All about Arid-zona

Hah! Gotcha, Bruce. This post is NOT all about Arid-zona (aka Arizona). But it is at least partially about my recent visit. I drove in and Erin flew in for a quick visit. I had a seminar to do last Saturday so I turned it into a "meet Cate" visit.

The first day was quite nice because the girls were still there and they went swimming with Erin, Josh and myself. I LOVE swimming. We played Marco Polo, ran (swam quickly?) from the claws of the also-swimming Daisy (that's a dog, in case you didn't know), and acquired lovely sunburns. As a matter of fact, that sunburn is still with me - although I am losing it with some alacrity in the form of shedding. Kind of disgusting. Should I describe the process in detail?

Maggie, Bruce, Josh, Erin and I went out to a great restaurant with lots of yummy things like hummus and pita.... Cate was with us also, but she snored through the entire thing. We ate at home another night and it was delicious - tomatoes and mozzarella (some folks were eating asparagus - not my speed). Since then, I have had tomatoes and mozzarella at least three times - it's an addiction. But nobody makes it quite as perfectly as Maggie does.

About that Cate - SQUIRMY. Even when she is asleep. But so adorable with a shy smile and an actual head of hair. And a great wardrobe. And I'm not saying that just because I contributed to it! She has this tennis dress...

After Phoenix, Erin and I went back CA - we packed up her meager belongings (meager only because she already had her prized possessions up North) and ran them up to Berkeley to her new apartment. The new place is really cute. Hard wood floors, old fashioned plaster walls and ceiling. Then we went on the shopping expedition - the search for a new bike! Turns out "new" has a special distinction. NEW TO ERIN. I dragged her into stores with lovely, shiny bikes - all of which left Erin frustrated and frowning. What did she want??? A USED bike that was NEW TO ERIN. Yep, she picked out this old schwinn with a questionable chain and rode happily into the sunset. Happy Birthday Erin. Erin, by the way, has now turned 20. And has a not-so-shiny, not-so-new bike.

And the it was back to the grind. Such a tough grind. Here I am back in New York City on a three day series. Hank and I decided we needed a uniquely NY experience so we went and drank for many hours at Dave & Busters. What do you mean that isn't a uniquely NY experience? It may not have been unique, but it was kinda fun. It was also my first time going to a D&B. Funny, I always thought they had those motion theaters, but no, it's like Chuck E. Cheese for semi-adults. With a bar.

Today is the last day - we leave this evening. I've already finished speaking and I'm tired. Very, very tired. But I am taking Monday off to take care of Erin's dead car. I guess I will give it to charity. Cars for Causes. I don't think I could get more than the value of the scrap metal.

If I ever went staff at the NNA - wait, I AM staff. I mean, if I went fulltime in the office instead of traveling, I think I would want to buy a little scooter. A Vespa. Can't you totally see me tooling around on a silly scooter, a pink helmet on my head? I could be the local crazy woman. Maybe I could get those aviator glasses - the kind with leather around the eyepieces - and a scarf or ten. Together with my shiny pink helmet I would cut a swath through Canoga Park traffic - tooting my horn, waving cheerily at the lovely local children, running down the slow moving folks in the cross-walk (with another cheery wave, of course)...

Man, I need a nap.

I should probably do the work I'm supposed to be doing right now... Ciao gang.

Bad, bad tooth

I know I haven't posted in ages, and I wish this was going to be a big, brilliant catch up entry, but I'm afraid it is just a delaying tactic. I fly out in the morning for Ohio. Yay. Ohio. For some reason I just can't muster up a lot of enthusiasm for teaching in that state.

It could be the pinched nerve in my leg which leaves me with a limp and the occasional "whoops" as my leg crumbles beneath me. Or the gaping hole in my mouth from the recently extracted, impacted wisdom tooth. Or it could be the continuing exhaustion from the Conference in DC (which was an emotional rollercoaster, but a success overall - especially my contributions - hey, modesty will get me nowhere).

I will write about the non-stop thrills of Notaries at a conference. The parties, the glamour, the celebrities. Or maybe I'll just talk about the handsome man who hit on me.

More on that later.

(He was the bandleader and he said I was a "catch" and so many other lovely things - right up until I ran away - hey, wait a minute - I just told you about him - now what will I write about when I sit down and get serious about my pathetic blog?)