REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

1940 Ford Coupe Envy: Kudos to Jerry and Chuck

Shine your Chevy, detail your Deuce Coupe and hustle your hot rod over to Reno and Sparks' Hot August Nights for a celebration of America's love affair with cars and rock and roll: July 31 - August 9, 2009. That’s what my friend Jerry and his friend from childhood, Chuck, will be doing this year, as Jerry does every year.

Only this year they will be showing off “Jer’s 40,” a hot red 1940 Ford coupe that the two men have been restoring since 2002. Chuck and Jerry are in their early ‘70s now and their passion is restoring cars. Buddies since they were 13-years-old, they bought Jer’s 40 when it looked like this. Double click the photos to see them in more detail. 

This what it looks like now. 

When Dannie, Jer’s wife, and my own life-long friend, sent the photos of the restored car recently, I was totally jazzed. In Sparks, NV, where they live, Jerry has a big garage at home where he does his restorations. He even has one car he restored in honor of Dannie, but that’s a story for another time. Dannie’s e-mail describing Jer’s 40 follows:

“I'm glad you enjoyed the picture of Jerry's car.  He is so proud of it.  In January 2002, Jerry's best friend Chuck, from his teenage years was here visiting.  They are both very much into cars.  They were driving and tinkering with cars from the time they were 13 years old.  Anyway, they saw this 40 Ford advertised in the paper.  It was located in Arizona.  So they got on a plane and flew down to check it out.  Jerry bought it and they drove it home.  Took two days and was quite a trip.  It had never been refurbished, so not much of anything worked very well.  They couldn't get the key out so when they stopped for the night they had to park it right outside the motel window so they could keep an eye on it.  Probably neither one of them slept that night.  They finally made it home and they were both in seventh heaven.  They started working on it right away and Chuck wound up staying an extra month.

After Chuck left, Jerry started working on a couple of other cars that he had.  He wanted to wait till Chuck could come again to work on the 40.  So, over the years, lots of Chuck’s vacations have been spent working on the 40 with Jerry.  They tried several different engines, and finally settled on a new Flat head engine which was what the kids used to "hop up" in the old days and it goes like a ‘bat out of H---‘.  He got tuck and roll upholstery put in it and took it to the painter about a month and a half ago.  Just got it back on Saturday when I sent the picture.

Hot August Nights will be starting up here in a few months and he is really looking forward to showing the car.  Hot August nights lasts for a week, and they have about 6,000 old cars registered this year.   They have show and shines all around town, so I probably won't be seeing much of Jerry then."

Dannie's using oxygen these days and isn't able to spend the countless hours at Hot August Nights like she used to, but she says he has lots of friends in the old car clubs, so he always has someone to hang out with.

This is a photo Dannie snapped of Chuck (l) and her husband Jerry. And here's two more views of Jer's 40. 

 For the life of me I can't seem to write the code tonight to get these photos centered, but if you've just had some wonderful dreams of what it was like to ride in a car like this, let me know. 

The Good Old Days: The Boogie Woogie

Feeling Loved From Pitbull Kisses

I'll admit that I am very leery of pitbulls and I am a dog lover personified. There's no one who hasn't heard the awful things that have happened to kids and others when a pitbull turns vicious. We also know that the breed has been exploited internationally to make money in the dog fighting world. It makes me sick to think about it. 

Today I saw a story on CNN about the pitbulls that were rehabilitated after Michael Vick's dogfighting ring was broken up a year ago. Usually fighting dogs are put down after a ring is closed down but the judge in Vick's case made him pay to have all 65 taken care of for life. Many of them now have happy homes after rehabilitation. All you have to do is Google pitbull and several sites come up with people who champion the breed. There is talk of eliminating the breed altogether. If you click the photo, you'll see the dogs larger and in more loving detail. 

My grandson was living with me still when his mom was given, by default, a pitbull found on the side of the freeway. That's Spooky on the right. I wouldn't allow Spooky to live here as I didn't trust her with Cookie. Spooky was named because she was spooked--afraid of people, trembling and hiding, but growling at people she wasn't sure about. Initially she growled at me. When Anthony moved back with his mom, Spooky was the happiest dog on the planet. Then a year ago Anthony rescued Justice, who is kissing me on the left. She is also skittish but both dogs are extremely lovable. Far more than Cookie ever has been. 

Both of Anthony's dogs have proved to be excellent pets, but I'll admit that my heart still races a little bit when I visit and both check me out for a second before they start kissing me. I found the poem below on The Last Rescue site.

American Pit Bull Terriers

You made me what I am today, courage at its best.
You wanted me to know no fear, a cut above the rest.
Not only did I master that, I've thrown in loyalty, too.
Look past my eyes into my soul, you know I'd die for you.
I'll watch your kids, I'll watch your house.
Your praise will be my crown,
ask what you will-I'll do my best.
I'll even be your clown.
But some of you don't like me, I'm sure I don't know why.
The only thing I'm guilty of is courage, love, and try.
But still they want to see me go, they want my breed to end.
Will I see you sitting idly by? You, whom I call a friend?
You made me what I am today, you never saw me waiver.
I've done my best to keep you safe. Won't you please return the favor.
-Author Unknown

Send Your Name to Mars on the Rover

Would you like to send your name to Mars on the next Rover? One of our teachers shared how to go about it. You go to the Mars Science Lab link at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

You fill in your information and your name will be included with others on a microchip on the Mars Science Laboratory Rover heading to Mars in 2011! And you even get a certificate of participation. This really appealed to the kid in me!

Whether you are interested in science and space or not, the site has an amazing amount of information about it in laymen’s language for adults and kids.

There was a Name the Next Mars Rover contest as well, but that deadline has closed. There is also a link to follow the project on Twitter. So, sign up to send your name to Mars and then look at the participatory chart. We’re all in this together.

A Look at a Local Environmental Hero Bringing Awareness on Earth Day

Award-winning naturalist Martin Byhower, who has been working tirelessly long before most of us were even aware of being environmental stewards was honored this past weekend as one of the community’s environmental heroes by Manhattan Beach, CA’s chapter of VOICE (Volunteers and Organizations Improving the Community’s Environment), during the city’s Earth Day Celebration.

Martin teaches Middle School Science at Chadwick School where I work and I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him for almost 20 years. He is a legend in the Southern California environmentalist movement and is well known as a birder in the National Audubon Society. Martin is one of the few people I know who lives his passion.  Below is a photo of him working with a student in Chadwick canyon where for more than a decade he has had the Ecology Club replacing the non-native plants with native ones. 

As part of my school’s Earth Day Celebration for 2009, Martin put the following e-mail out to the entire campus community about Earth Week which is scheduled for next week. Many individuals and the media are critical of Earth Day itself and say it has outlasted its effectiveness. If environmental awareness continues to be relevant, Martin's Earth Week plan in tandem with Earth Day itself still has the potential of making a difference. In education we are forever looking for “teachable moments."

Martin’s e-mail said: “Established April 22, 1970, Earth Day acknowledges that environmental issues have reached a "critical mass." The first Earth Day resulted in long needed legislation to conserve resources and protect human health and wildlife. Although progress was made, on this 40th Earth Day celebration, many of those same problems are still with us, in some cases exponentially greater. HOWEVER, the purpose of Earth Day is to celebrate the beauty, richness, and wonder of Spaceship Earth, and to renew our commitment to the progress that is being made protecting our finite and fragile planet.

During Chadwick Earth Week, brought to you by Chadwick Ecommunity and Chadwick Sustainability, the entire Chadwick community will engage in activities designed to demonstrate that we are well on the path towards a Sustainable, Eco-friendly lifestyle at our school. Here is how the week is planned to play out:

 Mon. April 27: TRASH FREE DAY

All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to Bring lunches in reusable, recyclable, or compostable containers.

Thanks to the kitchen staff, virtually all food plates and utensils are compostable, and kitchen trimmings will also be saved for composting by Ecommunity.

Tues. April 28: POOL TO SCHOOL DAY

Anyone riding a school bus or participating in a carpool with 3 or more students (if there is a parent driver) or 4 or more students (if there is a student driver), and students who are campus residents and who walk to classes, are eligible to win a prize, and more importantly, will demonstrate their commitment to reducing global warming and increasing American energy independence. All students who participate will be eligible to receive a ticket to win one of 13 organic T-shirts bearing freshman Lillian Babcock's original Ecommunity/ Sustainability logo (randomly drawn, but possibly one per grade level) courtesy of Ecommunity. Save your tickets!

Wed. April 29: WEAR SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING DAY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL RECYCLE FUNDRAISER KICKOFF

The Middle School will reaffirm their commitment to making the campus-wide can and bottle recycling effort successful, and in turn will be given half of the proceeds from that program to donate to the environmental causes that they have chosen to support.All students are encouraged to wear sustainably-produced clothing that day (including clothing made from organic cotton, recycled synthetic materials, previously owned clothing, etc.)

Thurs. April 30: BYOBC (BRING YOUR OWN BEVERAGE CONTAINER) DAY

All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to bring and use their refillable water bottles or, at least, bring or purchase beverages in non-plastic containers. Plastic beverage containers of any sort will not be sold in the cafeteria this day, but plenty of water refill stations exist on campus!

Fri. May 1: MINIMIZE ELECTRICITY DAY and SUPPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL BAKE/ COOKBOOK SALE

Chadwick teachers have been asked to reduce lighting or to use only natural light (windows, skylights, etc., and if that is not possible, perhaps consider teaching class outdoors), refrain from showing videos or smartboards, maintaining classroom thermostats to cool only if the ambient temperature is above 78 degrees, and switching computers or overhead projectors off when they are not in use.

Also on this day, the MS cookbook and bake sale will raise funds to support selected environmental causes.

 

Can You Imagine a World Without Books?

"Good children's literature appeals not only to the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child." Anonymous

When I see a child reading with great concentration, I realize that in spite of outer appearances, all is well with the world. This is my grandson Henry who will be six years old next week. He and his brother Fritz are voracious readers as are his dad and mom. Trips to the library are frequent to bring home a new stack of books. I cannot even imagine a world without books. 

Sophia Challenges You to Name Ten Songs With Blue in the Title

 Yesterday I wrote about the Blue Man Group, my affinity for blue, my reticence to post entries on the blog, and introduced you to my nephew who looks great in blue. 

Simultaneously, I realized it was time to redress Sophia, my art mannikin, and at the Torrance Salvation Army on Saturday I found her a nice spring dress with shades of blue for $5. Yesterday at the Redondo Beach S.A. I found a gossamer blue scarf for $2. She likes blue, too. The necklace is mine and so is the flower clip in her hair.

She will continue to wear this outfit until Cinco de Mayo or whatever I find next at the thrifts or I recycle one of her six outfits. This dress is a size 4 and it's big on Sophia. I can remember when I dressed in those single digit dresses; it has been a very long time! 

When I first started dressing Sophia last fall, some of my family and friends thought I had passed over the boundaries of eccentricity. 

But, I'll admit, I'm far more comfortable being eccentric now that I'm 71. Who is going to refuse to hang out with me because I'm "Weird Grandma?" I don't live with a man although it is men who initially are jarred when they see Sophia. On the other hand, a few of them have asked for photos with my girl. 

Speaking of grandkids, I spent play time with Henry and Fritz, 6 and 4 1/2, yesterday afternoon and today I took Whitney to her college when her car wouldn't start and then we went out to lunch. She's 22. Afterwards, I went in to visit my grandson Anthony, now 20, and romped with Spooky and Justice, his pit bulls (which he did not have when he lived with me.) 

So, now here's the challenge. Can you name 10 songs with blue in the title? No fair Googling. The song going through my head doesn't actually have blue, but implies it: Mood Indigo. 

Redondowriter and Two of the Blue Man Group in Vegas

I am struggling mightily right now posting to Sacred Ordinary--after 5+ years of doing it almost daily. The honeymoon lasted quite a while, though, and I know that in real life, in marriage, when the glow wears off, that's when the opportunities for deepening love and commitment really begin. (I wasn't as successful in making this happen in my own marriage, but I guess 27 years isn't all bad, is it?)

Those of you who know me know that I am a push over for blue accessories in my home with a particular emphasis on cobalt blue. I have collected waaaay too much of it and I am beginning to divest myself of some of it on Freecycle--plus a whole lot of other stuff. 

I don't wear a lot of blue, but I wear a lot of blue jewelry, and I do love denim. But, when I saw these two Blue Men (from Madame Tussaud's) from the Blue Man Group, I had my nephew shoot a couple of photos in the Venetian. I have yet to see any real blue men in person. Have you? 

And here I am with my Godson and nephew Jim who always makes sure I get out a little bit when I go to Vegas to visit his mom, my sister. Jim was born a few months before my own first son, Joe. 

I can't remember if this photo was in the Encore or the Wynn, but the gardens in most of the strip hotels are always so beautiful. 

Maybe I just needed to take a breather from Sacred Ordinary and not beat myself up when I think I have absolutely nothing to share that is interesting. All of a sudden, with our few days of genuinely hot summer weather, I got my groove back. 

Cookie is Wearing Eau d'Skunk

Cold, windy night and after I finished a late dinner and had paid Ryan, my handyman, for putting in a ceiling fan in my downstairs bathroom, I took Cookie for her last work before bedtime. 

I wish I hadn't. We had gone no further than a half block when she leaped into the neighbor's planter bed and attacked a small skunk. I thought I got her away in time, but she was frothing gunky, ooky stuff from her mouth. This is her fifth time since I've owned her that this has happened.

I short leashed her, wiped the offending juices from her muzzle with my good ski scarf (which I threw away), and walked her upstairs and into the bathtub. Tomato juice first and then I turned on the hand held shower and soaped her down with her foo-foo, good smelling shampoo--again and again and again.

Fortunately, the skunk goo only got on her face. I toweled her down and she is indignantly drying. She does look downcast, doesn't she? But so do I. I can smell it in the house, but I've seen her totally skunked a few times when nothing seemed to help, not even a professional groomer.

Wow, the 'hood can get pretty exciting sometimes. So, now we both deserve to go to bed with a book, don't we?

SoulCollage: The Green Woman

After a long, dry spell with any kind of art work, Sunday night four SoulCollage cards more or less made themselves. This is called the Green Woman or Spring and she is in the Council suite. I am the one who makes the time for all plants to grow, for the light to stay longer, and who brings the warmth to your chilled-deep bones. I am the one who knows that time is another definition of seasons; I am spring. I am the one who hears you say that summer is your favorite, but I know you've been planting impatiens and other flowers in your patio and watching the jasmine flowers forming with such gusto that I know you are living me in each moment. 

If I could ask Green Woman a question, it would be, "I hibernate and see in shades of gray during the cold, dark months. Can you tell me how I can carry you in my heart even in the dead of winter?