Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Our son is awaiting the lifting of the evacuation order, and the air is still good.  Here the worry and the wind made me restless, and I got up early to text our son, then went out back to pick up fallen branches.  For some reason my husband came down, walked out the back door of the kitchen, and the wind slammed the door shut.  I had poached eggs on the stove, and we searched in our pjs and robes for the hidden key, which was so well hidden we never found it.  My husband was about ready to break a window when he discovered the window over the dryer in the laundry room was unlocked (oh, dear, another story) and he got a ladder and hefted himself up and over into the house.  Suffice to say, we are pretty rattled by the fires, the wind, the deja vu feelings churned up in us.  We know we are probably in for some bad air when the smoke gets here, but have filters and masks.  We just want rain! 
I had made a list of what to take when we had to evacuate, and as I told my childhood friend last night, it seemed hopeless.  Last time we evacuated our car was filled with pet cages, and our younger son's buddy thought of getting our photo albums and packed them and other sensible stuff in his car.  We had lent our second car to our next door neighbors' elderly parents.  And as I put wet towels under all the doors, I thought "take it all"  I just want everyone to be alive.  You get down to the basics pretty fast with these crises.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My power has been out and everyone is upset about the fires, the winds, and how to figure out what to take if we have to evacuate.  Our older son and his wife and son are near the big fire and all packed up.  Two years ago they almost lost their house and many of their friends did.  Now, to be threatened again so soon, is devastating.  Tonight there are supposed to be dangerous winds, and we are all praying things don't get out of hand.  It's hard not to be distracted by the clear and present danger, and I've had to babysit my grandson inside, so he's not exposed to the air.  We both went a little stir crazy today, and I now know exactly what cabin fever feels like.  I'm worried about my kids and grandkids, except for the ones out of state, and for all the many people who are in shelters, or have lost their homes, or are without electricity.  October is a cruel month where I live.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

This morning there was the news of a fire north of us.  High temperatures and gusty winds made today disturbing.  I didn't take the baby out this afternoon but rather kept him shut up in the house.  We are all waiting for cooler temperatures and eventually some rain.  In the meantime, my dear friend and I had cappuchinos outside a coffee place, taking turns bouncing my grandson on our knees.  We described our weekend, when we were coincidentally in the same state at the same time.  A state with rain and much cooler weather.  What can we do?  Nature is in charge, and I don't think humans have much to do with this dilemma, as we live in an arid environment with a history of fire as well as earthquakes.  Fall is tough on us here.  We have our haunting memories and when heat and wind coincide, we're spooked.  Halloween, indeed.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Yes, I'm still alive, but my baby grandson is sapping my strength.  He's six months now, and crawls like crazy, sits up, and has definite opinions.  By the time the little darling is picked up, and I rush to  make one of my twenty minute dinners (lots of salads and stir frys), I am fit only to watch "Castle", possibly take a shower to eradicate the baby poop and drool, and read in bed for the thirty minutes until I conk out.  Baby 1, Grandma 0.  Luckily, he's quite endearing.  But the last two weekends I've been away, first for my 4 year old grandson's birthday extravaganza, then to visit my older daughter for her birthday.  I had to go to Trader Joe's in desperation Monday night among the hordes to buy food.  I am exhausted and totally behind in cleaning, cards, presents, emails, texts, you name it.
My friend texted me today to see if a catastrophe had befallen me, but thank goodness, it's just my elderly body unable to keep up with twenty pounds of dynamite baby.  Every day I'm amazed I'm still standing.  It has made me fitter, and leaner.  Who has time to eat?  This coming weekend I actually have some breathing room, and plan to catch up with my list.  And go to a friend's piano recital and accompany the almost three year old grandson to a pumpkin patch.  Oh dear, I'm tired already!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I have a student in Nicaragua who sends me a letter a couple of times a year.  She is in college and dedicated to her schooling and her goal of a better life.  She asks me about the United States and my family, and I answer as honestly as I can.  My life is so blessed, and I talk of my grandchildren and babysitting and having been a teacher.  This time she talked about water and how important it is to the people there, because, it seems, fruit trees are a major source of income and food.  I told her this time how I live in an area where the water is crucial and necessary for our agriculture, but, of course, what I don't say is how fortunate we are here in every way.  Her life is basic and a constant struggle, while mine is so privileged.  She sounds like a sweetheart and I hope her life is enriched by her education.  I hope she feels my prayers and good wishes for her life.  We are so far from each other in age, position and opportunity, but we are connected.  I feel that.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I heard some upsetting news about a dear friend this morning, and I'm shaken a bit.  She has wonderful daughters and I know she'll get the best of care, but still...
 I couldn't sleep last night and figured it was the crazy weekend driving an hour and a half for our grandson's fourth birthday, just me, my baby grandson and daughter-in-law.  We did fine, and met my husband, older son, daughter-in-law, her mom, the birthday boy, our younger daughter, her husband and our middle grandson, plus another family close to my son and his wife.  Our younger son had a terrible cold, so he couldn't make it.  Yes we rode Thomas the Train, saw massive Thomas themed events and gifts, and then had pizza at a cafe which was noisier than the train, so that I didn't really hear anything people were saying.  The little boys eventually lost their minds, then we went for ice cream, and mercifully retired to our rooms at 7:30 pm.  Next day we met for breakfast, then went to a beach to see Monarch butterfies and observe the tidepools, after which my husband and I returned with the younger daughter, and we stopped for lunch and then the middle grandson had a meltdown in the car until he finally stopped fighting a nap and slept. 
I feel blessed with all this thriving, bustling family, these cute little rascal grandsons.  My father used to say I was a "pistol" and these three boys must take after me.  Another one is arriving in February.  My, oh, my.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We're going on an overnight to celebrate our grandson's fourth birthday.  Yes, it involves Thomas the Train, so the family, except for our older daughter and our granddaughter, who live too far away to come for the weekend,  are riding this fabled train, surrounding ourselves with all things train, then eating at a pizza place, spending the night nearby and driving home tomorrow.  We will attempt to head to tidepools for the grandsons and hope the little ones make it through the night in a hotel.  Our older son and his wife have set this all up, and our daughter-in-law's mother will be part of this whole scheme as well.  Luckily, the event is at a state park near where we used to live decades ago, and I love the place.  Huge redwoods, sunny meadows, a covered bridge, what's not to like?  So I'm looking forward to the chaos, foolish grandma that I am.