I Listen Like a Boy

Jack extended an invitation to attend his daughter Marcy’s birthday party. Oh, how I love a good party, and I accepted the invite, thank you very much!

While at dinner with my friend Janice, I called Jack and asked what could I get Marcy for a present. “You don’t have to get her anything!” Silly answer, because yes, I do! What does she like to do? Is she allergic to perfume? Does she like to read? I could get her a Barnes & Noble gift card. “Oh, that would be perfect! I got her an e-reader like a Kindle from BN.” I heard, “I got her a Kindle from BN.”

So after dinner us girls went shopping at BN.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in the store and there was a Nook display! Janice said, “Oh, how I’d love to have a little Nookie!” I looked at her and said, “Janice, did you really just say what I heard you say?”  Embarrassment and hysterical laughter ensued! “I didn’t even think about what I was saying! I was just thinking that they are little, and cute, and a Nook, and well…” Stop while you’re ahead, Janice!

Now I was confused. I thought Jack said Kindle, but BN only has the Nook. Another phone call?  Still trying to recover from the aforementioned hilarity I did call him again.  “Jack, they don’t have Kindle, only Nook!” “No, I said it was LIKE the Kindle, only the BN brand. And I did not get her the color.” I heard, “I got her the Color.”
Well, I decided to not get her a gift card but rather a Nook cover. The sales person pointed me to the covers for the Nook Color. So many choices, but I picked a beautiful pistachio green cover with a quote embossed on it. Perfect!

Present wrapped and we are good to go!

Saturday arrives and Jack comes to pick me up. We are loading lasagna and cheesecake into Petey. I grab the present and as I’m getting into the car I say, “I got her a gorgeous Nook cover. I’m glad you told me it is Color because there are two different kinds!” “No, I said it was NOT the Color.”  Well, she will get the pleasure of opening the present, and then she can exchange it for whatever she wants.

Time to open presents! She loved the Nook. Her daddy had a great time showing her how it works. She loved the cover, too! Of course the entire story had to be shared, and we all got a good laugh out of it. Jack looked at me and said, “You listen like a boy!”  I’m sorry, it’s all my fault; please forgive me!  ~giggle~ Lots of teasing and joking ensued. I did exchange the Nook Color cover for a regular Nook cover in pink. Marcy was thrilled.

This leads us to Facebook postings yesterday. Jack posted that, yes, he did break down and buy himself a Nook. Couldn’t let Marcy have all the fun!  He shared a link with me for the libraries where you can download free e-book! After checking out the link I said, You're awesome! You've convinced me! :) His comment?   "I repeat... A Nook! Not a Kindle. Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook, Nook! Ha Ha!"

Lesson learned. I no longer listen like a boy!

~~giggle~~

Pen Pals...

Allow me to introduce you to Amanda.  How did we meet, you may ask? It is a story that started many years ago.

When I was a young teenager at church we used to get a weekly magazine/pamphlet called The Junior Guide. In it was a list of other teenagers from all over the world who were wanting penpals.  At one time I had several from the Philippines, Libya, Iceland, and various ones across America.

Sadly, I am afraid that the art of writing letters is a dying art, although I do make an effort. Not as much as I should, but I do try!

About two and a half years ago, as I was once again struggling to lose weight, I logged onto the Dr. Atkins website and signed up. Free of charge, of course! But it gave me access to recipes, the ability to track and follow my progress, blog, and meet other members.

Thus I met Amanda.

We have chatted quite alot online, I shared recipes, and we shared bits and pieces of our lives.  Then we discovered we were both on Facebook, so we switched over so we could get to know each other better.

Lately we have been chatting about talking on a real phone, but for that I would need a landline, which I don't have. And then the lightbulb came on! She could call me at work!  Today! Because everyone was going to be out of the office for a birthday luncheon.

Well, as luck would have it, the birthday luncheon was cancelled, but most everyone was out of the office when Amanda called. We talked for an hour and it was delightful!  We discovered we shared a lot of similar stories about our childhood and our mothers (could they be sisters?). 

We also both struggle with our weight, so we encourage each other when we hit those rough patches in life. 

She is from London but now lives in Bordighera, Italy...

...about 30 minutes from Monte Carlo. 

She has 3 brothers and two sisters, and a bunch of nieces and nephews who adore her!  Her "children" are Tara and Tess, two beautiful black labs. 

By the way, she has her apartment for rent, if anyone is interested!

Finally the hour was up and we had to end our conversation; but what a great time we had!

We meet so many people throughout our lives. Sometimes they are only here for a short time; sometimes they are here forever. There is a reason for it!

As for all those penpal communiques over the years, well, writing letters is fun, and you have this wonderful piece of tangible history to hang onto forever. Nowadays online communication provides immediate gratification and information is instantaneous.  They each have their place. Cherish them. And communicate more. Never be afraid to say what is on your mind or in your heart. It helps bring you closer to each other. And listen. You never know what you can learn from them.

So Amanda, welcome to my world and to my family.  I am honored you have come along for the ride! Thank you for agreeing to be my electronic penpal and an important part of my life!

Hugs and kisses...

Wednesday I took Jon, Cheryl, Erin and Evan out to dinner. We had Chinese at their favorite restaurant - Little City. I pulled into the parking lot; they were not there yet, so I just waited in the car. Less than 5 minutes later they arrived.

The car door flew open, Erin came running out yelling, "Nanny!" and ran into my arms, even before I had a chance to get out of the car. Hugs and kisses ensued, then we got out of the car.

Evan shuffled out of the car holding a kleenex and declared, "I'm sick, Nanny. I'm not going to kiss you."  Imagine that! A 4 year old that was worried about sharing germs! But he did hug my leg - sort of.

Yesterday on my way home from work I was going to go to Evan's baseball game. Got a call from mommy to say he still wasn't feeling good and was not going to play. So I made a detour and went to their house.

Again, Erin came running over with hugs and kisses.  Evan walked up behind and said, "I'm still sick." I said, "Can Nanny have kisses anyway?"  He got a big grin on this face, nodded yes, and gave me the biggest hug and kisses ever! Sweet!

Cheryl made stuffed bell peppers for dinner. They were delicious.  We visited for a while, sampled the macadamia nuts, and pretty soon it was bath time.  Tell Nanny good-bye and give her kisses! 

Nanny ended the night with boogers on her blouse. I am not complaining in the least!

Karma is a Bitch

Today I received an email that was intended for someone else - and it was about me.  It said:

"She had better not be saying I took her pens.. why would I do that?

And anyway they are district property she has ordered all kinds of crap from Sierra Office for her and Cynthia by the way.

 Whatever.

 I don’t ever order anything without checking with Joe /Mark etc first even a small thing.

 She never does…

 And she has never said Happy Birthday even though people have said it in front of her to me.

 Oh well Karma is a bitch."

What precipitated this, you may ask?  All I did was ask, "Do you have my Dr. Grip pens?"

I am upset because this email is really not about the pens. It is about causing trouble. My comment was misconstrued and thrown out there to someone in the district; and I have no way to explain or defend my comments. 

Yes, Karma is a bitch. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Because what goes around, comes around.

Hawaii Day 1 1/2

On my way to the Land of Aloha!

My Hawaiian vacation started with my boarding the plane at 8:50 Sunday morning.  It was a cool, cloudy day. I was fortunate enough to get a window seat!

At 9:40 the plane lifted off over the rain soaked landscape of Sacramento; good-bye rain and gloom!  It was a smooth flight!

I love flying over the ocean. It's hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins; and of course the clouds are just beautiful!

After five hours there is finally land in sight! We have reached the Land of Aloha - and in the distance is the Island of Molokai.  Sweet! That means the Island of Oahu is not too far now!

Finally it is within view - the windward side of the island, Diamond Head and Waikiki. 

My seat mate, Sami, and I enjoyed the walk thru the terminal to get our luggage. (We decided to NOT take the wiki-shuttle to baggage claim.) She lives in Kailua Kona and was visiting her sister in Sacramento.  The airport is beautiful and open air with a beautiful Japanese Garden in the center.

Megan and I spied each other at the same time! Hugs, kisses and tears ensued.  "Look at you, sexy Nanny!" she said! :)  We gathered all the luggage and headed to the car, onto the freeway and pointed the car towards Hickam Beach for the birthday party.

Friends and family were waiting. Remiey, Rhiannon, Ryan, Johanna, G'ma Seaneen, Nanny, and of course Daddy Ryan and Mommy Megan were all there to celebrate Jalen's 1st birthday.  

Ryan barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, and of course there were chips and pasta salad. After we had stuffed ourselves we opened birthday presents, and then it was time for the piece de resistance - THE BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!

Jalen was a little bit apprehensive at first, but then dug in with both hands, raking his fingers through it before stuffing it into his mouth. He had his own Mickey Mouse cake!  Yum-o!!!

It was a perfect day to celebrate a 1st Birthday!

The next day was Jalen's 1 year check-up with the doctor.  He is normal, healthy and happy.  Got his 1-year shots, a TB test, and a finger prick to check for anemia.  So far, so good! It was a busy day; Grandma Seaneen wanted to stay at the cabins at Pokai Bay, a military beach along the Waianaie Coast. It's a beautiful drive on the western side of the Island and quite lovely there.

Today we are going to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. It will be a good day.  Stay tuned!

Madame Pele’s Handiwork…

“She is Pele-honua-mea, Pele of the Sacred Land...

She is Pele-‘ai’houna, Pele the eater of land, when she devours the land with her flames...

She who rules the volcanoes of Hawai’i; and Mankind has no power to resist her...

When Pele is heard from, her word is the final word.”

My mother lived in Hawaii for about 5 years. I used to spend a month every winter with her, and I always had a great time.  On my visit in 1976 she was living in Hilo on the Big Island.  I love the Big Island.  It is so diverse! You can be swimming on the beaches in the morning and snow skiing in the afternoon. 

It was fun driving around the island, walking thru lava tubes, playing in the various waterfalls, visiting The Star of the Sea Painted Church in the town of Kalapana...

...and especially seeing the Black Sands Beach.  The town and beach is now under 60 feet of lava flows; but they moved the church to a safe location in 1990 after lava flows came close to destroying it.

It was on this very beach that I encountered Madame Pele. 

She is a jealous goddess and very protective of her handiwork.  I did not know this.  We were having a picnic and I was playing with Eric in the sand when I found a piece of lava rock. I said, "Oh, mom, this is so pretty! I'm going to take it home!" Mom laughed at me! But she let me take it with us anyhow.

The next day I was with my younger brother, John, in the lagoon outside the apartment.  There was a brackish water pond rimmed with lava that was just perfect to swim in! Standing on the edge, I jumped in.  Miscalculating how far out to jump, I ended up shredding my back and my bathing suit on the lava rock.  Ouch!!! Dragging myself out of the pond, I was walking along the edge trying to get back to the apartment.  I slipped and fell into the water, hitting my cheekbone on a rock just under the surface of the water. Now, not only was my back shredded and bleeding, I also was getting a black eye! I had only been there a week and I looked like a wreck!  When I finally got back to the apartment Mom asked if I wanted to return my lava rock. No! why would I?

The following week we decided to go to the Kona Coast and stay the weekend at the new King Kamehameha Hotel.  Packed up the car and headed over the Saddleback Highway to our destination. It was so much fun to visit Parker Ranch where they raise some of the best beef you have ever eaten, see where they grow Kona Coffee, and all the beautiful bougainvilla in bloom! What a great weekend!  We headed home in the middle of the afternoon, going the long way around the island.  It was a two lane highway and there was no one on it!  Suddenly the car was making funny noises and heating up; and then it happened - the car engine "come all crack up!"  We were stuck on the side of the road with no help in sight and no way to contact anyone.  Fortunately a volunteer fireman on his way home passed us. We must have looked really pathetic standing by this little Mazda with the smoking engine.  He took pity on us and gave us a ride back into Hilo. 

The next day I said, "Mom, can we go back to Kalapana so I can return Madame Pele's handiwork?"  And off we went for one last picnic at the Black Sands Beach. I apologized to Madame Pele as I returned her rock.

What did I learn from all of this?  Madame Pele does not like her handiwork messed with. If you want to appease her you should buy a bottle of gin, go to the edge of Kileauea and toss it in.  If, for some reason, you cannot get to the crater you can simply leave an open can of beer on a lava rock along the highway.  Hopefully the Menehune will not drink it before Madame Pele gets to enjoy it. 

So when you get to Hawaii please enjoy the scenery. But leave it where you find it. You do not want to incur Madame Pele's wrath. Trust me.

"E ola mau, e Pele e! 'Eli'eli kau mai!” Long life to you, Pele!

Life as a Carny

Whenever someone hears I have worked on the carnival, their initial reaction is, “Wow! That must be pretty exciting! You must make a ton of money!”

Well, it is exciting; and no, you do not make a ton of money. Sometimes you don’t even make a comfortable living! It is the nature of the carnival.

I remember as a little girl going to the Trinity County Fair in Hayfork, California. I played the balloon game and won a small ceramic elephant. I loved it! I kept it on my dresser for years!  And whenever the carnival was at the local shopping center my grandmother would take me.  We always rode the rollercoaster.  We had no fear! Oh, how I love a good rollercoaster! 

I was introduced to my first real carny when I was 18 years old.  I was talking to a friend from church on the phone when she said, “Hey, I have this really nice boy I want you to meet! I know, I’ll call him, he can call you, and you two can go out!”  I said, “But… but… but…”  Too late! She had already hung up.  Fifteen minutes later I got a phone call.  “Hello, is Linda there?”  “May I ask who is calling?”  “This is Paul Larson.”  Conversation ensued and we made a date for the next night. 

We didn’t like each other very much.  But we continued to date the rest of the winter. He hit the road in April and we only talked occasionally on the phone.  Next winter we started dating again. At one point we got mad at each other. Didn’t think I’d ever hear from him again, which was OK with me. But he finally called and we went out “one more time.” Wait, something had changed.  I kind of liked him!  In fact, I was falling in love with him. The night before he was going to hit the road we were sitting in the car talking. He said, “Are you really crazy enough to be my wife?”  I said, “Yes.”  And thus, at the age of 19 I got married and began my life as a carny.

Our first spot as a married couple was the fair in Chowchilla. I learned how to set up and slaugh (tear down) a joint (the game). I learned how to hustle the marks (ask them to play the game again). I learned how important it is to know where the donikers (bathrooms) are.  I learned that sometimes the jenny (merry-go-round) plays larry-kadodie (stupid) music.  And most importantly, I learned to spee-iz-eak kee-iz-arny (speak carny).  Yes, carnies have their own language.

Paul and I owned carnival games.  We had a punk rack, one-ball, cork guns, watch-a-la, goldfish, bear spindle, and derby. There were also various and sundry other games that we would occasionally use in a pinch.  We called our business "Acorn Concessions." Paul always drove Dooley (the Chevy 1-ton dually pickup) and towed the derby. I would drive Cindy (a chassis-mount camper on a Chevy 1-ton long wheel base) and towed the watch-a-la trailer, which contained all the other games.  No, I never drove diesel; it was something I never aspired to; however my friend, Judy did as she and Ken had rides to get down the road!

Carnies are a world all unto themselves. They do not let in 0utsiders easily and are a very close-knit community. You have to prove yourself.  If you are new to the carnival you are a “40-miler,” meaning you will never travel more than 40 miles from your home.  But sometimes 40-milers surprise you.

One summer we had a bunch of college kids show up that wanted to work to make extra money for college. And what an amazing bunch they were! Doug, Linda, Jack, Cathy, Barry, Zeke and Barbara all worked for us for many years. Well, until they were done with school and moved on with their lives.  Doug and Linda are now married, as are Cathy and Jack.  Zeke is a lifelong bachelor. We still keep in touch on occasion. Barbara got married and moved to Australia.  Barry, well, we’ve just lost touch. 

We all had close friendships and raised our babies together. Ken & Judy had Gordon and Kelly; Sam & Gail had Spring and Ashley; Bill & Kathy had Richie and Shanna; Mike & Linda had Lenny and Leslie; John & Debbie had John Jr. and Jerry; Paul & I had Eric, Jon and Megan. All, except for Megan, pretty much grew up on the carnival together.

When Eric started school I would not go on the road until summer (we were living in The Valley at the time), but occasionally I would make weekend trips to whatever spot he was playing that week and work one of the games.  After we moved to Sacramento I would work with him most weekends when he was close by. Sometimes I would just go and spend the weekend just because. However, there was always that six-week stretch during the middle of summer when I would not see Paul at all.  Lots of phone calls and tears kept us in touch.

As the years rolled by the season became longer and longer; I eventually got a position working for the San Juan Unified School District and no longer went on the road. But we always had the 3 months during the winter where we made the most of our time together.  Our holidays were always the best.

On June 8, 2007 Acorn Concessions ended. That was also the day Paul died.  He loved the carnival.  He was at his favorite spot (Menlo Park) doing what he loved most (getting ready to open and start hustling the marks).  We should all be so lucky to be surrounded by those who love us and doing what we love most when we leave this world.  It was the end as I had always predicted. 

I continue to keep close contact with all of the carnies who have been friends over the years. It is good to sit around and cut up jackpots (tell stories). It helps us remember.