Weekend updates

Thursday: the medical day
1. Shra got into a car accident. She is fine, but her car is totaled.
2. The gastroenterologist would dismiss my stomach problems, but for the weight loss. Instead, I get to have a colonoscopy this coming Monday. I’m disappointed to not have anything solid to act on, but I’m thankful we’ll have this chance to make sure there isn’t anything seriously wrong with my gut. Oh, and he ran a blood test to check whether I’m really allergic to gluten; I haven’t heard the results yet.

Friday: the free/cheap stuff day
1. I picked up lots and lots of free designer fabric and wallpaper samples from some people who go round to local designers and shops and pick up these materials that would otherwise go to landfill. I am very excited about my loot, and am pondering tote bags, eye pillows, cushions, and bound books. Unfortunately over the weekend one of our kitties peed on some of the stuff, but I subjected it all to sniff-test scrutiny and I think most of it is safe.
2. Erik’s mom gave us plantains, super-sweet oranges, and two different kinds of kumquat pickle (vinegar and sugar). Now that she works in Porterville, she returns to San Jose laden with citrus every time, all of it gloriously delicious.
3. We went to a multicultural fair at Simonds elementary school, and it was way cooler and way cheaper than the Chocolate Salon we attended in SF about a month ago. Yay for schoolkids, boo on fancy-ass chocolate organizers.

Saturday: the back-home-to-LA day
1. We now have a compost bin!! I have been looking forward to getting one for ages, and can’t wait to start throwing our kitchen scraps and yard waste into the bin. Unfortunately we had to leave the bin in San Jose for the week, but we’ll retrieve it on Monday after my colonoscopy.
2. We enjoyed the merry-go-round at Griffith Park. A couple of kids got scared and had to be taken off, and I can’t say I blame them. The organ is loud, the ride spins surprisingly fast, and the horses are pretty high up.
3. Fun lunch with Angela and Alex. They’ll be married in about a month’s time!
4. We got a great deal on Priceline for a room at the Century City Courtyard by Marriott, and we quite liked the hotel. The location suited us and we’d be glad to stay there again.
5. Enjoyable afternoon with Jackie and Jason in our hotel room, chatting and doing nothing. I had brought my yard-sale JFK’s-funeral Life to show Jason, and he read us the ridiculous ad copy while we talked. We used to while away afternoons and evenings in just this way, in either our apartment or his. I miss that.
6. Exhausted and ready to crash, we found a surprisingly comforting dinner at gr/eats. The waiter misheard my order, but I liked what he brought me even better. The restaurant was nearly empty. The older lady working there said it was because of the Lakers game, and she brought us free ice cream. I had to give mine to Erik because of the lactose.

Sunday: the friends day
1. I love hotel hot breakfasts. Actually I love any kind of buffet-style meal if the food is okay, and breakfast is a safer bet than other meals.
2. Linda’s yoga class!!! It was an intimate class of six students, and I had a grand time. Afterward Linda invited Erik and me over to her gorgeous house for lunch. We sat on her patio and ate yummy cold salads and talked about compost and plants and museums and books. Her two sweet basenjis, Mr Kelly and Stella, kept us company. When we admired her beautiful white orchid trees, Linda helped us dig up a sprout of one from the side yard to bring home.
3. Probably the shortest book club meeting ever, discussing Water for Elephants over tea at the Tudor House. Both book and tea fun but unmemorable. Best part was seeing friends. And eating gravy on my mash. The mash was terrible (boxed, we’re sure), but my tastes are such that any gravy is better than no gravy, and almost anything is good if there’s gravy on it.
4. Rest of the evening spent eating Cheebo (how have I never had their delicious lentil soup?!) and playing Balderdash with Jason, Eurie, and Alex (not a book club member, but LURED over with Cheebo… we also found out that Erik and I pronounce “lure” funny, or, as I see it, the rest of the world pronounces it funny). I have missed our game nights, especially Balderdash, especially with Eurie and Jason.

Monday: satisfying end-of-LA-trip day
1. OH HOW I HAVE MISSED Anthony’s yoga classes. No one else kicks my butt with such integrity and such loving care. I woke up this morning sore in every muscle, but ever so glad for it. I soooo miss being able to alternate Anthony’s class and Linda’s class every day of the week. I’m sure I will soon set up a good yoga schedule here, but I’m also sure it won’t be able to compare to what I have left behind at City Yoga.
2. Nommy lunch with Jackie at an unexpectedly good Peruvian restaurant in Van Nuys, near the courthouse (Jackie had jury duty). Out of respect for my volatile digestive system and the long drive ahead, I chose arroz chaufa (fried rice) over chupe (chowder), but I would bet money that the chupe would have been a better choice. Sigh.
3. Long drive back to San Jose in gusty winds. Ate the rest of my chaufa and skipped dinner. Tisha very happy to see us, Lyapa angry at everyone because we all hold her down and make her take her antibiotics. In her rage, she actually abandoned her usual squeakings to make furious meows!!

Today: recovery day!
1. Lyapa’s last dose of antibiotics. Thank goodness that’s over, but we’ll see what the vet says tomorrow.
2. My plants are alive!!! Not only that, new sprouts are up in my seed planter, the biggest California poppy has two new buds, and the mask flowers are covered in blossoms. SO RELIEVED. Last night I dreamed the pansies had all died. Now that I have a garden I love Jane of Lantern Hill more than ever.
3. Got some fun Etsy things in the mail, went to OSH for supplies and potted the tree-ling from Linda’s yard, ate a sandwich in hunger and defiance of the no-gluten diet (felt bloated afterward, but so far no actual rebellion *knock on wood*), and rejoiced to be home again.

I don’t know whether it’s having a house AND a garden, being closeish but still an hour and a half away from family, or something else, but I find that I actually have less free time now than I used to. In fact, my time is so fully occupied that I have completely stopped reading my favorite timewasting blogs (no more lolcats or Michelle Obama pics!)… but seriously, it’s kind of shocking. But I’m enjoying the way I spend my time these days. I wish there were more hours in the day, but I can’t deny I’m very happy.