L.A. the Cat

L.A. the Cat

This is a picture of our family kitty cat, L.A.  We got him at an animal shelter almost about 7 years ago as a kitten.  As we were looking through the glass at the many other little kittens, this little kitty immediately got our attention.  He meowed and pressed his paws up to the glass to us.  L.A. does not have a tail, and the kids felt that we had to get him because of that reason; "Nobody else will want him Mom!" He is a cute little kitty with a stub for a tail--he looks like a rabbit from behind, and of course, I like rabbits!  (Portuguese translation of rabbit is Coelho)  Later, on the drive home, my son, who was 4 at the time asked, "So Mom, when is the kitty going to grow back his tail?" 

We brought the kitty with us home that afternoon.  Okay, what's up with the weird name: L.A.  They are the first initials of my two oldest children.  "L" for Lizzy, "A" for Andrew.  It was either L.A. or Al, and "Al" wasn't going to do because we had a neighbor named "Al" at the time, and he was a very emotional man who would often cry at my doorstep (long story), and I in no way would feel comfortable calling "Al, kitty, kitty..." outside where he could hear me. 

L.A. is a very special cat to us, because at the time we got him, my two kids and I were going through some hard emotional, and sometimes economical times.  Newly divorced, and starting over alone with two kids, L.A. became a very welcome part of the family.  Of course, a lot has happened since then, and being still somewhat a newlywed, with a new baby, stepson, and adjusting to a combined family, LA. has brought us all closer together in his own little way; he even got my husband to like cats!  (Hubby is alergic to cat hair). 

Strangers in the dark...

Assignment #61

These pictures were taken last Halloween by my daughter and her boyfriend in my hometown of Santa Cruz, California.  At Halloween, the whole open air downtown area is crowded with many in costume, and it is a place to see or be seen.  There are some outrageous costumes, but if you know Santa Cruz, you can see these same people everyday--night or day; we don't need a holiday in Santa Cruz to "dress up".

The first picture above in red is one of Santa Cruz's personalities of the downtown area.  He can be found everyday walking the downtown area walking little baby steps through the mall, smiling to everyone he sees, as he carries his umbrella.  He often dresses in bright colors such as pinks, fushias, reds and yellows, and often wears a matching feathery boa.  He wears full make up, and if you smile, he will stop and say "Good morning!"  No one really knows who he is, or where he comes from, but there is rumor that he is not new to the downtown area.  Years ago, there was a man who sat in the mall near a garbage can, covered with the garbage bags.  He would sit there all day, with signs around him that read:  "There is no God."  As you passed by, he would tell you in a very soft pitched voice, "Hello, have a nice day."  Again, we don't know if it's the same guy, but, I am glad he has decided to come out from the garbage and is out in the world for everyone to see.  Seems like he has a better outlook on the world; so that is a good thing!  At Halloween, I bet he just gushed with pride when a whole bunch of his admirers decided to baby step with him at the mall! 

The second picture may not be scary to you, but it scares me sometimes.  That's my daughter with her two friends.  Yes, they are dressed up; but I think I could paint a wall with all the lipstick Lizzy's wearing!!

 

 

I had the Princess Leia Buns

  Assignment #60:  This assignment takes me back to a time and place, far, far away: 1978, the 6th grade  I had a Star Wars moment; I was 12.  All of the sixth grade classes at my school were involved in a musical assembly, and our class decided to incorporate the Star Wars theme into our skit.  I was the only girl in my class who had hair long enough to make the Princess Leia buns!  

My mother made my costume- a long, white polyester dress with attached hood.  I wore a silver belt, along with my some of  my mom’s fake rhinestone jewelry.  I remember my teacher and classmates impressed by my ensemble at the night of the performance.  My teacher took me aside and told me that he wished he had more lines for me to read in the play.  I was totally comfortable with my small part:  my role was to stand  in the background with “Luke” cheering for "Obi Wan" on as he and "Darth" dueled with the lightsabers.   My lines consisted of:

“Fire Cracker, fire cracker, chiltz, boom ba!  Obi Wan, Obi Wan, Rah, Rah, Rah!”   

Luke and Obi were played by girls, believe it or not, and Darth was played by a boy who had a very whiney and high pitched voice.  It was quite entertaining.  I remember afterwards singing that ever popular Debby Boone one hit wonder, "You Light Up My Life" at the end of the assembly in my costume.  I felt so proud wearing my buns--everyone was looking at them.  That was the beginning and the end of my theatrical career in school.  It was a small role to play, but I had the hair—I couldn’t let the force down.  I later used my costume as a pajama for many years afterwards.  I also remember pretending to be Leia at home reciting that every popular phrase:  "Obi Wan, you're my only hope" over and over again....  

I remember later in high school, my friend Leslie had a great obsession with Harrison Ford's character,  Han Solo.  Her room was completed decorated a la Star Wars.  I told her one day that I had heard a "rumor" that it would be revealed soon that Darth was really Luke Skywalker’s father.  She was so disappointed.  It was the almost the end of innocence for her.  She did not believe me; in fact she was so upset we me that she didn’t speak to me for almost three whole days. 

Extra credit:  Ewoks scare me; they are right up there with the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz in my book!  I think they are even more evil because people think they are "cute". 

 

Coffee....anyone?

I decided not to do this week's assignment because all the graduations happening this year haven't happened yet.  My step-son's graduation is set for the 1st of June, and my other son's 5th grade graduation isn't until later in June, and my nephew's set for later next month too...  Aren't most graduations in June?!  Do I dare look through my photo albums for an old graduation picture of myself?  All I have are those from Jr. High...  I may still, but I can't get to it right now at work.  If I can steal an extra free 10 minutes at home today...perhaps.  Does it ever feel like that there is more work at home than there is at "work" ? It sure feels that way!!!  Oh well.. 

I discovered that if I don't have my coffee in the morning when I get to work, I acquire a really awful headache.  Why doesn't this happen on the weekends when I'm away from work?  If anyone can clue me in, please let me know.  The receptionist is gone AGAIN---she is usually gone at least once a week because she is either sick or she needs to take her very elderly mother somewhere, so it is no surprise when she isn't here.  I just really hate covering her desk when she is gone.  The receptionist's office is no dream palace.  She has this window that separates her from the "delightful" clientel here (without getting too descriptive, I work for a county office that works with convicted criminals).  Besides the fact the window is never really clean, she refuses to keep a waste paper basket in her office, and she keeps half empty cans of 7-Up and Club soda everywhere.  She has an extensive library of magazines and books, but the office is just BLAH...  The atmosphere really gets me in a real bad mood, because like today, I forgot my coffee at my regular desk and by the time I got back, it's cold.  Cold coffee just doesn't do it. 

 

 

 

Favorite Teacher

The only teacher that really stands out in memory for me would have to be my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Maxwell.  I don’t remember her first name, but I’m sure it was a sweet name to match her very pretty round face and blue eyes.  She had very short light  brown hair and always wore jumper dresses.  She was the youngest and prettiest of all the teachers at my school, and she always referred to me lovingly as her “little plum” , “little peach”, or “little lemon” after the jumper dresses my mom would dress me in.  My green jumper had two lemons near the lapel, and my yellow one had a peaches, the blue one had a plum…get the idea?  It didn’t help that was a chubby little girl, so naturally I guess I resembled a little plum, little peach..etc…  She also called me “her little lost lamb.”  Apparently, I would follow Mrs. Maxwell everywhere in the classroom.  That must have been hard for her to deal with a shy little plum like I was, but I’ve always remembered her to be more than kind and loving towards me.  She later became the librarian at the big multi media center.  There were actually computers at the new library and we could wear those large plastic earphones and listen to music or books!  There was also a big art activity section where you could draw and paint, with a new project each day to create.  Mrs. Maxwell taught that class personally, and of course that is where I could be found almost everyday at recess.  Thank you Mrs. Maxwell for being there for this lost little lamb, and also thanks for not getting mad at me when I lied and told you that my mom was pregnant.  It must have been very embarrassing for you that day at the TG&Y when you came up to my mother and congratulated her on the new upcoming “arrival” of my future baby brother or sister. 

Extra credit:  My 2nd most favorite subject at school was French. Je parle un peitit de rein de le francais.  (I speak a little bit of nothing of French).  I wrote a story in high school entitled “It Happened One Day In France.”  It was basically about my friends in my French class, and our teacher “Madame Nail”, along with an array of movie star celebrities thrown in.  An ending was never accomplished however---it is left unfinished, sitting in a trunk full of other high school memorabilia in the garage.

My Mom

This is my mom, Ann, but her real name is : Ana Coracao de Jesus Melo Costa--got all that?  I just call her "Mom".  She is a domestic goddess who was always there at home afterschool greeting us in the kitchen with a plate of moonpies or peanut butter sandwiches.  (That can possibly explain my chubbiness as a child.)  My mom is a very proud and strong woman who will not leave her house unless it is vacuumed.  She also never leaves the house unless she is dressed "right"--she always looks like she just stepped out of the pages of a JC Penney catalogue.  (Who can forget that story when my mom and dad were bumped up to first class on TAP Airlines-Transportes Aeros de Portugal---they really could appreciate their matching suits--they looked like Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Reagon!)  She reminds us constantly that NOBODY does it better or knows better than she does when it comes to raising children, keeping house, dressing for church and other social occasions, and cooking.  You know that mom on "Everybody Loves Raymond: - That's MY mom!  Yes, she can be overly dramatic at times, but she's our mom and grandmother and we love her to pieces.  Here is some Mother TRIVIA:

My mom has 3 sisters all named Aida.  Two of her sisters were born and died before her.  When I was born, my mom wanted to name me after her sister, but my dad wouldn't let her--thanks Daddy!

My father fell in love with my mother at first sight when she was only 17 years old.  He was in the military and wrote letters to my mother in English which were translated to her by her cousin's husband.  She didn't take them seriously until my dad came back when she was 20.  She let my father visit and "court her" because she couldn't say "no" to his green eyes.

My father is a distant  cousin to my mom's step-father; and that is how they met.

My mom's father was a very important and well known writer and performer of carnival music on the island she is from.  His first song that he wrote was entitled "Ana" when he was a teenager.  Unfortunately, my grandfather died in his late 30's when my mother was only an infant.

My mother was a singer and performer in her early teenage days and was the star of many plays and "comedias" in her village.  She proves this again every Sunday at church when she hits those high notes.  I remember watching people turn around at church to see who was singing...it was my MOM.

My mother makes the best alcatra and sopa in town.  (Of course if you are Portuguese, you will appreciate this, but at the same time you will say that YOUR MOTHER makes the best alcatra and sopa in town.)

My mother almost died when she was 7 years old of a very high fever.  She stopped breathing, and the doctor had already announced that she was gone.  Story says that my grandmother ran into the garden and pleaded to the Virgin Mary to save her.  My mother wore white dresses with blue sashes in honor of the Virgin and her mother's promise. (If you are Portuguese, you may understand this as well.)

My mom still dances and sings in the kitchen to Perry Como.

My mom raised 4 kids, and watched 5 grandchildren while her daughters worked.

My mom is the best; totally understandable by all.