Friday, April 13, 2012

Random Thoughts

I sat on the patio in the backyard yesterday, drinking Proseco and gossiping with the girls. We ate hulled strawberries and shifted around so that the sun didn't burn any of our parts more than the others.  There were shared memories and new stories and much advice was given.  We wore no makeup and our shorts were the ones lying atop the laundry pile; we were there for one another, not trying to impress.

Sparkling wine as dinner..... I could get used to this.
*****
There's a distinct change in the breeze and the air quality here in the desert Southwest.  April is nearly half-way gone, and most all of the snowbirds have fled to cooler climes.  Those of us who are planning to stick it out through the summer share a certain glee, a glint in our eyes, a reluctance to admit that we love baking in triple digit temperatures.

I can't speak for anyone else, but, for me, it's self-preservation.  I don't want Tucson to be winter-crowded all year long.
*****
Justified ended the season with a disarming end to a seriously evil bad guy (if you saw it you should be smiling now).  Big Cuter thinks that Ava has become more evil as the series has matured, but I disagree.  She started out by shooting her cheating, beating husband in the chest with a shotgun as he sat at the dining room table.  She's now married to his brother, Boyd, who's striving to become the biggest baddest criminal in Harlan County.  Ava's not more evil, she's just more grown up.
*****
I found myself in the interesting position of explaining the workings of my Kindle Fire to a friend.  I can turn it on and off, play solitaire and read a book on it.... but not much more.  I can't figure out how to turn off the web browser when I don't need it.  I am flummoxed every time I try to highlight and then retrieve a passage.  I should be able to leave notes on the text, but that's not intuitive, either.

I suppose I should read the instructions..... but they are digitized and available on-line instead of in a handy paperback I can leave open to the important pages.  I'm having a stand-off with the device.... become natural in my hand or be gone.
*****
And another thing about this Kindle thing - it's much more durable than it looks, but that doesn't stop me from being terrified every time I put it in my purse to go someplace.  In the house, we're fine.  Transporting it is a whole different matter.  Traveling requires a case.

I looked in Tucson and sighed, deeply and profoundly.  The slim pickings were confined to big box chain stores.  On-line, the choices were more varied.  I wanted to touch them for myself, and I could have done so..... if we still lived in Marin.  San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Mission and 3rd in The City..... I love my town but there are times when I throw my hands up in disgust.
*****

*****
Everyone here is complaining about allergies.  The palo verdes are in bloom, their bright yellow blossoms attracting birds and bees and sneezes.  The mesquites and acacias are right behind them, bringing more pollen and discomfort to sufferers county-wide.  `Between my achy hip and my scratchy throat I feel much worse than I really am.
*****
The summer before I was shot I bought 5 pairs of colorful flipflops at WallyWorld.  They cost $1.25 each at the end of the season sale. Last year, my ambulation required lace up shoes that freed my toes up for balance instead of keeping the shoe on my foot.  This year, they are seriously tempting me.

TBG has issues every time he sees me put them on. "Are those the best shoes you could be wearing?" he inquires.  My "Probably not, but they go with the outfit," response solicits an interesting response. He's my spouse, not my parent, but he's been operating as my guardian since January, 2011.  I know I ought to listen to him, but I can't give up the colors.
*****
After months of fits and starts and good intentions, GRIN is able to announce that Pilates at Amphitheater Middle School starts today, Friday the 13th. We are part of the Physical Education curriculum.

It is a public/private partnership in the very best way. Corporation and bureaucracy are not always terms of opprobrium. Thanks to Balanced Body for the equipment, Amphi Middle School and the Amphi School District and the University of Arizona for flexibility and perserverance, and, most especially, thanks to Kyria Sabin of Body Works Pilates for having both the original idea and the willingness to stick with it until we got it done.

9 comments:

  1. I have reached that stage in life where flip flops are bad for my feet and my balance (and therefore the rest of my boy and bones). I know this, but I still can't stop wearing them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My body and bones feel your pain, Olga. I wonder if I can stop......
    a/b

    ReplyDelete
  3. You might try Vera Bradley for a cover for your Kindle Fire. I have one that fits my Nook and I love it, but I think you'd need a bigger size for the Fire and I'm not sure what sizes they have. I'm sure there's a local store that carries VB also, ask around. (Even in Prescott we have 2 stores that carry VB, including the Hallmark.) I agree with the frustration of having operating manuals only available online! With the Nook you go to settings and then put it on airplane mode ... maybe the Fire is similar?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the "RaNDoM THouGHTs" entries...they're sorta like PeRSoNaLiTy PoTPouRRi! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, I know the forbidden-ness of the flip flop. That must be why I have 4 pairs hoarded in a closet! I am being better about lacing up the sturdy, unattractive shoes I wear when we're going to Costco, or Wally World, not doing it leads to pain and sorrow. We're here two more weeks, I'm hoping the buckhorn chollas and the prickly pears open their flowers by then. We noticed the buckhorns out at Saguaro West have a lot of buds, could be good. Hope your allergies abate soon, those yellow blooming trees are just brutal.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Honey, when you figure out how to cut and paste a link in Kindle Fire, would you PLEASE let me know?! I can never read anything really good in the NYTimes or WaPo or The Atlantic or Time without wanting to send it to someone by email, but KF has stymied me. And, yep, if I wanted to sit in front of my laptop forever with my KF in hand while I read those instructions online, I'd just be reading all my ebooks the same way...in this silly position with my head thrust too far forward and my back rounding badly and my bifocals neither useful nor dispensable, my hip bitching about this long chair time.

    And, even so, I adore my KF. I blame it for this blogging break of mine. It's like an extended sleepover at my favorite bookstore.

    My hip sends friendly thoughts to yours. Enjoy your Mitt-sandals.

    ReplyDelete
  7. If I am doing any walking at all, I need arch support; so flip flops have never been on my agenda other than maybe back in my childhood when they were called thongs-- before that became underwear.

    I love Tucson when everybody goes and I will soon be there to work on the house, enjoy the heat, and swim-- as I am too wimpy to do that earlier in the year. Although our Tucson house is a second home, I never really preferred being there in the winter even before we turned it into a vacation rental. Personally I love August with the monsoon storms ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Agree with you about smug feelings while living in AZ this lovely month! I have a Kindle Touch and shopped online for cases that would allow me to stand it up or flip it over the top of the machine when I exercise. Found this one on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marware-Eco-Flip-Kindle-Touch-Cover/dp/images/B005PB2SPE/ref=dp_image_z_1_0?ie=UTF8&s=fiona-hardware&img=0&color_name=1

    Wanted to send this in a private message since it could be construed as marketing... Not the case! I wish i would have got mine in red, though, instead of boring black!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Vera Bradley... I could write an entire post on Vera Bradley... and I think I will. Thanks for the prompt, ForestGirl.

    Grrr to the KF, Nance... stealing you from the blogosphere. But I, too, love getting my book "right now".

    Our buckhorns are just about to burst, Allison, and some of the prickly pears are opening their buds just a bit. I'm with you, Rain.... Tucson in the late summer is close to heaven... without the travel :)

    The denizens know you're not marketing, Katie.... I ended up with a pink Marware case that is heavy and denies me the pleasure of fondling the back of the Kindle... a truly lovely feeling.

    THANKS for the conversation :)
    a/b

    ReplyDelete

Talk back to me! Word Verification is gone!