To the Sea: Feet in Sand @ Sunset

Today we drove to the shore to see our friends. Punch was thrilled to play with the young lady of the house--Claire, age 8, and to try and coax Claire's cat out from under the chair and bed. The girls swam in the pool with H. and did other fun things, like examine the empty trap in which Claire's dad has been trying to catch a clever garden-eating groundhog but has instead so far captured a possum and a kitten [separately].

We sat with Laura and Chris, Celia and Greg. It was relaxing. And we had promised Punch we would go to the beach, so even though we didn't get there until almost 8 P.M., we went. It was so pretty. Striking sunset. Squishy jellyfish strewn on the sand; I liked showing them to Punch. She and H. scooped some up, one by one in a seashell, and threw them back into the water. And I found a little black mermaid's purse, a.k.a. skate egg case, and gave it to Punch. Figgy was enchanted with those when she was little, too.

Bedtime for beachgoers. Punch is back home with her Mommy, so we are free to be us. Figgy took the train from Grand Central this morning to spend time with her auntie and uncle overnight. She sounds happy.

TCOY

1. Support group. But baring my soul is hard work; feel vulnerable.
   
2. Slept in car while H. drove us to Spring Lake.
3. About to take my daily vitamin before I forget--again.

The Runaround

Punch arrived around 4 for a sleepover. We walked up the block and she held one of Angelo's guinea pigs, and fed all three of them big lettuce leaves. [Young Angelo is so chivalrous.] She pet two dogs, and checked out Patsy and Andy's swing set. She rang Christy's doorbell to say hello. She ran into Patsy's sprinkler, soaking her small dress, and [after dress tumbled in dryer], walked Sug with H. He reviewed the days of the week with her and coached her on writing her name. Figgy made meatball sandwiches and banana boats for herself and Punch. We baked cookies [recipe too healthy, do not taste good]. Punch took a bubble bath. H. read her books. I sang her songs. And now she is asleep. I think she likes the safety and coziness of the little blue lamp I bought in Wellfleet this month. It's on the dresser. I love the coziness of little lamps, too. All is well when you see one glowing in the window.

Going right to sleep now. Will thank God for my blessings and ask for help to be a better person. Much room for improvement.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the park. We did steps, laps and boxing today. Proud that I did it.
2. Handled work.
3. Went over expenses to review spending patterns since July 11 [a lot to review].
4. Rode my bike.

25 words or less

[old geritol tv commercials, above]

getting older. tired. started daily vitamin again. took fig to two appts. bought another [dessert] cookbook--addiction. promised fig no more til christmas or after.

tcoy

1. met patsy for lunch and elly for coffee. catching up with friends i've missed.
2. fig and i rode our bikes to her dr. appt. at 4.30.
3. walked sug around block twice.
4. continued to fight battle to keep up with bills. set up new payment plan, etc.
5. cooked big bunch of swiss chard for dinner, channeling my healthy niece leah.

TV: "Gossip Girl"

Blake Lively is so pretty, and I read in one magazine interview that she likes to bake, too.

Tired and heading to bed. Long list of things I didn't get done. So low-battery by tonight, decided I deserved an hour lying on the couch in front of the TV, which I rarely do anymore. Caught a couple of 2007 episodes of "Gossip Girl" on the Style Channel. Never watched a full episode of the show before. Like the fashion and hair, and Blake Lively is lovely, but otherwise, it did get a little tedious--the drama of it all.

Alas, tomorrow is another day. Good night.

TCOY 

1. Boot camp in the park.
2. Walked Sug around block once.
3. Asian chicken salad for lunch.
4. Private Benjamin. 
5. Bill paying and organizing.
6. Pedicure--old lavender polish was only covering half of nail by now. [Best pedicures of all @ Vamp in Montclair.]

Sing Along: "So Long, Marianne"

My friend Michael [married to my friend Anne] was listening to this song once when I stopped by their house. I like Leonard Cohen anyway, but I really like this "So Long, Marianne." It makes me think of Sis, though she spells her name MaryAnne.

Some names just lend themselves to melodies, and Marianne/MaryAnne is one of them. So is Caroline [Fig's middle name]. And, in the hands of Elvis Costello, Alison, for sure.

I had my "The Essential Leonard Cohen" CD playing on my laptop while I sorted through mountains of mail and bills and insurance claims. Singing along to Marianne lifted the chore to a pleasure, and Figgy was singing along, too.

Good night.

TCOY 

1. Nice BLT for lunch with great big ripe tomato and a sprinkle of fine sea salt.
2. Salon blowout.
3. Read.
4. Nap.
5. Bike ride.
6. Bills. More and more, I see that staying on top of this stuff is TCOY, so it doesn't plow me/us under.

There Goes An Icon in a Leather Miniskirt

HGB at her electric typewriter.

This summer, ever since I picked up a mint-condition vintage paperback @ a neighborhood yard sale, I've been rereading Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown [copyright 1962]. I knew HGB was getting up there--90 now!--and getting frail, but I'm sorry she's gone. I was dreading the day the other leopard-print high heel would drop.

As I've alluded to here before, I had an elevator conversation with HGB @ Hearst [she said I was lucky to be a writer], and like many other young women, hung on every word of her monthly "Step into My Parlor" editor's letter in the 1980s. She was such a celebrity scribe. And the fact that she came from poverty in Arkansas and worked hard and rose to the top is a true inspiration.

I also really like her writing style in her books--it's colorful and engaging. Sex and the Single Girl is a record of women's history, for sure, whether you like her point of view or not.

HGB's Cosmo didn't really liberate me sexually, but did liberate the culture. [Do you agree? I'd love to know.] And as a magazine editor, she was brilliant, tapping into a rich market. She also mentored a smart, chic editor who later became a mentor of mine......and the self-proclaimed, made-over "mouseburger" popularized using your maiden name and your married name.

Rest in style, Helen Gurley Brown. May the heavens be carpeted in zebra-print and wallpapered in fuchsia fur. I'd love to hear your take on Fifty Shades of Grey. And, um, I doubt you will run into my parents there--there must be different rooms, various lairs--but if you do, I can't imagine you all could have a conversation. Because even though you're around the same age, I doubt you'd ever see things the same way.

Good night.

TCOY 

1. Boot camp in the park.
2. Walked Sug around block twice with H.
3. Private Benjamin, family-style.
4. Nap.
5. Rode my bike after dinner and before sunset!
6. Ate some veggies.
7. Hammering down my work sched. so I can be more productive.

I Can See Clearly Now, the Leaves are Gone

Edward Scissorhands would come in handy right now.

Spent most of the day on yard work. I weeded, H. trimmed the jungle of shrubs and shoots, from forsythia to lilac tree. Fig and I schlepped the cuttings back over the fence near the compost pile.

I admire landscapers. This is hard work, and they deserve to be well paid. It's also endless. As many weeds as I ruthlessly pulled, that many more are waiting, having stubbornly taken root between the patio bricks, around the flowers, by the curb, near the barbecue grill. Our yard has been neglected.

And, my wheels are turning. I'm planning to bike every day until the Battle Against Hunger Bike Ride on September 7-9, even if it's only a short ride in addition to my other regular exercise. I made a list of the days between now and then, taped it up on the wall, and will check as I go. Two check marks already, for yesterday and today. I also have to hustle up some fundraising ideas, since the target goal is $750 per rider. Already planning a bake sale for earlier in September.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Biked to church and back. Both the journey and the destination were TCOY.
2. Bought romaine lettuce, made good salad, actually ate it.
3. Nap.