Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Zelda's vacation...

"Exam under anesthesia both eyes. Fundus photos. Fluorescein engiography both eyes. Possible Pars Plana vitrectomy w/ membrane peeling either eye."

So, we leave for California on Sunday. Her exam is on Monday. Just keep the Z-bomb in your thoughts. I know she'll be fine but it still sucks.

And what are you doing for your vacation?...

Monday, July 28, 2008

Oh so "Fortunate" again...

Once again, Evan and I have been named to the list for "Style Makers" of the Fortunate 500 in our fair town. It's always a humbling and pleasant surprise that invokes a bit of reflection...
One aspect of our good fortune lies in our neighborhood. Despite the fact that our family of 4 currently lives in an 800 sq ft bungalow that was built in the 1930's (more on the "Project" later) and we don't have a back yard for the twins to play in...it is urban living at its best. We live less than 100 yds from the most happenin' street in town.

Our evenings go something like this: after dinner and before bedtime, we take a family walk.
-We check in at my boutique to see how they did for the day and as we pass by the other shops, we wave and share news with their employees. Creed & Zelda like to run into the salon next door and visit the girls.
-On up to Jo's where the employees will give Creed his nightly banana and we chat with whoever's around...followed by a tour around the outdoor bar at the San Jose and a hello to the fishes in the fountain. No time for cocktails as there's music across the street at the Continental Club - that means dancing on the sidewalk to some country swing.
-Up to Gueros where the garden is filled with diners waiting for a table and more music! We dance to Ponty Bone or Los Flames - Zelda jumps and smiles and Creed runs and drums.
-Back down the hill to the terrace of Mars where Olivier Giraud is playing guitar with Paris 49 - we get our French fix of music for the evening.
-Another stop at Jo's where the Vampire Weekend/Spoon wannabes - i.e. hipster guys in skinny jeans are playing music before they show a film in the parking lot. Creed likes to say "Mosh pit!" and imitate them with his air guitar.
-A final stop at El Sol y La Luna where a wonderful cumbia band with a mariachi guitar invites us to dance with the other patrons....

So yes, we are fortunate...we may not have a swing set or walk-in closets (at least not yet!) or our own swimming pool, but our kids will grow up with music, friendly faces and a neighborhood filled with adventure.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Cha-ching...

Something I just learned...did you know that both current Canadian and Mexican series of banknotes have raised symbols - known as tactile markings - for easy identification by the blind or visually impaired? European currency uses different sizes and colors. It's only US currency that is lame...No matter how organized a blind person in America may be by folding their bills and such, they still must initially depend on a seeing person to distinguish between the differing amounts of the bills. Get with the program, America!

I am looking forward to that commemorative Louis Braille coin however. And it will have braille on it. I think it will be out by the 200th anniversary of his birthday in January.

UPDATE: Stay tuned for our 3rd Annual Big Fat Medical Vacation...that is, we'll be heading to Los Angeles for the yearly eye doctor visit in August. Zelda needs to see her retinologist. California here we come...

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Boom, boom...

That's how Zelda sees fireworks.

So, the twins have been around for three 4th's of July...and maybe they are just starting to get the whole 'holiday' thing. They are grasping the party-idea, picnics, special events, etc. We did the super cool neighborhood parade - Zelda got to pet a chicken! - then there was the big pot luck in the park and lots of time spent in the 'water pool'. I think we'll have to do our own float in the back of Evan's old Chevy truck next year. From our house, we can see at least 4-5 shows of fireworks across the city. Creed watched for about 10 minutes and with prompting, said they were "pretty". Zelda spent the time practicing her curb jumping and said "Boom, boom" every now and again.

I had a 4th of July once that was magical. I was 16; it was summer camp. We were sitting on the trunk of a car in a grocery store parking lot and watched the fireworks over the horizon of a teeny, tiny town near Califon, New Jersey. I remember the air, I remember the company and I remember seeing those flashes of colored light in the sky. Another memorable one was on an inlet in a small coastal town in Maine: little sailboats, good friends and beautiful modest fireworks over the bay. Then there were several down on the mall in DC complete with pot smoke, the Steve Miller band blaring from a boom box and the memory of the Washington monument against a beautiful display of color.

I know Zelda will someday have those moments. She'll have the friends, smell the night air, and capture those slices of life. But I mourn for her. I want her to see the fireworks. I want her to see the lights of Paris when looking out over the city from Sacre Coeur. I want her to squeal with delight when she sees the fireworks on New Year's Eve in Florence. I want her to see the Northern Lights of a summer in Maine - the way they pulsate blue, green and hazy white. I want her to see a lunar eclipse while laying on her back in a canoe on lake or a meteor shower from her sleeping bag in a field on a hot August night.

I don't give a damn about Zelda missing out on cartoons or fashion(!) or make-up or haircuts or driving or even the Mona Lisa. She'll read and listen to TV or movies if she wants to. She'll travel to foreign countries, visit museums and eat in the most amazing restaurants in the world if I have anything to say about it.

But it's missing those damn fireworks, those sunsets, those silent city lights that really, really, REALLY pisses me off.