It’s just not the same

We love Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods stores.  We had them in Sacramento and in AAlbuquerque.  We purchased much of our total grocery items at Trader Joe’s and supplemented from regular grocery stores.  At Whole Foods (or whole paychecks), we only could get several items we liked.  the produce is fantastic, but you can pay $3 for a head of cauliflower when you can one at Smith’s for $1.50 or lower.

One of our favorites at Whole foods is the challah bread with raisins – a big round loaf for $4.99.  We’d have it every day, slicing off pieces until it was gone.  Another was Zen party mix – Asian crackers with almonds and peanuts – in the bulk foods section.  I’d eat these in my art room only while creating collages.  It’s funny the little scenes you make up in order to begin painting.  We’d also by chocolate bars – the dark chocolate with the higher cacao content.  Sometimes we’d get shrimp – about a quarter of a pound and have that for dinner.  I loved their macaroni salad in the read-to-eat section.  They used to make some squash and pumpkin soup that was great in the winter, but they discontinued it.

So it is with anticipation that we set out yesterday to go to Atlanta to visit our favorite stores.  Well, Costco was closed for the 4th of July – HUH?  Oh well, we found a Whole Foods and they do not make macaroni salad or challah bread.  No Zen mix either.  But we did have lunch there and I had a Classic Tuna Fish Salad Wrap – delish and Mike had a cheese calzone with tomato sauce on the side.  We were stuffed.

We then found Trader Joes after a long search – it’s really hidden in a fancy shopping center.  Here’s a list:

• Birds Nest veggies – No
• Our brand of veggie burgers – No
• Puffins cereal – Yes
• Pomegranate tea – Yes
• Ice tea lemonade – No
• Frozen chicken strips – No
• Two-buck Chuck – yes, but it’s 3-buck chuck (wine)

Oh well, I hate to see what Costco does not ship here.  I need my veggie burgers!  so it’ll be a path to getting substitutes, but there are a lot of farmers markets here and good grocery stores.  Publix is very expensive, but it does have great red potato salad I love.  In fact, it’s time for lunch right now!

There’s always a few…

I am temporarily staying with my relatives on a lakefront.  The water is wonderful – it is calming and relaxing.  There’s a dock in the front and a small beach to the side.

Well, the lake is wonderful during the week – there’s less yahoos on it.  Yesterday, I watched speeding boats race one way then the other way.  There’s boats pulling inner tubes full of screaming kidlets or adults.  There’s jet-skis screaming by – my god, we abuse nature. 

One guy had too much engine for his speed boat (if that is possible) and his front was so far out of the water, he was taking on water in the back.  Talk about LOUD – he almost fell out several times – slowing down and with the equivalent of “stepping on it”.

But most outrageous was the speed boat with the giant speakers mounted on the top – blaring that horrible music (no taste either – no surprise there) for him to hear above the loud engine and as water lets sound travel  – to everyone on both sides of the lake.  Dufus.  Not one care for anyone else – in fact – it’s LOOK AT ME. 

Oh, for a small torpedo.

In the news

Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson were stars during my lifetime.  The first time I noticed Farrah was on Charlie’s Angels – a look- at- how-scantily- I- am- dressed- when- I- chase- this -bad-guy  show.  Beautiful women in high heels, being told what to do by an unknown man with a buffoon as a “middle manager.”  Let’s just say, it wasn’t their acting abilities that made the show popular.  It did, however, have a lofty place as a how that had women doing what men usually did -detective work- and then it all fell down the rabbit hole with sex.  I never bothered to think of Farrah again until I saw Burning Bed – an abused woman sets her sleeping husband on fire to end the circle of abuse.  It made me sit up and notice because of the topic and that they had an actress who was used by men for their own gains – play a woman who was used by husband as a punching bag.  Friends at the time were amazed that she would star in the movie – I saw it as part of career and didn’t see much of a break – except we saw her in bruise makeup instead of the pretty hair and makeup.  I did appreciate her acting in this film.  She didn’t play a vengeful woman – she just wanted the abuse to stop.  I lost track of her after that – her life was in the headlines when she had cancer – her son and partner arrested on drug charges – a movie made of her last days.

Another death, Michael Jackson’s, was abrupt to say the least.  As a child star, he made it to the big time like a rocket – singing with his family and then going his own twisted weird path to replace his childhood that he never had.  Or that’s how I saw it.  He lived to excess and strangeness.  He had a talent that he took down a strange path – from the Neverland Ranch to recently planning a new tour to regain his fame.  From the reaction of fans, he didn’t have to worry about people not wanting to see him.  I never really followed his career.  He used money the way a child without any limits would.  He was generous also – giving his settlement from Pepsi (burning his scalp on stage) to the burn unit he was taken to after the accident.  He had such a public life – the way I saw it – people used him for their own means – but his fans loved his singing and dancing.  I know he baffled me with that moon-walk dance.  The sad part is that people will still be using him for their own gains even after his death.

Jerri Nielsen also died.  She was the doctor at the South Pole who gave herself a biopsy (with guidance from doctors in the United States over the Internet) because the cold would not permit a rescue.  She treated herself with drugs dropped at her site from a transport plane until she could be taken out several months later.

She wrote a book about the experience:  Ice Bound, a Doctor’s Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole.  She also worked as a roving ER doctor in the Northeast.

The book is on my “To Read” list.

Missed Deadliest Catch

I missed Locked Out – the last episode I saw had Phil out in the water with ice closing in.  I have to catch a repeat to find out what happened.  I hate it when I miss the next episode.

The labeling of the different seasons and shows are confusing on Discovery.  They could list the season and episodes in Season 2 Episode 3.  I hate watching one and finding out it’s an older episode later on in the show.

Did a distress call come out from Phil?

Speaking of Johhy Depp…

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Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland - Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter!

Depp-utized

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Today, I got away to a Borders store in Athens.  I was getting jittery about not having my books around.  I’d been to the Athens Borders before, so I grabbed a peach fruita and settled in with some great magazines and a book I’d been meaning to read.

As I sat in my big leather chair, sighing over the little pleasures of life – I see Johnny Depp’s photo smiling at me from the magazine stand.  Now, I consider Johnny Depp one of those wonderful pleasures of life, so I looked back – and then noticed several other magazine covers with his picture on them.  I was intrigued and went over to the magazine rack – and saw a lot of pictures of Christian Bale (one of my other guilty pleasures).

I actually realized seeing all the photos of each man on the rack that they were obviously posing.  Not the sweet-smile-I-am-looking-right at-only-you, but the here I am – look at ME smile or smirk as the case may be in Bale’s case.  I really didn’t want to pick any of the magazine’s up and read the interviews.  Both men have movies out and it’s part of the movie contract that they promote the movie by putting themselves out there.  I am not a Pollyanna about Hollywood, but photos have changed – or maybe people have changed.  I enjoy their movies, but maybe I don’t want to know their lives personally.  I used to like Edward Norton until I saw him on a talk show – dull and not particularly amusing or interesting.  I saw Keifer Sutherland on a talk show and he was engaging, laughing and told some great stories – like a conversation – not the look at ME.  I actually liked Johnny Depp’s interview on the Letterman show to promote one of the pirate movies.  Either he was truly humble or he was acting it – but he seemed shy and a little bewildered about the way his life turned out.

Funny, maybe it’s just me.  I can’t get behind the gangster Dillinger – even if Depp plays him – but I love the basic story about John Connor – even though Bale took over the movie role from a small part to the whole part.  I enjoy Bale’s movies because he makes me believe he is the part – The Machinist was downright scary and amazing at the same time.  Equilibrium was stunning – stunts were really good – Batman – a whole different take on an old story.

My favorite Depp film is Secret Window.  I love how we go from one side of the mirror into the other side of madness.  He made me believe in his madness – just like he believed in it.

So maybe I will skip the interviews and the hype (oh, there’s also a book on Dillinger with Depp’s picture on it) and not buy the soft drink cups, and remain a believer in the fantasy these great actors create for me.

As Aragorn says, “There is always hope.”  (and yes, I know it’s Viggo and that whole story is worth another blog and a half.)

Kitchens

the wonderful granite…sigh.

I am finding that when I look at houses online – I look at the kitchen.  It’s not that I am a great cook – Mike is better than I am.  It’s that I want it to be functional but I want it to look warm and inviting.  I guess that comes from everyone being in the kitchen all the time – whenever people came over, they always ended up around the kitchen table.  In the summer, there was a pile of crabs and cold beer on the table.  Laughter and good conversation followed.

I’ve been seeing an inordinate number of kitchens here in Athens and Watkinsville that are white.  I see white walls, white cabinets, white countertops, appliances and oddly enough white curtains.  What possesses women to have white kitchens?  If you have a white kitchen, someone is in there cleaning most of the day – that is my theory.  I just can’t see myself in a white kitchen – I make Mike nervous when I say – “We can paint those red.” 

I like granite counters too – but not all of them.  I saw some wonderful granite at a house – it was wonderful – the house was horrible, but the granite counters were beautiful.

I also look for counter space.  I like long counters, so I can put the coffee maker there, but I can still chop veggies and have Mike fix the rice – and not run into each other.  I like counter eating, but I long for a kitchen table – an old oak or pine table with big legs and ladderback chairs.  I’d like to paint them bright colors with sayings written on the backs.

I am always thinking of someday, sometime, always in the unknown future.  I’ve been living that life for over five years now and it’s so old.  It’s reasonable that I feel this way, but it doesn’t make it easier.

No white kitchens – unless I can tear it apart.

It’s Official

 I am 63 and living in someone’s basement. All my stuff is in storage and I am relying on the “kindness of strangers.”
OK, I am being dramatic. We are staying in the lower level of a wonderful condo on a lake in Georgia. The screened porch opens out to a dock and ducks and geese come to get a hand-out from my sister-in-law (not a stranger!) every day in the afternoon. The “basement” has a beautiful living room, a big-screen TV, dining room table, a separate bedroom and a bathroom. We have full run of the rest of the house.
So although I am adrift, I have a comfortable and enjoyable place to stay.
I brought some art card materials, but finding a house is a priority, so I’ve only been able to finish an alphabet set for a swap. No jumping into the depths of an art project right now.
I have to admit the first couple days I was gung-ho – optimistic and ready. We looked at houses for two days and I was getting confused – what the heck do I want anyway? Big and new, small and new, big and old, small and old – pool, no pool, second story, little kitchen, land???? all the choices are numbing.
We also found out that this area has covenants and restrictions in some subdivisions – I’ve read some and they are scary – no, really – scary. One document said they had the right to inspect your house at any time – inside and out and charge you for the report. They wanted full control on the look and feel of any remodeling – you would need a permit and their approval to redo a basement (like we were looking for). One even had a clause where if they levied fines against you for infractions (lawn not mowed, sculptures or bird houses in the front lawn), you waived your rights as a citizen of Georgia and under the Constitution of the United States. HUH?
So, we’ve crossed off most of those subdivisions with new houses and I felt enraged and sad that having a nice house comes to this wall of covenants and restrictions.  It’s not that I want to do something radical.  I want to hang my Tibetan flags on my porch.  I want several types of birdhouses and lawn sculptures (made me me) in my front and back yards.  Mike wants to install solar panels outside on the ground.  Maybe we’d get an RV (not allowed).  I am not living my life according to someone else’s idea of what life should be.  No sculptures, what are they thinking?  I know what they are trying to prevent – cars on blocks, pigs and chickens, tents, shacks, etc.  but they go too far. 

So we had a brainstorming session and now are thinking of an older home with no restrictions.  That will mean either farther out or close in town.  Mike had his heart set on a basement for his shops – electronic and wood and I had plans for a weaving room and beading room also.  So we will start over again with our realtor (who is really good!).

A new way to spend the day

drawing:  I found a blog where this guydraws characters from tv shows – I love his drawing of Sawyer – with glasses, a book and a beer.

It rained all day today.  It was gray when I got up this morning.  It started raining and off and on all day, it went from a slight drizzle to a downpour with thunder and lightning.  It was something I hadn’t experienced in a long time.  New Mexico has rain, but it moves on quickly and the brilliant blue sky appears again warming the air and the earth.  It was cool all day.

It was a lazy day for me – changing all the email addresses of sites that I visit.  Mike handled all the financial changes for the rest of the day.  I did some art cards for my Doodle Alphabet Swap – it was soothing to get back to my art. 

I wanted to watch a DVD, so we all had to figure out the television and DVD hookup and all the remote settings.  I started watching Cloverfield, then switched the Bourne Ultimatum – now I am watching/listening to I Robot.  I really like Will Smith in this movie. 

Tomorrow I will need to figure out Diane’s washing machine and I need a rice cooker.  I have mine in the PODS.  So, we will leave the gated community and travel over an hour to get to a place that has a WalMart (I know, but when you are retired, you don’t have many choices for low prices).

I saw a heron today taking off from the dock.  The geese were back demanding their cracked corn.  I liked watching the raindrops hitting the water on the lake, making their spiraling circles.  I am in awe of Nature and it keeps my mind off not seeing my mountain.

Out of the grinder

Driving from New Mexico to Georgia is an adventure.  The road becomes your only item of your attention = plus the trucks and the idiot drivers who think it’s cool to come up on your bumper doing around 90 and swing at the last minute into the other lane to pass you.  You really don’t get to see America, you get the see along the roads of America – and quite frankly, there are a lot of dead armadillos by the side of the road – and turtles.  I saw more armadillos though.  I saw three coyotes – well, I think they WERE coyotes, but armadillos are easy to identify with that shell and tail.

So I followed Mike – he drove the truck and I drove the RAV4.  We left New Mexico around 9:30 a.m.  We headed to Elk City, OK.  It was our first stop – at a KOA Kabin for the night.  I had researched all the hotels in Elk City – I read the reviews and most of them said – DO NOT STAY HERE – bedbugs, sold to people who do not know hoteling, sneaky staff, doors left open at night and staff left at midnight.   Man, even the Ramada had a bad review – people said they did not feel safe there – the ceiling in the bathroom had mold in some hotels.  So, riddle me this Batman. how in the heck are people supposed to travel if they can’t stay anywhere without getting bedbugs?  We all can’t afford bed and breakfasts or luvury hotels – so if you are trying  to save money – you are out of luck – EXCEPT for the KOA.  You need to bring your own bedding, but it’s a nice little log cabin – totally clean – no bugs.  comfy plastic-covered mattress – a chair, a desk and all the comforts of an RV park – showers, little store, wi-fi – really nice.  I might add, really nice people too – everyone is friendly – they say hello in the morning – good night in the evening.  It is really safe also.  So Elk City was a great stay – we were off after breakfast.  We then headed toward Little Rock, Arkansas KOA.  We were really tired – the longest distance was this second day – it was like 400+ miles for the day.  We found the camp – and were really taken by all the birds.  They were chirping in the tress.  In Corrales, we didn’t have a lot of birds.  There were doves and that was it.  We loved the big trees with the chirping birds.

The third night we stayed in a hotel because Alabama didn’t have KOAs – well, there were three all in different parts of the state.  The Holiday Inn was really nice – fluffy beds, choice of firm or soft pillows, tv, shower, ice, coffee in the room – Mike missed the KOA – I was in heaven.  We left Alabama for Georgia and made our destination by 3 p.m. – Greensboro.  Mike’s family was waiting with a great dinner and good company – all excited we were there.  Of course, I was dead tired and fell asleep before dinner and after dinner – adn then could not sleep all night.  I bounced Mike around in the full bed we had in the bedroom and he swore I would time tossing about for each second he fell asleep after the last toss.  I ended up going out on the sofa and watching the water until about 5 a.m wondering what the heck I had done.  Being tired plays on your mind – and I was exhausted. 

I said goodbye to my new sofas, my IKEA bookcases, gave away my books, donated treasures to the Goodwill, let some people live in my house (well, they did OWN it now), drove across the country and I couldn’t sleep – I began to think I’d never sleep – I was twisted in knots.  I now have a big cold sore for all my trouble and that would be with me for at least 14 days.  Lovely – new place, new people and an ugly sore on my lip.  I am living in someone’s basement level of their condo – I don’t know where anything I own is at this point.  I started unloading some of my art stuff, so I can keep busy later this week.

We need to start looking for a house.  I spent today changing email addresses and snail mail.  Every site is different.  Last night I slept really well – we got the bed situation worked out – Mike brought his bed, so he set it up in the room.  I get the big bed – works for me.  I still have a lot to do – but it’s starting to feel better – but it feels like I am on vacation – not homeless.  That will come later.

There’s a lot more I want to talk about, but I am tire – still.  Now, where are my pajamas?