Stilettos

I like a high heeled shoe.

I've been criticized for years because that is all I wear. People have walked up to me on the street and said "Oh you're the lady who always wears high heels!" This is generally followed with "How on earth do you walk in them?"

Actually, I walk just fine in them. In fact, from my lifetime of wearing nothing else, my tendons have shortened and it causes me great pain to walk any distance in a flat shoe.

In the summer, I usually wear more of a "wedge" type sandal, but they are still high heels. Friends sidle up to my husband and ask him in confidence, "Does she really wear those all the time?" Alex assures them that I do.

I wear them to vacuum. I wear them to the grocery store. I wear them to garden. I've climbed ladders in them and I can even run (if I need to) in high heel shoes.

As a (semi) joke, a friend gave me a gift of sensible shoes. She was sure I would learn to love them. Alas, I have not because they are ugly as sin and not comfortable either.

As long as I walk, I fully intend to keep wearing stilettos. In fact, if I can't walk, I will wear them anyway. They are so much prettier than sensible shoes.

How You Can Tell When My Husband Is Away

This is how I will be dressed.

Yes, I will wear the stilettos with my robe. And I will wear the diamond earrings with the jade bits. And I will put on lipstick and mascara.

I might even comb my hair. Oh, you know I'm lying about that. Why comb it? It's almost a crew cut!

I wait until after dark to get the mail. I wait until after dark to cart the recycle cans to the curb. I wait until after dark to drag the cans back in.

Because my back yard is fairly private, I can go outside anytime I want. Of course, since it has rained day and night now for 8 days and 8 nights, I am not spending that long out there either.

I only have visitors who do not care if I dress. I had an anxiety attack the other evening and a male friend brought over some booze. After a couple of drinks, I was calmer and he went home.

Nobody seems to think it's strange that I don't dress for weeks at a time. The right shoes and earrings make up for that. When I was very young and living in an apartment, my landlord never saw me in anything but a nightgown and robe in 4 years. He never said "That's strange." (Not to me, anyway.) My landlord's name was Marvin. I named my fish after him. He was truly a great guy. I loved Marvin. He and his wife Bernice were a couple of the sweetest people I've ever known. Bernice was an artist. I adored her too.

I have four identical white robes and I alternate them to allow for washing. I usually skip the nightgown because, well, frankly, what for? Just one more thing that needs washing and who needs that!

I can order groceries online and the delivery boys could care less what I am wearing. I do go out to get the packages from the mailman, but he likes me this way.

Bad Romance

Yes, that is a long cigarette holder in my hand.

Yes, there is a highball glass full of ice and old scotch in my other hand.

You might also note there is a gardenia pinned in my hair. And I am suitably attired in a black nightgown.

What you might not know is that this photo was taken about 8 AM by a friend who kept my cigarettes lit, my drink full, my orchid fresh, and my kids fed. Oh, he also took the photos to document. He thought I was very interesting.

One weekend of this, and the romance is history. You do it your way, I'll do it mine.

The Children's Room

We moved into this 130 year old Victorian house ten years ago.

The upper level is actually converted attic space. When we bought the house, we decided to have the upstairs remodeled a little.

There had been four small bedrooms and an open family room arrangement. We converted one of the bedrooms to a closet for me, and took out a wall between two bedrooms to make a larger bedroom for ourselves.

One little weird shaped bedroom was perfect for "children's room". The room has a slanted peaked ceiling and a charming porthole of a window. There is a toy chest in one corner and a small television with video games. I found an old child's rocking chair buried under the house and cleaned it up and painted it blue. Perfect! Every child who comes into our home makes a beeline for this room.

Keep in mind, ten years ago, my grandson Cyrus was 8, his sister was 4. I still have 2 grandchildren who are younger, Aidan turned 10 yesterday and his sister Abbey is 6.

It makes me sad to think in the future, we may have to re-purpose this charming little room.

An Early Valentine

We are celebrating Valentine's Day tonight.

The thing is, Alex leaves for a two week trip in the morning. So, it's now or never.

Roses? Check! Dinner reservations? Check! Gorgeous slinky new dress? Check!

I would rather have him home on Monday and order a pizza. I would rather have him home on Monday and cook lasagna. I would rather have him home on Monday and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

I think all the years of being a military wife have paid off. Deployments are required. At least I don't think he'll be shot at on this trip. At least I hope not.

I bought a valentine card for the mail man. On Monday I'm dressing up and putting on make up and perfume. I will watch out the window until I see him coming to deliver the mail. Then I am going out to give him his card and tell him "Happy Valentines Day"!

It's not perfect, but it's the best I can do.

Michael Ate My Birthday Cake

This is my birthday cake.

Alex bought a German chocolate cake for me. Of all the cakes in the world, why German chocolate?

Alex knows I don't eat coconut. I have nothing against coconuts but I don't eat it. There is something wrong about eating something that is covered with brown furry stuff on the outside of the shell.

This reminds me of the time that Alex bought me "Eternity" by Calvin Klein for Christmas. I do not wear Eternity. I always wear "Coco" by Chanel. Or the time he bought me a pair of Converse tennis shoes! Need I say more? Did he think for a moment he was married to Cardiogirl?

Okay, back to the birthday cake. I just happened to know that Michael at Too Many Mornings loves German chocolate cake. So I did what any reasonable woman would do.

I packaged it up and took it to the Post Office and sent it to Michael overnight. Alex did cut one big chunk out of it for himself before I sent it.

Alex gave me an iPad too. I am not technical, nor do I like gadgets.

I'm sure Michael didn't mind.

Heat Waves and Margaritas

We've been having a heat wave in Northern California.

Yesterday we reached 81 degrees. When it's gorgeous outside, there's just nothing like sipping a margarita and watching the fish in the pond.

Add to that a little Bob Marley music and you have the making for a really good day. So is that what I did yesterday?

Oh hell no. It was Superbowl Sunday! That means cooking from 8 AM on. And staying inside to watch football on the big screen television. (Actually, I have a 12 or 14 inch television in the kitchen and that's what I watched.)

First order of business, get the chili made. My chili is not for the faint of heart. I used sirloin tips for it and soaked the black beans overnight. The jalapeno and cheddar corn bread also had to be made and put in the oven. (When it's 80 degrees, using the oven is not the wisest thing you can do.) Then there's the potato salad, the green salad, the pork ribs, the Spanish port poached pears, the whipping cream, the bruschetta and let's not forget the effort that goes into to serving all this stuff.

By the time the game ended about 6:30 in the evening, it was too late to go outside and enjoy the sun. And, it was time to begin the clean up. Uh huh.

Today, I could have spent all day in the sun with margaritas, but alas, I did not. The heat wave has ended.