The Good and the Bad in New Immigrant

Smile: Today is my Father's birthday. Were he alive he'd be 119! He was born in 1895 (or so) and died in 1970. He was 20 years older than my Mom and was 53 when I was born.

Smile: The rain (much needed) has washed away the fog so I can finally see the river. Our second rainy day.

Smile: Yakety-Yak is curled, sound asleep in her bed. She ate this morning. Yesterday she didn't eat much which worried me. I now know if I stay and pet her while she munches she does better, pet her fur covered bones. Her yakking is all about wanting to come in. She'll see the vet tomorrow. I fear she has a mortal illness. We shall see.

Smile: Have written ten pages - as in handwritten - to my friend and new grandmother, Toki, who does not have a computer. Toki is living in LA with her daughter for four months to help with baby Jaxson. Her daughter is the one I almost saw born. Toki was staying at our apt. when her water broke in the pre-dawn hours. I raced her to the hospital in a discombobulated state. She offered to have me at the birth, but I declined because it was to have been her Sister there. Earlier, I raced to pick up her husband at the train. He and Tom were at anthropology meetings in NYC, which is why Toki was with me. He made it back a little before noon in the nick of time. The arrival of their first child was nearly as monumental to me as to them. Unfortunately we all had only about six months together before both men took their first jobs. I have not seen them since. Toki and her husband divorced and he is the friend who published Tom's book. As a result of all this excitement there have been cards and exchanges and Daughter friended me on Facebook. I cannot tell you what a significant experience it has been to see Daughter through many phases and times of her life. I am not mentioning her name here because of her job, she is a Terrorism Expert for a major shipping company. She gives them daily (including from the hospital after her emergency C-section) information about areas of concern at their nearly 100 ports and travel routes. Previously she was with Rand Corporation for many years and actually wrote an article there predicting 9/11 BEFORE it happened!

Smile/ Frown: Spot is washing Una. Last night Una swallowed a half inch plastic dental cleaner thing. I immediately filled her up with dry food and only hope it passes through or is digested. I am watching her closely.

Smile: Chanced on several UTubes of Stephen Colbert doing interviews as himself, not his show's character. After seeing those I know he will make an ideal talk show host when he takes over for David Letterman.

Frown: Those green pipes on the train were definitely Keystone pipes. Did you see them on TV when they were reporting on the latest pipeline delay?

Frown: Iowa has a very good U.S. House member, Bruce Braley. He is now running for Senator Tom Harkin's seat. The Koch brothers are already trying to smash his campaign! It is downright insidious!

Empathetic Smile: As I said, Toki is now in LA. She enrolled in yoga and Tai Chi classes there. The gym is in a town new to her. After her first class she came out and could not find her car. Following a 45 minute search she called the police saying, "I'm 70 and I can't find my car." They took their time getting to her. Once there they grilled her with insane questions like, "Are you senile?" They searched her purse! One officer requested she draw a map of where she parked! (Who was senile here?) When they finally did what they should and drove around the gym's neighborhood, the car was readily found. Tom and I roared as we read, roared with compassion!!

Sadness: All our hearts cry along with the parents and grandparents who have lost children recently - here in the U.S. in the bus crash and now in that ferry sinking.

I am grateful for every "normal" moment in my life and yours.

Carpe Diem, Friends.