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Mama's Gorgeous Gold Gown

Besides important documents, the only thing Mama kept that she brought from the Philippines in 1949 was her gold Maria Clara gown. (So called because of the fancy bell-shaped sleeves.) For as long as I can remember, she hung it in the back of her closet. 
Before I was born someone borrowed Mama's gown to wear in a parade. The borrower returned the gown soiled and torn. Mama always shook her head when she told the story, which she did every time she looked at her dress. 

When I was a teenager Mama had me take photos of her posed in her gown around the house. I hope those weren't the only times she wore it.

I never thought to ask her: What was the story behind the dress? Did Daddy buy it for her? Did she own it before they were married? Did she think she'd go to a lot of fancy dances in America?
Back in December I went into a panic thinking I donated the red suitcase in which I stored the gown. Lucky me. I found the suitcase just where I put it behind the wheelchair in L St…
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Recent posts

Being

"Knock on wood, said Dr. Eye, who then knocked on the side of a medical supply cabinet.

I turned to my left. Nothing but eye examination machines. All metal. I looked back at the cabinet.

"About the closest to wood," Dr. Eye said, somehow knowing what I was thinking.

"Maybe this," I said, leaning over to tap a small box, probably made of balsa, on the cabinet.

"It probably does have the most wood in this room," Dr. Eye said, tapping the box.

Someone asked me if I felt confident about Dr. Eye taking out my lens and inserting an artificial one with my current prescription. Totally.

Four more days.  :-)


Linking with All Seasonsat The Jesh Studio.


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A Fine Day

1. See the jack rabbit. That's what I saw this afternoon.

2. Yak, yak, yak.  Chat about this, wonder about that. Discuss current events. Reminisce. Giggle, chuckle, laugh. We spent a wonderful afternoon today hanging out with good friends. One of the many fine things about being retired.

3. What else about today? I got to climb the ladder to saw away at tree branches, to be continued on the weekend.

4. By four o'clock, the almost full moon was already saying, "Hey there!"


5. Some call the second full moon of winter the Snow Moon.

6. The California Coastal Redwoods, sequoia sempervirens, range from Monterey county to the Oregon border and may grow within 50 miles from the coast. So, it's possible for redwoods to grow in Hollister where we call our home.

7. Experts say redwoods can be raised in a pot until it's about 5 or 6 feet tall. Hmmmm.


8. The Giant Sequoias are the largest species of redwood, which live only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevad…
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More Changes

We left the fruit on the high branches, and some of the lower branches, of the persimmon tree for the birds and squirrels. I don't know if the neighborhood feral cats like persimmons. Molly the (wild) Cat sniffs her nose at the orange fruit.

The other morning good fortune struck. I not only watched a crow in the persimmon tree, followed by a bunch of tiny birds, but also a squirrel. That squirrel was chittering so loud, the Husband and I went out to the back yard to find out what all the fuss was about. I wouldn't be surprised if the squirrel was yelling at the tiny birds to get out of its persimmon tree, because that was where the furry guy headed after it ran down the birch tree in the next yard. 


January was a flurry of decluttering, reorganizing, and sewing curtains, along with getting as much heavy stuff done before my cataract surgery next week.  (My gosh, already, next week. Shudder) I was such a worker bee that I became physically, emotionally, and spiritually off ki…
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Approaching Normal

Molly the (wild) Cat asked, "Is it ever going to be normal again?"

A week or so ago, the blinds for the sliding door bit the dust after 32 years of excellent service. Fortunately, the vertical panels were being drawn for the night when the system snapped only several inches away from the door. Missy Molly still has a bit of unobstructed window onto (into?) the backyard. Monitor the birds, she can.

Nothing out of the ordinary there for Molly Girl.

Now, to get the curtains sewn and up before she gets used to the nonworking blinds. 


Some of you may remember that back in July I bought eight yards of this cool peacock print at an antique fair, with not a notion of what to do with all that fabric. Want to guess what I'm going to finally sew with it?

Mama's jade plant is in full bloom. It flowers around this time, which amazes me because it's winter, by golly. I finally looked up how it is that this succulent flowers in winter. It's normal: The darker days and cool…
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2020, Here We Come!

Good Golly, Missy Molly!

That's the Girlfrom the other morning. After a few minutes of hanging in the chilly outdoors, she zipped into the house and went straight to her new bed, which is one of her favorite pillows covered with Mama's jacket.

The (wild) Cat must've felt pretty proud of herself this evening when she wandered around the living room without walking on the floor. She jumped about two feet from her table to a counter on which she tiptoed around obstacles, then hopped down onto the long couch on which the Husband and I sat. She paused for a long second to stretch herself before springing to the hassock and daintily stepping over my feet to a low table, upon which she carefully sniffed its expanse. When she was satisfied, Molly leaped to the small couch on the other side of the room. After a whole lot of sniffing and nuzzling of the couch, the hearth, and the back of the TV, Molly walked back over the low and wide table to settle herself into a snooze between …
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Happy Holidays to One and All!

That's the main street of our little city of Hollister as it looked in Eliza Does-a-lot's driver's side-view mirror. I snapped it the other day while waiting for the Husband. As a kid, the festive garlands and bows above San Benito Street was one of my clues that the holiday season was upon us. With luck, I would be able to avoid any Santa Claus lurking in the downtown stores. Yup, Santa Claus was a scary figure to this kid.

In 2008, the Husband played Santa Claus at the annual Christmas Ball, held by the Filipino American Community of San Benito. For the first time, I sat on Santa's lap. This was a Mister Claus who did not creep me out.


Last year the Husband created a Holiday Spirit tree with lights in the living room, more specifically next to Molly the (wild) Cat's condo. She has no problem sleeping while the lights twinkle brightly. Here's a photo from last year of the sleeping (wild) beauty and our Twinkle Twinkle Tree.


This year I have cookies on my mind…
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