Thursday, May 14, 2020

Another Day, Another To Do List

Brain cancer is...

 ...in Fullerton, doing stuff.

Because we woke up in Fullerton rather than Glendora, our to do list was blank this morning.  We hit the ground running with McDonalds and a walk at the park.

It was a big bird party at Craig.  Above, the great blue heron showed off some pretty cool wings.  Elsewhere we watched a hen duck (that's the female) protect her babies from a snowy egret.  We've never seen an angry egret.  It puffed up like it was electrified.  We missed the pic, but if you'd like a visual, click here for an angry egret.  We also saw goslings, some brand new and some teenagers. 

Our question for turtles is:  "Why so shy, guys?"  We can't even look at them without them slipping back into the lake.

Our day's list had 19 items, and we accomplished 15 of them.  Not bad, right?  Maybe those other four things didn't belong after all. (Darrell says we'll transfer those four things to tomorrow's list.  I'm not convinced.)

Happy Thursday, Team D. 

Today's Bloom

In Craig's California Native Garden
A Skelly Sighting

According to Chris, the Carbon Canyon Skelly is hanging with a friend these days.

Wish we had a triceratops friend!



Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Getting Gordon: So Close!

Brain cancer is...

 ...back home with an empty wheelchair.

We were all set to spring Gordon loose from the rehab center today and stay with him a couple days (following lots of safety precautions).  Unfortunately the center is under quarantine, so Gordon needs to stay for a week or so longer.  Poor Gordon!

At least these sweet new wheels are waiting for him upon release!

Today's Bloom

Matilija Poppy, or Fried Egg Plant



Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Formal Attire, Zoom Style

Brain cancer is...

 ...going formal, Zoom style.

We had a fun happy hour with Sue (upper left) and Summer and Zach tonight.  As you see, attire was formal.  Oh no!  I cut off snazzy Darrell in the photo! 

Here's another pic, so you can get the whole effect.
Imagine a world wearing pants again.  Yuck.

Project List Update

Accelerated work on our project list continues.  We finished the Watch Outlander Series Project, the Replant Succulent Project, and Catch Up on Reading Guideposts Project. 

We do notice that the level of aggression in our projects seems to be rising.

At least our aggression is positively directed.  So far.

Hope your Tuesday was aggressively good.

Today's Blooms

Ginger's Sunshine Surprise


Chris's Star Jasmine, which (we agree, Chris) would be amazing on a scratch-and-sniff phone app


Monday, May 11, 2020

Get Two Pizzas.

Brain cancer is...

 ...married to a learner.  Not a very fast learner, but a learner nonetheless.

The only food Darrell actively hates--no, despises--is mushrooms.  I respect that.  Consequently, I have eaten pizza with no mushrooms for 36 years.  Tonight I figured it out:  Get two pizzas.  Who knows what's next?

It's Monday, Team D.  Go wild.

Today's Bloom
Zach's Bleeding Hearts, by Summer


 






Sunday, May 10, 2020

Go Moms!

Brain cancer is...

 ...celebrating Mother's Day Day 2.

Please let this be the only "distanced" Mother's Day.  Moms, pretty much by definition, don't do distances.

With the help of the new forms of hanging out that we all use, the Guillaumes had a full Mother's Day.  Above you see we enjoyed Italian takeout with LuAnn and friends Monica and Susanne at LuAnn's house.  Darrell and I were waaaaay down at our end of the table.  Still, everyone was smiling and sharing good times, as you see.

We also had a great Zoom conversation with Zach and Summer and later with Alex, Tiana, and Nova.  Too, Madison arranged a Munns Family Zoom party:

We hung out with LuAnn, all her kids, most of her kids' partners, and almost all her kids' kids and some kids' kids' partners.  LuAnn said this screen shows the benefit of all the years that go into being a Mother.  Go Mom!  (Thanks, Madison, for the invitation and photos.)

Darrell and I spent Mothers Day Day 1 thinking about about mothers at their best.  What does good "mothering"* look like? We talked about what each of us learned from our mothers.  Number One on Darrell's list from his wonderful mother Beverly was kindness.

At lunch today, I toasted LuAnn and told her that so many things that I hold central to my identity I attribute to her.  Thanks, Mom, for showing me through example and instruction how to live my beliefs, how to be strong and independent and--at the same time--open and vulnerable.  Thanks for teaching me the power of the written word and to love words themselves.  Thanks for helping me to find the beauty in the world around us.

In the end, We decided that mothers, at their very best, help each of us grow into the best versions of ourselves.  They seem to do this by how they live their lives and through the support and feedback they provide.  In last year's Mother's Day post (here; A Shoutout to Mamas**)  Alex said that moms do all this while making it look easy.  Go Moms!


Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas.


*Side note:  Darrell and I had a lot of trouble distinguishing how--aside from the basic biology of it--being a mother is different from being a father.  In the end, we decided that it's easier to talk about being a good parent.  Not sure if that's important here, but we're still thinking about it.

**We posted Alex's entry last year from Amsterdam, the first stop on our UK vacation.  Remember those days, when you could travel to different countries?

Today's Blooms
from Alex, Tiana, and Nova
 
from Zachary and Summer


Saturday, May 9, 2020

What Does "Phase Two" Mean to You?

Brain cancer is...

 

...accelerating project completion.

Darrell and I feel confused about "Phase Two."  We aren't changing many behaviors yet to match California's Phase Two status.  However, we are taking the change in status as a sign of things to come.  We've decided we need to work faster on our projects so that, when the time comes, we can get on with the business of living in the larger (and closer) world.

Above you see the results of Darrell's great work on the Fountain Project.  For 25 years, the motor has had a bad plug, so starting in the fountain has been typically a shocking experience.  Also the tubing was pinched and needed to be replaced.  A couple shopping clicks, a few hours, and some Big D expertise later, et voila!  We have a fountain like normal people have. 

What Phase Two means to me thus far is that now I can stop asking, "Honey, will you plug the fountain in, please?" 

What does it mean to you?

Let the Celebrations Begin!

Moms, let's get this party started.  We're the hand that rules the world.  Forget a measly one day of celebration for mothers.  Let's declare two, at minimum.

Here's how I started the party today:

Cafe latte and iced tea for our breakfast walk in the park.  I'm the boss of me.

Today's Blooms

A cactus at Craig:
Suzie's gifts:





Friday, May 8, 2020

Concert #2

Brain cancer is...


...at someone’s house right now.  Weird! 

Yay for Friday!  Yay for concerts!  All from a safe distance.

Happy weekend, Team D!

Today’s Bloom