abigail414's diaryland diary
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Burning Questions
________How Hot Is It?______________
This week hit 112 degrees in Palm Springs, CA. As you can see above, I have �misters� in the front courtyard to make it more habitable for the dogs. (Truth is, the dogs aren�t outside if it is much over 100 degrees). I'm doing OK with it, just adjusting my schedule and activities accordingly.
What do you in 112 degrees?
� You move more slowly, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and lightweight minimal clothing.
� You always have a bottle of water in your hand.
� You wake up early when it is �only� 80 degrees, which is also the temperature of your house.
� You buy ice cube trays for fruit juice and use your blender a lot.
� You notice a cool breeze coming out of the ATM slot where you put your card in.
� You float in the pool and then wear your wet suit around.
� You don�t leave things like tennis shoes in your car because they will melt.
� Your fat cat just lies in front of the fan (yes it is blowing)
On the first 112 degree day, I left town. I took a quick trip to LA to take jim515 to lunch for his birthday. It was a lovely 75-80 degrees there, even cooler at the beach (which is still 'home' to my inner teenager). If I ever have to live in LA again, I choose Santa Monica (rather than Gardena, which I also visited). Jim is ripe for his big break in commercials � send good wah that he gets cast in a 'national' soon. He's talented and has a good character face, but first he needs to get out of the hospital, where he landed this week with some intestinal problems (hopefully not from our lunch!).
________What�s News in Lost Angeles?_______
The following stories were in one day of the LA Times:
� 'Surfers for Jesus', whose ministry is to go enjoy the water and talk to people with hopes of conversion.
� High risk sex offenders camped out in parole offices because state laws governing where they can live have resulted in a housing shortage.
� Two grandmotherly women in their 70�s indicted for insurance fraud, involving fatal hit & runs of homeless people, as well as suing everyone for everything.
� Albert Brook�s mother, Thelma Bernstein, died at 95 - she was a former actress and singer, and her photo is classic 1930�s beauty.
� A Swedish videogame executive pleaded not guilty to embezzlement, grand theft auto, illegally possessing a .357 magnum, and driving while intoxicated � all during one night where he wrecked a rare Ferrari Enzo in Malibu.
� A woman awarded $2 million in a matchmaker lawsuit because she got nothing but a few introductions to inappropriate men.
� Another lawsuit in court based on a promise written in blood to pay back a loan the debtor has since reneged on.
________Am I Overexposed?_______________
One of my personal highlights was taking �the girls� out for a night on the town. I�ve kept them covered my whole life, which wasn�t hard since I was of average endowment and living mostly in the midwest. But age, hormones, and weight gain have given me something worth flaunting and with encouragement from Oola and the local environ I did. I don�t know how women do it on a regular basis, I felt naked and vulnerable (maybe because I was, in fact, partially naked). We danced to the Blues and yes I was offered a free drink in my 'free drink shirt'. I have concluded that not only are breasts economical for a night on the town, but they have thermo-regulatory capabilities - exposing them to the air helps to release heat. It was a 99 degree night and I felt fine.
________Did My Doctor Kill His Wife?_________
The surgeon who did my appendicitis operation 15 years ago has been arrested for murdering his wife back in 1968 (he somehow made the cause of death look like polio). In 2001, the local health director reviewed records and determined it was murder. They recently exhumed the body and no polio. I always thought he was an especially creepy and arrogant doctor. Not only did he drive a red Ferrari (very odd for Michigan), but both he and his nurse looked like soap opera characters with perfect hairdos and tans - who knew he was living a soap opera life? Plus, I had really bad post-surgical complications, and considered suing him. Weird to find out he may be guilty of a worse crime than being a lousy doctor.
________Can We Spin Here?_______________
I rode my bike to yoga today, which is what I�ve wanted to do since I came here. And, while riding home, saw my first roadrunner - I didn't hear a beep beep, but they definately run down the road. I�ve become quite attached to my little mystical yoga center. When I consider moving, or getting a house, I weigh in how far it would be to the center. There are other places to do yoga, but that one is special to me, like an exotic retreat. Plus, there is an equally exotic lounge/bar opening up nearby, with lush middle eastern d�cor. We can have brunch and mimosas after Sunday yoga and continue the otherworldly feeling.
Speaking of wanting to be somewhere exotic, I just started reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and highly recommend it. She traveled to Italy, India, and Indonesia in her quest to become whole after the end of a marriage and a love affair.
After my last post on lost loves, I got an excellent article in the mail from the 2nd ex-wife of my 1st ex-husband. (No we have not met in person, and yes, she reads this diary). The article was from 'Psychology Today', and said that single people are pretty happy, but may feel guilty about it because we are �supposed to be' coupled. Why do they say we are happy? Well, being single allows you to do outrageous things, like go across the country to start your life anew � which would be difficult with most spouses. It allows you to develop hobbies, friends, interests, sleep schedules, food, lifestyle choices, vacations, and decorating schemes that could be harder when accommodating a partner. According to the article, single people in their 50�s especially have a 'renaissance� in becoming who they are. And, in truth, being married may be the new �transitional state�, since over 50% end in divorce. The big challenge is deciding you're OK as a single in a world focused on coupledom.
As I wrote that, a hummingbird came up to the feeder, then another one came along - they did a fierce dance in the air that was very exciting to my cat Orlando, and then zoomed off. Hmmn.
4:10 p.m. - 2006-06-09
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