Notes from a toddler

Zoë and I were playing this afternoon and I thought I was doing a good job of taking sneak-peeks at my phone.

She was inventing stories of her "baby's" day at school and asking my opinion on her doll's backpack choice and what she should have for lunch.

I thought I was playing along nicely and then she stopped mid-sentence as she was explaining the doll's outfit.

"Mom."

"Yeah?" I answered, admittedly with my eyes on my phone.

"Mom!"

"Yeah?!" I said again.

She reached over and put her hand between me and my phone.

"Mom, look up."

My heart melted a teeny bit and I quickly put my phone behind my back.  She stared at me for a second and then said, "I like it better when you look up."

Ugh. Totally valid.

The Post Office: Best Place in Mojave

I stopped by the post office today (after being gone for a week) and ended up with a few more packages than I expected.  Instead of leaving a few behind so I could come back later, I started trying to load them all into the stroller.  I pulled Zoë out and replaced her with a box of wine.  I stuffed the undercarriage with four boxes in a configuration Tetris aficionados would be proud. Then I balanced one box on top of the canopy.  The last box I'd have to hold under my right arm while I balanced Zoë on my left hip and held June's leash in a combo grip with the stroller handle.

A gentleman coming in as I was leaving asked if he could help.  He offered to grab June and the box I was holding and help me get down the ramp I was failing to navigate.

"Thank you so much.  If you can just get us down this ramp, I'll be fine."

He followed me down and asked where my car was.  I explained I was walking home, but it was only a block and I'd be totally fine.

"Don't be ridiculous. Let me help you.  My dog is in the car, so let's stop, I'll turn on the AC and then I can help you get home."

Having a stranger follow you home in Mojave isn't a decision my husband would approve of, but I couldn't turn down his generosity.

He checked on his dog, grabbed the box of wine and two other boxes so I could put Zoë back in the stroller and then said, "Lead the way."

On the way home he told me about his job, his wife, his commute to LA and the notion that he had done a good deed today so karma would allow him to be a jerk the rest of the day.

Thanks, Mojave.

Flying Money

This morning as I was pulling out of my driveway, there was a car stopped in the middle of the intersection and a woman was starting to get out of the driver's seat.  I slowed down to assess the situation and realized she was frantically running after some money blowing in the wind.

At first, it didn't phase me.  Things blow in the wind ALL. THE. TIME. in Mojave.  Then I thought, "Let it go, lady."  But she stuck with it and I slowly passed by her, smiled and yelled, "Good luck!".

As I made it to the next intersection, I could see in my rearview mirror a man standing on the corner with a wad of money in his hand a bewildered look on his face.

The woman ran back past her car and handed him the money.

Thank you for the surprise act of kindness, citizen of Mojave - the town usually devoid of neighborliness.

Running Errands

June and I went on an adventure to get coffee (and dog treats!) and run around the desert this morning.  On our way back into Mojave, there was a teeny woman on the side of the road trying desperately to drag two huge trash bags behind her.  Just as I noticed her, she turned around and seemed to look me right in my eyeballs, smiled and started waving at me.  I pulled over to see if I could help.

As I did, another car pulled over and a man and wife rolled down their window to say, "Thank you for stopping.  We had just turned around to help as well." They turned to the woman and said, "Also, we have a push cart if you think you can use it."

The woman smiled and said, "Yes, I'd love one - is it in your car, can I see it?"

They explained it was at home, but I could follow them to their house and pick it up for her.  Mojave is a small town, so I figured, why not...this will be quick.

The teeny woman explained to me that the Mobil gas station gives away food that is about to expire and she had walked from her house (about 2 miles) to pick up some snacks.  She just didn't expect they'd have two trash bags full.

After we followed the nice couple to their house to get the cart, she asked if I could swing by a house close by to pick up a piece of glass someone had offered her.

Again, small town...why not?

Then, without hesitation, she asked if we could stop by the CHP and the Sheriff's Station because she wanted to share some of the snacks with them.  So we stopped at both and she dug through her bags to pick out what she thought they might like: Swiss Cake Rolls for the CHP and Fruit Roll Ups and Chips for the Sheriff.  Seems about right.

I was amazed at her confidence in asking for multiple stops and just continued to be her chauffeur.

After dropping off snacks, she said, "Do you know where the Motel 6 is?  I dropped my laundry off this morning and it should be ready."

Sure, no problem.

We didn't say much to each other.  I asked how long she'd lived in Mojave and she asked how far along I was and if I wanted a maternity dress she had at home.  She explained it wasn't that pretty, but it would probably fit me.  And if I didn't want that, she was going to give me a dollar for helping her out.  I told her it wasn't necessary and asked if there was anywhere else she needed to go.

She thought for a moment and said, "Nope, that's it.  You can take me home now."

So I dropped her off and she gave me two boxed apple pies and a bag of Doritos and said, "Thanks.  God bless."

And June and I went home.

Dessert first!

Zach and I went to Paso Robles for our honeymoon - to relax, drink wine and, ahem, check out airplane stuff.

One such stuffs was a monthly dinner at the Estrella Warbird Museum where Zach and I were the guests of a German World War II pilot and his lovely wife. In addition to being the only newly weds, we were also the only people under 55.

There were smiles and handshakes and glasses of wine. Next to registration was an 8 ft table with pre-sliced chocolate cake that I quickly learned was imperative to grab BEFORE finding your seat. There wasn't an obvious rush to the cake table, but I watched as people eyed the servers loading it with cake as they abruptly finished conversations to swing by the table and stake their claim.

As we all took our seats and waited to hear which table would be called first to the dinner buffet line, I smiled as I looked around seeing everyone eating their cake like an appetizer.

Tis true: the older you get, the wiser you become.

Organic Glitter

Since I'm growing tomatoes for the first time, I've been obsessed with inspecting the plant daily to make sure I'm not killing it. Today, as I was doing a little pruning, I realized the leaves seemed to be shimmering in the sun. 

As I looked closer, I couldn't get over how beautiful the leaves were.  It looks like someone dusted them with gold glitter.

PS - I know he looks thirsty. It was noon and almost 100 degrees.

June 12, 2016

Today will be marked in history forever.

Forty-nine innocent people were killed in a venue some may have considered the only place they felt safe.

I was traveling today and didn't learn of the tragic event in Orlando until I made it to my airport gate. So until then, my day felt pretty normal. Breakfast with family, chit chat on the way to the airport and then a moment that made me smile.

As I was standing on the curb, re-shuffling my luggage and searching for my ID, I noticed a Lyft car pull up to drop off a passenger.

The driver - a 20-something, adorably awkward man - stepped out to help his passenger with her luggage.  She appeared to be in her late 40's, dressed for business and kind. As he removed her luggage from the trunk, she walked around to meet him finishing a sentence she had already started in the car.

They smiled at one another and I could tell they were saying things like, "Lovely meeting you" and "Have a nice trip." The driver extended his hand to shake her's goodbye and as she reached out and grabbed his hand, she quickly pulled him in for a hug. It was ever so slightly longer than an average we-just-met-hug and I couldn't help but wonder what conversation they had to inspire a hug between strangers.

It made me proud to be human.