Li'l Toot

Remember the little tugboat that could? Sometimes, when discouragement comes to pay a visit we just need to keep thinking We Can Do It. One of life's perplexities for me, however, is the answer to "I can do what?"

Be that as it may, I love this little tugboat. Sometimes I see it out in the bay. Sometimes I see it docked in the harbor. It inspires me.

I used to call myself "Small but Mighty" (a name, by the way, that baby Sawyer's nurse gave him today, although Chelsea and I see him as not so small anymore). Sometimes I just call myself "Small". And then I see my tugboat--I get to thinking about tooting my own horn again, heading back out to sea, and looking for the next shipwreck to save.

The January Birthday Boys

I miss those Januarys growing up when there was a birthday at our house every week and the Sunday dinner celebrations were pork chops, floured and fried in bacon grease, loads of mashed potatoes and gravy, rich chocolate cake, and hand-packed Ortman's chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream that Dad would pick up on Solano Ave. in Albany. With all of us living in different locations, today the most I can do is honor them on this page and send my birthday greetings to John, January 15; Dad, January 23; & Fred, January 31.

Happy Birthday to my favorite January men!

John Anthony Woolf age 2, now 58

Anthony DeVoe Woolf age 1, now 94

Frederick DeVoe Woolf age 2, soon to be age 56

Ladies and Gentlemen, Introducing the President of the United States

What a brave new world this is

An Orange, An Orange and a Hard-boiled Egg, An Orange, A Hard-boiled Egg, and a Spoonful of Peanut Butter

Today's blog's title is in reference to my breakfast this morning. As I was deciding what I would eat before church my brain shouted out these instructions. I knew I'd have the orange because my friend, Nancy, gave me four from her tree on Thursday; they were juicy and sweet, and I was down to just one, having eaten the other three. Then because I've been attempting a two-week jumpstart of an Adkins diet I had the egg for protein. But not being satisfied by stopping at that I licked off the spoonful of peanut butter just because I love peanut butter. And all of this is because I've thoroughly enjoyed being a big fat pig (for me) over the past few years and eating what I want without shame or remorse (well maybe a little bit of shame, but clearly not enough remorse to change my ways). So now I really must begin the traditional new year's diet w/ vigor, gusto, and compliance. This is also my granddaughter, Annie's, fault.

Some of you may be aware that in the universe I live in, Annie's other grandma has a bit more than I do when it comes to worldly possessions. In fact, in said universe, I'd say that she pretty much has more than me in every way. And yet on the last night before Annie and Brittany went back to Boston, as I was telling Annie a made-up story before she went to sleep and I leaned over to kiss her goodnight, she started playing with my neck, by playing I mean looking in fascination at my saggy skin and tickling it. Some of you may also be aware that I hate my old neck and intend to do something about it short of the guillotine if I ever come into money again. Annie said to me, "Nannie Joy, you have three stripes on your neck". "Stripes?" I responded, questioningly, "as in three vertical loose skin folds weighted down by gravity?" "Yeah, stripes," Annie declared, paused and then added, "Grandma Margaret only has one".

How can this be, I thought to myself. She's a few years older than me; has more than me in every way; how come in the one way she has less is in "stripes"? "THIS LIFE ISN'T FAIR!" I wailed to my universe. As if I didn't already know that.

"You're wrong," my universe whispered back to me, "you have more ex-husbands, also".

"Aargh!" I groaned and started planning my diet (again).

It's been a busy week. Chelsea's friend, Cory, arrived on Wednesday from Texas to see baby Sawyer. They've had a great time together but today are sitting in a kid's clinic waiting to have Sawyer's cough checked out. We all seem to have come down with colds. Annie and Brittany left last Sunday and are back in Boston with Jordan and Jakey, snowed in from church. I miss them all terribly. We're looking at a high of 84 degrees and clear sunny skies. Paul Blart's memorable line in "Mall Cop" is "Peanut butter...it fills the cracks in the heart!"

You can guess what I'm thinking about having for dinner.

Annie and Brittany cavorting before one last sunset

2009 Free Birthdays in the Happiest Place on Earth

Last Saturday I drove to Long Beach Airport to pick up Brittany and Annie who had come to visit for a week. (Jordan and Jakey went from the family Christmas in Park City to Potomac, MD for a few days.) On Monday night, Brittany and Chelsea began my birthday week with a great taco dinner and German chocolate cake, decorations and presents. I set my camera's self-timer for a group picture but it took a few tries to figure it out.

Annie, Brittany, Me, Sawyer, and Chelsea

Then on Tuesday it was off to Disneyland for Brittany, Annie and me where birthdays are free this year. Boy, was that fantastic. First of all, everyone who has a birthday wears a button that says Happy Birthday (insert name), which allows for everyone passing by or every employee who notices to wish you birthday greetings. Meanwhile, your friends wear an "I'm celebrating" button. And then you have all these other people running around with your same birthday and thusly, everyone is wishing everyone a happy birthday. Since going to Disneyland is like one big birthday party anyway it gives you a double-whammy of happiness.

The weather was perfect, the crowds were minimal, the cotton candy, popcorn, and churos delicious, the rides exhilarting (including my first time on Space Mountain, having concluded that if I DID die from it I'd had a good life), and my companions the best. My first trip to Disneyland was 50 years ago (did I say 50?). I'm so glad, as I'm sure you are, too, that there are some things just as magical and wonderful as the first time you experienced them. Thanks, Walt!

January 6--The Day of Epiphany

Still feeling like one cool cat swingin' and singing' through life I say to one and all

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!

and......

Robynn Walters, Sam Attaya, Bud Madsen, Michael Sharette, Shea Davis (I can't remember married name), Cara Alman, Joan of Arc and all other enlightened souls born this glorious day.

I'm going to DISNEYLAND to celebrate with my homeboys, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy!

A Brand New Year-2009 is for the Divine!

I have successfully managed to not wear any makeup on my face for the past 5 days but I am accruing some nice baby spit-up on my shoulders.

Me the past few days

When I was selling real estate ALL THE TIME I felt like I could never go out without being ready to face the world in the best sense because it seemed no matter where I went I'd run into someone I knew. I love the anonymity of where I am now. I don't know nuttin' and nuttin' don't know me. Besides, I choose baby spit-up over Lancome or Chanel.

For young mothers who are dying for a night out on the town, let me tell you, the day will come when you don't care about that quite so much, and nothing is sweeter than taking advantage of the time you have to hold and nurture the little ones so blessedly entrusted into your care.

However, yesterday around 6:00pm, Chelsea, Sawyer, and I went for a little drive to embrace the new year which included a stop at my favorite walking beach. It was dark and foggy as we pulled up into the parking lot. I turned off the car and told Chelsea I'd be back in a moment. I ran down across the sand, rolled up my comfy sweats, and waded into the black water, just enough to feel the cold waves and grainy sand swoosh around my ankles. A few people walking by decided it was such a good idea they might try it, also. Another woman with a child in hand commented, "Very adventurous!" My thought was it was the best way I knew how to say Happy New Year to Me. And so, beginning a new year today, January 2, I don again lipstick and mascara, blush and eyeliner. Inspired by the peacocks I saw strolling around my sister's front lawn on Christmas Eve day, I'm back to strutting my stuff.

Me now...Happy New Year Everyone!