Seasons for All

Scrapbooking Songs, or What Strep Throat Really Means

A few months before my older son turned 21, I decided to make for him a scrapbook that would include numerous photographs of important people and memorable times in his life.  I had not had a chance to organize well all my photographs, so this was a perfect opportunity to pull them all out of their boxes, which is just what I did.  I took 3 very large boxes full of photographs out of a hall closet and began sorting through them one by one.  It took me several hours, and the next day I came down with strep throat. 

After recovering from my sudden and short-lived illness, I resumed the scrapbook project.  Rather than sequencing the photographs chronologically based on my son's age, I decided to bundle them by theme.  So, all the Halloween photos were together, all the Christmas photos were together, all the school years photos were together, etc.

As the scrapbook evolved, I soon discovered there were over 400 photographs I wanted to include.  I also soon discovered that not all photographs would fit into one volume, so I created two.  I created title pages for each section of the scrapbook, and at the bottom of each title page I included a verse from a favorite and relevant song. 

Watching PeeWee's Playhouse, for example, was a regular activity on weekend mornings when my boys were growing up.  So it was fitting to include a verse from this television show's theme song on the title page for the cluster of photographs of both my sons together.  (If you clickity-click to PeeWee's website, click on "Enter" or "Characters" to hear the entire theme song.)

With the volumes nearly completed, I decided to choose two songs that were both favorites and symbolic to begin and end the scrapbook.  And instead of including just one verse of those two songs, I printed the entire lyric onto one page and placed one at the beginning of the first volume and the other at the end of the second volume.  The scrapbook opened with the lyrics to "Forever Young," made popular by Rod Stewart in 1988.  And the scrapbook closed with lyrics to "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" recorded by Green Day in late 1997.

I had a great time creating that scrapbook.  My son appreciated the stroll through his life, and family members enjoyed a trip down Memory Lane.  Although my younger son is nearly 23 years old, I've not yet made a scrapbook for him. He's not yet left he nest, so that change may be the catalyst for my recreating on pages his life.

As for that case of strep throat, I think that my son turning 21 years of age and permanently leaving my home was more of an emotional milestone for me than it was for him.  So much so that somewhere deep inside I did not want to say goodbye to him, or to his childhood.  What better way to block one's ability to speak than a case of strep throat?

And on we go. 

When My Sons Laugh

There are few things that bring me greater pride than the relationship my sons have with each other.  These two 20-somethings, who are 3 years and 3 months apart in age, could not be more different in personality, style, and demeanor.  They were different as night and day as babies, as little boys, and as teens.  While some of their current interests overlap, there are many differences between the two when it comes to their choosing how they spend their time. 

My older son likes to stay home.  That was true even before he was married with children.  My younger son is always looking to connect with friends, out and about.  But they both value family more than anything else in the world, a common attribute for which I take some credit and for which I feel very lucky.

I've always believed that my older son, who now has a family of his own, is an old soul.  He can see the world from afar and has a clear perspective of nearly everything he experiences.  He is so skilled at looking at the overall picture, that one of his grade school soccer coaches observed him coaching his teammates from the field.  But he wasn't moving as he offered directions to his teammates.  Rather, he would stand in the center of the field with his hands on his hips.  He saw clearing the strategy his team needed to score a goal, and he was directing his teammates accordingly.  After several minutes of this behavior, his coach got his attention by shouting out is last name.  Then he said quite loudly and clearly, "Get IN the game!"  That's my older son.  Sees the strategy and absorbs the detail; knows what needs to be done to reach the goal.  He is a home body who has kept friends he made beginning in the 3rd grade.  His humor is wise, dry, and always perfectly timed.     

My younger son is a younger soul.  He has always lived in the moment, filtering through a personal lens everything that happens to him and to others.  He is always on the go, is charismatic, and has an endearing quality about him that has attracted males and females of all ages to him all his life.  He makes friends easily and is a loyal friend to those he trusts.  His humor is physical in nature, and he has an uncanny ability to impersonate the rich and famous.  He began to perfect this talent when he was about 9 years old.  He could sound exactly like Elvis, Forrest Gump, Ace Ventura, and others.  What was fascinating though was that when I asked him to have Elvis impersonate Forrest Gump, he did it.  And he could then reverse it, Forrest Gump impersonating Elvis.  Perfection.  He has a keen ear for dialects and accents and, without preparation, he can instantly sound as though he is from somewhere other than Northern California.  A true talent.

Now, put these two together and it is quite the combination!  A few years ago, there was an opportunity for the 3 of us to converge from different corners of the community to lunch together.  Each of my sons would begin with their own style of humor, and in less than 3 minutes of our being together, I was laughing hysterically, complete with stomach muscles aching and tears rolling down my face. 

But even when I am not with them, my sons love to spend time with each other.  My younger son frequently heads to his brother's house on the weekends to spend time with his brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew.  When my sons are together, there is a synergy that is the result of pure chemistry.  That synergy was certainly combustible when they were growing up!, but there is a balance now that is constant.

The moments I love best are when my younger son is "performing" in some way, whether it is an impersonation or just teasing someone, and my older son is genuinely amused.  As my younger son experiences personally and makes the best of any given moment for the people who are in that moment with him, my older son is naturally detached and is observing all that is happening around him.  And, from afar while giggling nearly uncontrollably, my older son is in awe of his younger brother. 

When my sons are engaged and attentive to one another, it speaks volumes to the love, respect, and admiration they have for each other.  As their mother, I can think of no greater accomplishment I have achieved than fostering a relationship between siblings that will last a lifetime.  I just love it when my sons laugh. 

And on we go.

    

Mother Nature's Air Conditioning

First things first, my sister's PET scan results were better than we anticipated.  This is a huge relief to us all!

And now on to the weather.  It is Way. Too. Hot.  It was hotter Tuesday than it was Monday.  Temperatures exceeded 110 degrees at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday in some parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. 

When I have no commitments on days temperatures are this high, I often drive into San Francisco just to cool off.  The Stonestown Galleria, where my Godfather owned a lamp shop years ago, is a favorite destination. 

Fog that is frequently present in The City certainly can hinder panoramic views of the notorious skyline.  That said, on days like this one, I think of fog as Mother Nature's air conditioning, and I welcome it! 

Weather reports indicate there is no relief until Friday.  Weather reports are not always accurate, which can be disappointing at times.  I'm hoping they are not accurate and temperatures will drop to the mid-80s.

I shouldn't be complaining.  There are others in this world who are suffering far greater conditions than I.  Hot weather, while not comfortable at all, is certainly tolerable.

And on we go.

      

And On We Go

Northern California is heading into another heat wave, much to my chagrin.  When it's too hot, I seem to slow down in every way, including in my ability to be decisive and articulate.  I've begun this post 5 different times, changing the title and content with each iteration, and I don't even think it's worthy of publishing yet, but on we go.

I've begun to use that expression of late: "and on we go."  A colleague of mine used it at the end of a telephone conversation and I liked it a lot.  He happens to be a psychologist, so when he said it I recall wondering to myself if he uses that term at the end of conversations he has with clients, too.  Probably.  He probably uses it all the time and with everyone. 

In any case, the phrase makes me think of cliches such as "go with the flow," "the path of least resistance," etc.  But I like this one better.  It's inclusive, i.e., "we," and one can infer that energy / life / the world continues to move forward regardless of circumstances.  All that, and we're part of it.

My sister, Sherryl, gets the results of her PET scan today.  We're staying very optimistic that the news will be encouraging.  She is a model for accepting circumstances and moving with them rather than against them.  There have indeed been some setbacks for her and us over the past year and a half, but she teaches us resilience and grace and truth and love.  Hurray for you, Sis.

And on we go.

    

Silicon Valley Moms Group ~ Summer Road Trip '08

Some of my blogging buddies over at Silicon Valley Moms Group, where I'm a contributor to the 50-something Moms Blog, are going on a cross country summer road trip.  Destination: the BlogHer '08 Conference in San Francisco.  

Click here or on the "Summer Road Trip '08" button in the right column of this page to follow their excursion, one live post or twitter at a time!

Have fun, Ladies!

    

Goldilocks and the Sun

In the famous story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears, we follow our heroine as she struggles to find something that is "just right."  She experiences one extreme and then the other before perfection arrives.

That's how I felt today with our friend the sun.  Most of the day I was too warm, which led me to try really hard to recall what it's like to feel too cold.  I do the same thing in winter, trying hard to recall what it's like to feel too warm when I'm too cold. 

While I enjoy the beauty in nature that comes with summer, this season has always been my least favorite because of high temperatures.  This time next week I'll be in a place where there are high temperatures and high humidity.  There also may be thunderstorms, which will be a fun change of pace for this California girl.

That said, I suspect it's going to be quite some time before I feel as though the weather is "just right."    

  

Long Weekend, Summer Style

What a relaxing weekend!  I took a vacation day from work on Thursday, so I'm enjoying a nice long weekend.  Typically, the only other 4-day weekend I have is at Thanksgiving.  Once turkey day is over, I'm in full swing converting my home decor for the Christmas season.  I have lots of fun each year putting out my holiday decorations.  It's exciting and fun and festive, and it's also a lot of non-stop work.  So, I'm very much enjoying this 4-day weekend, one defined more by free time than completion goals. 

I'm going on a business trip this month and there is much to do in preparation for the trip.  For now, I'm enjoying the relaxation of a long weekend and the beautiful weather we're having in Northern California.

Now, let's see. . .  What shall I do today? 

     

Stars and Stripes Forever

Each year for the past couple of dozen, my family have gathered at my sister's house to celebrate the 4th of July holiday.  Everyone arrives early afternoon, and some years close friends will join in the fun, too.  We visit, play games, barbecue, and have dinner.  The view from my sister's living room window is spectacular as it spans the skyline from Napa to Oakland to San Francisco.  Once the sun sets, fireworks begin all across the Bay Area and we watch them all in peaceful awe. 

In years when the holiday falls in the middle of the week, since everyone heads to work the next day, our evenings end earlier than it does when the holiday falls on a weekend.  When that's the case, I don't want the holiday celebration to end too early so the first thing I do when I arrive home is turn on the television to watch a tradition I enjoy very much:  The Boston Pops.  I love hearing them play everything from the "1812 Overture" to "Coming to America."  Here they are playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" on Independence Day, 2007. 

Happy 4th of July!

   

New Design !

I'm getting settled inside this beautifully redesigned blog and love the new look of "Seasons for All!"

Jo-Lynne at DCR Design has done it again.  I first contacted her a number of months ago to design the blog I write for my sister.  She worked magic then matching perfectly carefully selected design elements that represent my sister's personality as I described it.  The outcome is wonderful, and, thanks in part to the "engaging design," my sister's blog will be featured somewhere special some time next month.  More on that when it happens!

So I contacted Jo-Lynne again when I wanted to hang a new banner and wallpaper here.  Since the theme is seasons, we chose a four seasons image and a complimentary background.  Then she waved her magic wand and made the little image twirl and the colors change with each season.  Yellow for summer, rust for fall, blue for winter, and green for spring.  Perfect!  Thank you, Jo-Lynne!   

As I look around my cheerful new yellow blog, it leads to a few thoughts. 

My favorite color when I was a little girl was yellow, which, according to my mom and dad, I pronounced "lellow."  Although blue is now my favorite color, and has been for many, many years, I'm finding the color of sunshine quite refreshing for a few reasons.

For the past few years, I have worn mainly black from head to toe.  I'm certainly not Gothic by any means and, in fact, also wear lovely gold, pearl, and diamond jewelry.  I find that wearing black is simple and elegant, classic and timeless.  While I've considered if there is a deeper reason why I choose to wear a dark color all the time, I realized a couple of years ago that if I had to choose a color that represents my spirit, it would be yellow because it's optimistic and happy, and it reflects my true nature.

I definitely wanted bold colors for this blog because my design over at The Tea Room is very feminine and surrounded by beautiful shades of raspberry red, cotton candy pink, and soothing sage green.  Plus, topics I write about there cover art, music, tradition, and much of the sensory beauty we experience in modern day America.  My favorite blogs there are cottage-y chic in nature, and in recent weeks I've expressed appreciation and awe for painters and paintings from the Impressionist era.  I will continue to write about beauty in art, music, and tradition there. 

While topics at The Tea Room are mostly timeless, "Seasons for All" is intended to take place in real-time.  Here is where I will write about seasons as they cycle through nature, the world, my home, and my life.  I find I always want to begin by commenting on something in nature -- the weather, the colors of leaves, the blossoming of flowers, etc.  And I find I have opinions that get stronger as I get wiser with age.

I welcome you to Seasons for All, and I hope you visit often.

  

San Francisco Believes in Children!

Edgewood's residential program will continue! 

You can read more by clicking here, and you can watch a video by clicking here.

This is great news and I'm so proud to have been born in a city that takes care of its own, and certainly its children.  

Special thanks to Mayor Gavin Newsom for his support.

                                                                

Summer Begins

"Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains..."  ~Diane Ackerman

Words of Wisdom on Father's Day

A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again. ~Enid Bagnold

Always kiss your children goodnight - even if they're already asleep. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I stand on my dad's shoulders and my son stands on mine. And the only way we can do that is by accepting from each other, from generation to generation, these lasting lessons of life.  ~Tim Russert