone else had ordered it for us and they put it into our bag, so Mom called them the next day and was told that we'd get a free small sub next time because of it.
We started out at 11:50, since the bus would come at around 12:01 p.m. I brought the anthology Man with a Pan with me, but ended up not reading a lot of it throughout the day. I still like to have a book with me, and it'll be easier today when we go to the library, because I'll have my bag with me, so I can put it in there.
Our first stop was the bank, because we had an assortment of nickels, dimes, and quarters to be turned into $31.50, and I had to deposit my latest paycheck into the ATM machine. Meridith also had to get some cash out of there from her and Mom's account.
Next was lunch at McDonald's. I had forgotten that it was Friday, thought that it was Thursday, and tried to order the 20-piece Chicken McNugget special, which came with two medium drinks and two medium fries. I figured that if I wanted more fries after that, my brain would pipe up with, "You've had enough. Get up and start walking, fatass." The two medium drinks would have been useful because Meridith needed one, so that was taken care of without having to order another one.
But since it was Friday, after we had ordered what I thought was the special and a Quarter Pounder with cheese and bacon for Meridith, I had to order two medium drinks and a large fry, which we both shared, and which was enough. Later, I was keen on part of the peach pie they have now (It's a lot better than their apple pie), and Meridith wanted to try a Rolo McFlurry. So I split the peach pie with Meridith and ended up finishing off the McFlurry. Nothing to worry about, since we had a lot of walking ahead of us.
We started at the intersection near the Ralphs we were going to later and passed the senior housing, 1 and 2 bedrooms available, as the sign says. Then we crossed another intersection because we'd get right to the intersection near Meridith's old high school, Valencia High, and we wouldn't have to cross the street a second time. But I was taken by rows of houses, collectively called Creekside Valencia, and I was entranced, and wondering why we didn't move here. There was a pattern to the houses, you'd see the same design of a balcony railing three or four times, but it was so peaceful, and there was an out-in-the-country feeling about it, away from the traffic in Valencia, away from what usually frustrates people about this kind of life, what wouldn't be healthy for any other creature but one residing in Southern California who doesn't notice it all that much. I was miffed by the number of SUVs that passed us as we walked by these houses, looking at those porches, imagining rocking chairs of our choosing there, of just looking out at the scenery, relaxing, reading, whatever we'd want to do that would contribute to the peacefulness of the area for us. SUVs and soccer moms, I get that for reasons of temporary storage and how many kids can be stacked into it, but all the time? Some choice.
On our way out, we found a cluster of benches surrounded by plants, including a big round pot on a square pedestal and the dirt seemed to have a mix of sand. It was nicer than the benches that were near our old apartment behind the shopping center that includes Pavilions and Peet's Coffee and Tea.
As we passed Meridith's old high school, I pointed out the auditorium we had seen her perform at with the orchestra and she said she had pretty much faked her way through the entire performance, since she wasn't entirely sure of the notes for the music they played. I told her that she would make a perfect Southern Californian then, if we had stayed any longer, like years longer, and thank god that's not happening.
Past the parking lot that faces the various sports fields on the campus, I noticed the building across the street from the school that contains ice skating rinks and hockey rinks. It's called Ice Station, and I figured that here we were, and we should take advantage of it, see what's going on. I thought we would have to pay to get in, but that's not the case, only when games are going on. The most you'd have to pay for is skate rentals on days like that one. But we had no intention of doing that.
We went in, not so much winded from the walk, but pretty warm from it with the slight heat during the day and the wind that had been blowing steadily, and went upstairs where they have an arcade. We first went to where hockey players were practicing, and then to the ice skating rink where many people were skating. It wasn't that cold for us because of the walk, but in an ice skating rink, you definitely notice the temperature change, but it was a relief, and I imagine that Ice Station will have a lot of visitors during the summer, or whatever's left of the summer when the temperature decides to go up because it's not as hot as previous Junes have been.
I loved the arcade. There was an air hockey table, so Meridith and I had to do that (It has become her favorite air hockey table, because there's multi-colored lights that spin on the top whenever someone scores a goal, and she scored nearly all the goals and won), and they had a machine with Ms. Pac Man and Galaga, but Galaga only for me. It's not played that much because I finished with a score of 56,000+ and I ended up in 2nd place on the "Galactic Heroes" high score board. Meridith took a picture on her phone.
The restrooms are the nicest-smelling and the cleanest in all of Santa Clarita. And the faucets, when you push the top down, actually remain on for a few seconds. It's not like you push it down and then a second later, it shuts off. That's not easily found around here.
Then the Italian sub place, a cold cut sub for Meridith and a vegetarian sub for me, and then back to Ralphs, but not before stopping at Creekside Valencia for a second time, and sitting on one of those benches and just taking in that blessed peace. Rare are those moments in Santa Clarita when you feel completely at peace. That was one of them.
Ralphs was a great pleasure because Dad wasn't with us. He strives to rush us through the store every single time, questioning what we need, and usually with a look that says he wants to leave already, even though we just got into the store and we need a few things. This time, I only needed bananas because I had run out, we needed another gallon of water for the dogs because the only one we had was running low, and I wanted to see if Blue Diamond almond milk in that aseptic container was still available. It was, at 2 for $4, but I settled on one, and decided to try the original this time, though I'm very much attached to the vanilla flavor.
Then back to McDonald's to get a plain double cheeseburger and a small fry for Tigger and Kitty for later, but since we had gotten to McDonald's at 4:40, and the bus wasn't coming until 5:56, we had some time. So I ordered a frozen strawberry lemonade for Meridith, heavy on the strawberry syrup, and a Reese's McFlurry for me. That's my once-in-a-while McFlurry, because once in a while is enough. I had some time to read as well, so I skimmed through the Southern California Gaming Guide that I had picked up at Ralphs and read a bit of my book.
We got home, and I was bushed. But we had more to contend with because Kitty, not happy at us having gone out and certainly not with Mom and Dad still not home, ripped all the stuffing out of the kennel mat we keep in her cage. I didn't know there was that much Shamrock Shake-colored stuffing inside that mat. It filled up most of the white garbage bag I put it in.
The mat is completely flat now, but we're putting it back in because she needs something in there (The only other option is that nothing goes in there), and we're hoping that she doesn't do anything else to it.
There was some time on the phone with Mom afterward that led right into dinner, since we had put the sandwiches from the Italian sub place in the fridge to get colder, and then in went the bedsheets and the pillows into the wash, and I decided to wash the dog's bowls. Better then, after they had had their cheeseburger and fries.
After all that, I didn't quite feel like a zombie, but I think I was getting there. I started Bottom of the 33rd by Dan Barry, but didn't get too far into it yet, and TV was limited to that evening's episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. I didn't have the desire for anything else.
Right now, the dogs are being groomed by Shannon, who picks them up and brings them back. I've got to figure out what library books I'm going to return today, enough so that I have less to return during the week, and I've also got to write a list of those books so I can look for them after we move to Vegas and I sign up for library cards in Henderson and with the Clark County system. Those are the ones I want to start with, as a link from Santa Clarita to Las Vegas, and then I can burn that bridge with each book.
Oh! One more thing that didn't really fit with anything here: Mom and Dad had quite a busy day yesterday, going to Chinatown, driving the Strip, keeping tabs on the PT Cruiser, but while they were on the Strip, just before the Wynn Hotel, Steve Wynn's Rolls-Royce cut them off. They weren't sure if Steve Wynn himself was in it, but his driver sure was, and it was definitely Wynn's Rolls-Royce, because the license plate said "WYNN1". Mom tried to get a picture, but her cell phone wasn't acting right in that moment. Even so, only in Vegas. And more evidence that that's where I want to be.
Friday, June 3, 2011
The Wall Street Journal Weekend: Maybe, Maybe Not.
Because Mom and Dad are in Las Vegas, if Meridith and I want to go anywhere, we have to take the bus. This morning, Mom suggested that we go to Ralphs if we need anything (I ran out of bananas, and I want to see if that aseptic carton of almond milk is still on sale), and to that Italian sub place that's right by Meridith's old high school, and to pick up a cheesburger (regular) and a small french fry for Tigger and Kitty from McDonald's.
My plans were different. I was going to wash the dog's bowls and the tray they sit on, take a shower, and put Mom and Dad's bedsheets and pillowcases in the wash and then with Meridith, put them back on the bed. That was it. I have books. I'm fine. In fact, ahead of having to return all my library books next week, I've pinpointed three books I want so badly to read before that horrid day happens: Fool Me Once: Hustlers, Hookers, Headliners and How Not to Get Screwed in Vegas by Rick Lax; Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry; and Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe. These three are going straight to the top of my immediate reading list. These will be my weekend reading, or as much as I can read tomorrow when we're off to the library to return some books so we don't have as much to return by next Friday (the absolute deadline to return everything), Jamba Juice, the Valencia Town Center mall, Sprouts, Pavilions, and whatever else we can think of while we're there.
I've no objection to today's plans. After the dogs have their cheeseburger and french fries with some of their usual dinner, I'll wash the bowls then. And I'll put Mom and Dad's linens in the wash on Sunday. That's simple enough. Plus, I just took a shower. So I'm covered.
But one part of my Saturday routine might or might not be, my copy of The Wall Street Journal Weekend. We're taking the bus down to Valencia tomorrow and our first stop will be Pavilions, because Meridith suggested that they might have it there. I usually go to the newsstand near Kmart, because they not only have it, but what looks like nearly every magazine ever published, and I like to browse when I'm there. It's not as important anymore because the magazines I used to look at I now subscribe to.
So if Pavilions doesn't have it, then we have to do some thinking. We'll go to the library, but it's a little bit of a hike to get the newsstand. Yet, we parked at the now-shuttered Do-It Center (It was a much smaller Home Depot without the trappings of a chain) when the Food Truck Festival was going on and walked almost that length to get to the first car dealership where three food trucks were parked (It was going on to celebrate the revitalized Auto Row (what I call it), which had been refurbished, with plants at the curb, cleaner sidewalks, etc. This is the big happening in this valley. Now you see why I'm craving Las Vegas more and more).
It didn't take me long to read last week's Wall Street Journal Weekend and circle the book titles that interested me in the "Review" section. About an hour, I'd say. It usually takes longer. Do I really need it this weekend? I'd like it this weekend, just like every other weekend, and we won't be hauling any books from the library, the first time since we moved here seven years ago, but it depends on what else we do, if we buy anything that would have to be refrigerated (unlikely), and where we are physically by the time we get to that point (There's going to be a lot of walking). I think I'd be a little disappointed if I didn't have it, but not broken up, because when they do finally come home, Mom and Dad will have with them last week's issue of Las Vegas Weekly and this week's, and a few editions of the Las Vegas Review-Journal for me. That's all I wanted from Vegas. I wanted real reading material from my future hometown, and I'm getting it. I think that makes up for possibly not having The Wall Street Journal Weekend this weekend a million times over. Like I've said before, I only skim through the L.A. Weekly and The Signal because there's nothing that interests me, and the writing in The Signal is reliably atrocious. To read the Las Vegas Weekly cover to cover and read nearly everything in the Review-Journal (I skip the AP articles)? I'll take it!
My plans were different. I was going to wash the dog's bowls and the tray they sit on, take a shower, and put Mom and Dad's bedsheets and pillowcases in the wash and then with Meridith, put them back on the bed. That was it. I have books. I'm fine. In fact, ahead of having to return all my library books next week, I've pinpointed three books I want so badly to read before that horrid day happens: Fool Me Once: Hustlers, Hookers, Headliners and How Not to Get Screwed in Vegas by Rick Lax; Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry; and Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe. These three are going straight to the top of my immediate reading list. These will be my weekend reading, or as much as I can read tomorrow when we're off to the library to return some books so we don't have as much to return by next Friday (the absolute deadline to return everything), Jamba Juice, the Valencia Town Center mall, Sprouts, Pavilions, and whatever else we can think of while we're there.
I've no objection to today's plans. After the dogs have their cheeseburger and french fries with some of their usual dinner, I'll wash the bowls then. And I'll put Mom and Dad's linens in the wash on Sunday. That's simple enough. Plus, I just took a shower. So I'm covered.
But one part of my Saturday routine might or might not be, my copy of The Wall Street Journal Weekend. We're taking the bus down to Valencia tomorrow and our first stop will be Pavilions, because Meridith suggested that they might have it there. I usually go to the newsstand near Kmart, because they not only have it, but what looks like nearly every magazine ever published, and I like to browse when I'm there. It's not as important anymore because the magazines I used to look at I now subscribe to.
So if Pavilions doesn't have it, then we have to do some thinking. We'll go to the library, but it's a little bit of a hike to get the newsstand. Yet, we parked at the now-shuttered Do-It Center (It was a much smaller Home Depot without the trappings of a chain) when the Food Truck Festival was going on and walked almost that length to get to the first car dealership where three food trucks were parked (It was going on to celebrate the revitalized Auto Row (what I call it), which had been refurbished, with plants at the curb, cleaner sidewalks, etc. This is the big happening in this valley. Now you see why I'm craving Las Vegas more and more).
It didn't take me long to read last week's Wall Street Journal Weekend and circle the book titles that interested me in the "Review" section. About an hour, I'd say. It usually takes longer. Do I really need it this weekend? I'd like it this weekend, just like every other weekend, and we won't be hauling any books from the library, the first time since we moved here seven years ago, but it depends on what else we do, if we buy anything that would have to be refrigerated (unlikely), and where we are physically by the time we get to that point (There's going to be a lot of walking). I think I'd be a little disappointed if I didn't have it, but not broken up, because when they do finally come home, Mom and Dad will have with them last week's issue of Las Vegas Weekly and this week's, and a few editions of the Las Vegas Review-Journal for me. That's all I wanted from Vegas. I wanted real reading material from my future hometown, and I'm getting it. I think that makes up for possibly not having The Wall Street Journal Weekend this weekend a million times over. Like I've said before, I only skim through the L.A. Weekly and The Signal because there's nothing that interests me, and the writing in The Signal is reliably atrocious. To read the Las Vegas Weekly cover to cover and read nearly everything in the Review-Journal (I skip the AP articles)? I'll take it!
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