The Joys of Electricity

With electricity, a freezer makes ice and dispenses it and water. With electricity, the air conditioner cools the house. With electricity, computers work, clocks keep time, ovens and microwaves cook, and lights turn on.

Without electricity, none of those things can happen. Today we received a brutal reminder. At 2:45 in the afternoon, when it was 107 degrees or more, ours went off. The whole neighborhood was without it. When I saw the Westar man, he said it would be between 4 and 6 hours. AAGH!

The house was heating up, and since the electricity had been off for over three hours by dinner time, we decided we had better eat the rest of the peanut butter ice cream pie first - or else it would melt. So we started dinner with that . . . after finishing it, suddenly the electricity came on! Miraculous! At least we didn't have to eat the pork tenderloin cold.

My Poor Forest

When we were at the cabin in June, it was dry, dry, dry. Not unusual for that time of year, but the stream was running lower than normal: way lower than normal. Unfortunately, it hasn't changed. No rain has fallen since early June, the snowpack is already melted, and with the high winds, the forest floor continues to dry out.

Add to that people and electric lines, and conditions are nicely set up for a forest fire. There's already been one fire up the canyon, caused by a downed power line. Fortunately, the fire chief came upon it rather quickly and was able to assemble the volunteer fire crew in time to take down the fire before it spread very far.

Another fire has been burning for a week outside Santa Fe. Although it is no threat to our cabin, it is too close. The plumes of smoke from the fire are readily visible up the canyon, and one errant wind from the wrong direction could send the fire up over the ridge and down into our side. The meteorologists are not predicting that to happen . . . I hope they are right.

In the meantime, the Forest Service has closed the forest. That means people who have cabins may go to their cabins but they cannot take walks up the roads or in the hills. They can't go fishing nor can they gather and have get-togethers. That means the July 4th celebration that has been held since 1959 (with the exception of 2000 when the forest closed) will be canceled for the second time. It is very sad, but it is better to be safe than sorry. We cannot risk a fire.

It is a grim time in the mountains. We are doing a rain dance on a daily basis, and the meteorologists actually have put rain in the forecast next weekend. That would be a good thing.

Can't Teach Old Dogs New Tricks

Our black dog, Babs, loves chasing rabbits. She used to chase rabbits and squirrels, but I think her failing eyesight made her give up on the squirrels. But she still loves rabbits. In 2009, she loved chasing them so much she tore her ACL and had to have major knee surgery. I thought, with age and the operation, she would lose her appetite for rabbit-chasing. But that was not to be.

Lately, I have noticed her outside, nose to the ground, trying to find an innocent bunny sitting in the grass. Today, while I was mowing, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her jump and race (yes, race, despite the fact that she's 14 years old) around the yard, chasing a baby bunny. If the bunny hadn't headed toward the deck so it could slip under it, I think Babs might have caught it. And it wasn't a slow bunny . . . she was that determined. I don't know what she would have done with it if she had caught it, since she has no teeth . . . but I was surely impressed with the speed of my 98-year-old dog!

Dads

I really miss my dad. Eleven years later, and not a day goes by that I don't think of him . . . and Mom. Dad was the quiet force behind Mom's discipline. He was the one who reinforced the importance of us girls being able to stand on our own two feet. He was a great model of how to be an honest businessman, a good person, a nice person.

Luckily, Don's dad is still with us. The lessons we have learned from him are different, but just as valuable. I have learned from Kenny that happiness comes from love and caring . . . not from money. I have learned patience, and I have watched a man of immense faith carry on after the love of his life passed on. But the most important thing that he taught his boys is how to be good husbands and good dads. Kenny has served as an amazing example of the husband who cared deeply for his family, lived for them, provided for them. Nothing has been more important to him than his wife and four boys.

His four boys have all turned into great dads. They too deeply love their wives and their children. They understand their priorities, and they have all provided a safe and loving home for their families. I was lucky to marry one of those men. He is a wonderful husband and a terrific father. Happy Father's Day, Don!

Delusional Hotness Syndrome

Listening to the NPR show, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," on the way home from the cabin last week, we were treated to an hour of laugh-out-loud schtick. The most humorous comments revolved around a new syndrome "Delusional Hotness Syndrome."

Resulting from a dearth of eligible men in the forty to fifty age-group, men are apparently being deluded about their sex appeal. In that age group, because there are more women than men, men are thinking they are much more sexy than they really are. You know who he is . . . balding, forty-ish, big gut dressed in a tank top and shorts, strutting up the street like a peacock.

We have all seen that guy . . . I just didn't know there was a name for his obnoxious behavior!

Escher Art

I have always been fascinated by the optical illusions that were created by Escher. He saw the world differently from so many people, but his drawings and creations boggle the mind.

When we were at the Alhambra, we saw an informative exhibit about how Escher created his drawings. As we visited other venues in Spain, we found samples of Escher-esque art throughout. The pictured floor from Toledo was the best of the floor mosaics created long before Escher, but probably studied by him. Take time to examine the floor and its illusions . . . incredible, we think.

Two Masters

By the end of June, this family will have added two Masters to the household. Masters of what, I don't know, but they will have a degree that says they have mastered something.

One thing I know Diana has Mastered is the art of speaking fast Spanish. I can't understand her. She has also mastered the use of the word "vale," which is a Spanish word I had never heard before - and no, it isn't a bad word. It sort of means all right or I get it. She has mastered the Spanish train system, the art of being a tour guide, and what it means to eat a whole paella by oneself.

Kenneth has mastered the art of taking Excel and turning it into a miraculous tool for accounting. He has mastered the California lifestyle, complete with healthy food, lots of exercise, and riding the bus. He has also mastered the art of driving like a Californian - AAGH! - though he didn't drive that way on the way to the cabin, so maybe it is just a survival technique for LA.

Last night we were able to watch the UCLA graduation online. It was a great way to experience the ceremony. Their speaker, the COO for Facebook, was excellent. The only mishap was when Kenneth got up to get his diploma, the man called him Kenneth Morton. Initially, I blamed it on Kenneth's handwriting, but he said he even wrote his name is clear block letters to make sure it could be read. Oh well, if that's the worst thing that ever happens to him, he is a lucky guy. But did he actually graduate since his name wasn't called? That's a discussion for another time.

Di's ceremony was held back in NY, so she didn't get to participate. Too bad, but she still has her PhD ceremony to go. We will definitely be there for that one.

The good news is that since both of them have graduated at the same time, no one has bragging rights. They each lived in cool places, studied what they loved . . . lucky kids!

So Congrats to our children. We are proud of your accomplisments.