Zora Travels

Love in Vegas

It was this time of year back in 2006 that I first met Daniel's family.  We had been dating since April.  A beautiful romance that had blossomed through train rides to San Francisco, road trips to Mexico, and emails and postcards sent from Croatian islands and Prague pubs as I backpacked on a prior-to-meeting-him European adventure.

Finally, I was flying into the blue desert valley of a Vegas at winter to "meet the parents" (and sister). Daniel and I held hands and walked into the Bellagio to find his familial trio near the dangling glass flowers.  We feasted on the elaborate buffet and I watched in awe as Annalisa piled a Rockett-sized ensemble of crab legs on her plate.  I think she only ate crab legs.  Neighboring children from the family next to us screamed and climbed behind Ma's head on the booth ledge...their feet occasionally kicking her.  We all sat stunned with judgement (which I maintain is still justified) and in awe at how horribly they were allowed to behave.  They did; however, in hindsight, provide a distracting backdrop to fill in any awkward silences.

We then walked through the winter wonderland that only a Vegas casino can provide.

Five winters later, Vegas still stuns me with her winter landscape...completely unlike both my urban LA home and snowy memories of a Northwest childhood.  Nora's chest rattles with the second day of a chest cold. Daniel and I each sniffle and snort and snot through the beginning of our own pair of matching colds. Thus, I am able to blissfully post for the third time in three days.

Here are the striking photos of yesterday's walk in the desert scape behind my in-laws house.  Stark in forms, rich in blue and sand and sky, cracked earth and one colorful explorer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Vermont Play Date

I have long wanted to write about this special visit from Margie and Noah at the end of November. Since this blog serves as my journal...for my late-night-memory-jarring perusals of what life used to be, I wanted to post some of my favorite pics of Nora and her little friend Noah.

It was only a week before we would depart our home of five years on Vermont and head up towards the suburbia we now call home.  The sun was setting.  The tots were ablaze with energy and excitement and freshly-minted running ability.

I met Margie nearly a year ago.  We both had four-month old peanuts and a bit of cabin fever.  There were a few blankets spread upon the ground at an oceanside park for a picnic...we both had a desire to eat but a quandry of what to do with our babes.  Taking turns was a natural option.  And there it was - the meeting of Noodle and Nobey.  Our sweet outfitted squishies lying upon the colorful blankets.  Since then there have been many fabulous playdates.  Fewer than Margie and I would like...but there have also been more ladies-only cocktail celebrations.  Her friendship has become a true source of support, laughter, and understanding.  This picture is from their first solo-playdate.

So, here's our busy bees in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Throw your hands up!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A cute factor that's over-the-moon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margie and her boy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

clobbering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

flowing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

running

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

departing

Holiday Blur

Merry merry to my beloved eight readers.  I have lacked Internet or time or energy or proper mood to post for such a very long time.  Tonight, with a belly full of dinner, a sleeping baby, the sounds of Andrea Bocelli melting "Ave Maria" into the air, I have sat down determined to post.  Something.  Anything.  Short or Long. Words or pictures.

The holidays have been a blur. Not just because of the whirlwind of activity but the flurry that is my daughter.  With her 15 months of vigor and scant interest in "independent time," I find us attached at the hip.  

She's my sidekick....

• When she wakes up around 5am.
• As I make breakfast.
• When I sweep the floor.
• As I go to the bathroom.
• When I wash/dry/fold diapers.
• As I clean the cat boxes.
• When I packed the old house.
• As I unpacked at the new house.
• When I made Christmas cards.
• As I mailed the Christmas cards.
• When I bought Christmas presents for all of my family and Daniel's.
• As I mailed some gifts at the post office.
• When I wrapped all the remaining gifts.
• As we celebrated Christmas Eve at my Mom's.
• When we flew to Vegas to Daniel's family on Christmas Day.
• As she eats dinner.
• When she falls asleep around 7pm.

Always near.

But I know and I savor and I linger in the sweet moments that we have together each day...just as I wish and pray and hope for a few minutes without her.  This balance between wanting her snuggled to my chest, patting my face with her velvet palm, slowly blinking her aburdly long lashes, wisps of hair spraying out behind her ears and hoping for space to write, to think, to read, to just be alone.

My second Christmas Season as a mother has come and went.  Most of my important memories were created...the sugar cookie baking, the decorating of a Christmas bush (rosemary, to be exact), the hanging of the parole, and the sipping of egg nog (which Lulu adored).

New traditions also began.  The pitter-patter of visiting toddlers exchanging gifts with Nora.  Her whimsical crayon scribbles on Christmas cards.  A new hearth holding our stockings.  

And now some pictures.  Of celebrations, of family, and of our amazing and cuddly Blur.

 

 

 Lovin' her some Nog.  Good girl.  Like your Mum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three of my favorite things.  Parole (illuminated shell star from the Philipines), angel topper, and a decorated Christmas tree (or rosemary bush when you just moved in and are leaving for a week on Christmas day).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our new mantel (and the soon-to-be-painted livingroom wall)...bedecked with Christmas cards and our stockings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A "it's getting late folks" family shot in front of my Mom's finery.  Noodle is really thrilled it's Christmas Eve...she just wishes it could be celebrated a few hours earlier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandma Lola.  Can it get more luminescent than this octogenarian and our sweet pea?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the unwrapping begin.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold - wooden fruit and a wooden knife.  Cut, cut, cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The three cutest booties in Vegas.  Nora with her cousins, Che Che and Bea.

 

 

 

 

"Wow, fish."

 

 

 

 

 

"Show me again, Ninang Daisy."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Che Che thinks that Nora kissing her reflection is the funniest thing EVER.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nora agrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "Mom is a whopping two feet away from me" shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recovered.

 

 

 

 

 

Fun at Sunset Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Lemme go, lemme go, lemme go down."

 

 

 

 

 

"more, more, more, more"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Dog, dog, dog, dog, dooooog!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A toddler on a mission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Dad, you're so funny!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snuggles.

Nestled

At 9am sharp, they arrived tattooed and smiling. They literally ran to and from the truck...creating a tetris miracle of stuffing and stacking.

By 2pm, we were in like Flynn, raking leaves, meeting neighbors and their dogs, unpacking essentials. Marveling at how much crap we have.

The television is purposefully buried in the garage.

The cats are pissing on our new wood floors.

The baby is sleeping in a room with foil curtains.

We are home and my hair brush is missing.

Home Stretch

I know, I know.  It's been a very LONG time.  This computer no longer uploads photos and the video-recorder has a dead battery (and batteries are now buried in a box).  So, all you'll get are my words. 

We move this Sunday.  A gigantic truck will pull in, out will pop four tattooed-burly mean wearing back braces and smiles.  They will gingerly place all treasured items and furniture into the truck.  Within hours we will be settled in to our new home, roasting chestnuts, and listening to Bing Crosby's "White Christmas."

Wait, w.a.i.t.one.second...that was just a dream I had.

Yet, the truth could be closer than I think.  Four men will arrive at 9:00am.  Inked flesh, maybe not. Smiles, we shall see.  But the truck will fill, felt-padded furniture will be dropped, and we will call a new nook of Long Beach home.

That night, strange streetlights will spill new shadows across our bed.  Dark forms of boxes will pepper the corners and shiny wood floors throughout our home.  Nora will slumber in her turquoise-splashed room.  Foil taped to her windows (since her curtains are a project my mom & I want to tackle with more time and love).  Maxwell and Sophie will be confused and scampering behind mountains of crap, their fur sticking to strands of brown tape curling back from opened boxes.

And in the midst of this nerve-wracking move (of which Daniel claims is "no big deal"...while, my mom friends say it is close to the stress of a divorce), I will seek solace and comfort in the sweet smell of pine and the soothing balm of the Christmas season.  Yes, folks, we are going to get a tree.   Our evergreen friend will have a brief stint...but it is needed.  For my heart and my hands and my family. This is my favorite time of the year!

There are holiday traditions that are so deeply ingrained in the folds of my mind, that not even piles of boxes and daunting house projects can put asunder.

• My mom and I will bake sugar cookies and paint ornaments (with Nora assisting).
• We will poke clove sticks into an orange and hang it by a ribbon.
• Apple cider with cinnamon sticks will bubble on the stove.
• Eggnog spiked with rum will be sipped.
• Daniel and I will unpack each ornament from my childhood and travels and our marriage, and hang them upon the tree (still reserving the glass ones for future years).
• The parole will be hung and dance light in our front window.
• Stockings will be hung above the fireplace.
• The cats will knock pine needles and ornaments down.
• Nora will eat pine needles and grab more ornaments down.
• ...and Christmas music will fill the air...

We will be home and 'tis the season.