Julia's Mexico City

Merry Christmas!

We are in the holiday spirit! (Thanks to Jenny and Brian and Ben for the Christmas togs!)

Bittersweet Christmas Eve

Harper is wonderful. That is first and foremost. She is sweet and (OMG) has slept at least 6 hours in a row these past three nights. What a wonderful Christmas gift! I realized though, that we didn't buy her a darn thing. We'll have to find a nice ornament to mark her first Christmas. She is cute and wiggly and amazing which helps during these crazy first few weeks! But we are getting used to the new normal and enjoying so many of the little moments with her. The faces, the finger grabs, the gas.

How come no one told me how cute little baby farts are? Seriously cute.

But all this is tempered by our dear Bunny being on her last legs. It's been a roller coaster of vet visits and trying some different medications to at least make her feel better. She's 18 (almost 19) and has lived a wonderful long life. I've had her for almost 17 years and was so happy when Kurt and I got married that Bunny loved him as much as I did. So now we are watching her day to day, hoping we don't have to make that very tough call too soon. She could be here for a few more months or it could be a few days or a week or two. So hard to know. We don't want her to suffer so finding the right time to say good bye is a brutal decision. We've been blessed by such a wonderful little kitty spirit, no one wants her to go. Sad sad.

Then there is the usual missing of Jen at Christmas -- imagine what she would have bought for Harper! And Jack is gone too and I wish we could be on Maui with Mom.

So our little first Christmas with Harper is low key: poinsettia plant instead of a tree, a smattering of gifts for each other and Kurt's mom (who will join us tomorrow) and lots of kisses for Harper and Bunny. I've lit a few candles, including one that smells like a pine tree, and Kurt has poured us both a glass of wine.

I'm as grateful as ever for all that we have, especially now with Harper.

Merry Christmas all.

Harper and Bunny and Kurt

 

(Awesome "Stormpooper" hat was a gift from our friend Ron. Thanks again Ron!)

 

In Which I Finally Succumb To The Season

2009: A Look Back In Two Parts (Part 2)

Continuing from Part I of 2009: A Look Back.

We arrived in the Pacific Northwest for a record breaking heat wave. We stayed overnight one night in Port Townsend and enjoyed the pretty view and great company of friend's parents in town.

 

I had a mini-Seabury Class of 85 reunion with Steve and Courtney. The visit was way too short!

 

Another blogger field trip resulted in a new tattoo. Fun day! 

 

I got to celebrate the baptism of a good friend's son. Sweet ceremony. Sadly, this dear boy's grandpa died a few months later and we celebrated that amazing life with a funeral in December.

 

Later in August:

GREEN DAY!!!!!!

 

In September I got to meet internets superstar, Ben Huh. I also learned a lot of great stuff from him.

 

A gang of us got together in September to celebrate our 20+ year long friendships -- one that started at LMU in the late 80's. So much fun to get together and eat El Tarasco's!

 

Then I left LA to go to work in Northern Ireland on a tv pilot. More importantly, I met Elvis at the Belfast International Airport. 

 

Kurt came to visit for about 10 days and we toured the North coast, Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede bridge. Great weekend adventures...

 

...and plenty of Guinness!

 

Of course I was working. Here's another shot of me on set.

 

In November, Safety Graphic Fun celebrated it's first anniversary. Here's hoping we can get to the 2nd!

 

I got home from the shoot in Northern Ireland just before Thanksgiving and we flew to North Carolina to cook turkey and celebrate with great friends.

Just after Thanksgiving I was on another work trip to Montana and Oregon. I made a snow angel on Ted Turner's ranch...

 

...and generally spent time looking like this as the scenery was so lovely.

 

Finally. Finally. Finally. I got to come home. Three weeks before Christmas I could unpack and put my suitcases away. Heaven. Kurt and I both worked pretty full on until about December 24th. Bunny kept the Christmas tree monitored. 

 

Now we are sliding gently into 2010 with many creative irons in the fire and resolutions/goals/plans/intentions to have much to review and relive in one year's time.

Thanks to all my family, friends and new friends/fans who read this blog and send love and support. You all really held me up when I was feeling down in 2009 and I'm grateful to you. Thank you for making 2009 a year full of friendship and joy.

All the best to you all in 2010!

Christmas Cheer in Unexpected Places

This morning I found a website called Scouting New York (via Neatorama) that I fell in love with instantly. "Scout" is a film location scout and finds all kinds of nooks and crannies and details most people overlook in and around NYC. (I've bookmarked him over on the right.)

My favorite photos were those of his shots of some mistletoe in an unusual spot:

I love that someone did this! I love that mischievous spirit that can only make people smile, if people notice it at all. This is the kind of thing I would like to do.

Thanks Scout, for letting me use your pictures.  All the best to you in 2009!

There Is So Much To Be Grateful For

I have lost a great deal and yet there is still so much to be grateful for. All the family who love and support me, good friends abound, nice home, sweet cats, and who could ask for a better husband? Not me. I'm not in an outwardly Christmas mood this year and I am so glad to be home with Mom and Jack, just relaxing, sleeping in, watching it rain.

 There was a myna bird in our yard with one leg. I waited a bit to see if he was just holding one up, but he wasn't. But this myna looked and sounded and acted just like any other myna in the yard, chattering and hopping about. Made me think of mom's neighbor across the street who lost his right arm in a boating accident about six months ago. I watched him walk to the beach in his swim gear this morning, still gaunt and recovering, but he was off to swim. I saw him come back later, wet from his morning go in the warm salt water. There is still plenty of life to be lived, no matter how much or how little we might have.

Merry Christmas.

Kurt Gets A White Christmas

This is Kurt's view from his bed at his brother's house in Renton (near Seattle). WOW!! 

I've still never had a white christmas. Here's my view from the breakfast table in Spreckelsville:

little different.

My Maui Welcome Home

This greeted me as we drove up to the house yesterday from the Airport.  Jack made it for me.  Very nice welcome home.

On Oahu - We Ate At Zippy's!

I was born on Oahu (at the same hospital as Obama, for those of you keeping score at home) and lived here till just before my 9th birthday. So Oahu and and Honolulu are deep memories for me.  Driving around with Mom yesterday was great. 

We are staying with her friend Dana who just built a new house in Nu'uanu. But if you didn't know it was brand new you would think it was just fixed up. The house fits right in to this old Honolulu neighborhood of Craftsman-esque bungalows. It is the kind of house I would live in in a heartbeat -- TONS of huge windows, surrounded by lush green ginger and ti plants. It's gorgeous.

We spent the morning in Chinatown -- but more on that later -- and then mom and I drove through downtwon, past Iolani Palace, past King Kamehameha, past the HIC, past KGMB (Checkers and Pogo!) past Ala Moana, through Waikiki, over Diamond Head, down to Royal Circle (more on that later as well), quick visit to Emmi and Jimmy's, then on to Hawaii Kai and back, up to Manoa to see my great-grandparent's house (more on that later too) and then back to Dana's.  

Then I treated them to dinner at Zippy's!!

I had the Pork Saimin:

Mom had the fried Mahi Mahi -- love the color scheme. Dana had grilled Mahi, the colors were similar.

Best of all is the menu -- so local!!  I burst out laughing at this photo.  Gawd I love Hawai'i.

Today we are going over the Pali and more driving around Manoa and Nu'uanu.

Betsy, thanks for your comment and I think of you all the time in Honolulu, knowing that if I needed to know a Hawaiian word or phrase, I could always call you!  But I learned a new word this trip:

Ho'omalimali -- to flatter. It came up in regard to my dad...

Flying Home Tomorrow

I'm meeting Mom in Honolulu tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. I was packing tonight and forgot that Christmas was this week. There was nothing particularly festive in my suitcase in case we went to a Christmas gathering. We may go across the street to the neighbor's house for Christmas Eve or Christmas day dinner, we may not.  We may go to the Kula House for the extended family gathering and if we do, it will be bittersweet. I haven't been home for Christmas day in....um....uh....over ten years. I honestly can't remember the last time I was home on Christmas day with Mom and Jack.  

Here's the thing:  Christmas is PEAK SEASON in Hawai'i and the airfare is nuts. I found a ticket this year for less than $1000. Not much less, but less than. It was a miracle. But that's only a flight to Honolulu, I still have to get to Maui. Nevermind. It's expensive to want to visit paradise, but for me it's not "paradise", it's where I grew up and my parents still live there and I want to just have a quiet holiday time. 

But aside from all that, I am looking forward to Honolulu with Mom. It's always a great time to go around Honolulu and see all the places she used to go when she was in high school and a young adult, young mom there. Plus all the places I knew from when I was born until I was almost 9. Kahala, Hawai'i Kai, Aina Haina, Royal Circle. We were there together in 2005 for a day with Kurt and we drove around Oahu -- something I haven't done since I was really little.  Mokuleia is a place we went camping once when my mom and dad were still married and for some reason it really stands out -- some of my very earliest memories. (hmmmm, I don't really like camping now...maybe that wasn't such a great trip?)

But it doesn't feel so much like Christmas. My heart's not in it, but I'm so glad to be going home and hanging with mom in on Oahu. Maui will be very very relaxing as well. No plans. Going to bed early (9 or 9:30) and waking up early (5:30? 6am?). I look forward to sitting at the kitchen table, watching the sky brighten up and watching the neighbors all walk down to the beach, half of them looking up to wave. I like that part of small town life.

I'll take photos, I'll write much more. I'll catch up with myself a bit. I'll miss Kurt. I'll rest.