Mrs. Bloom

Jackie’s mom died yesterday. Jackie was my bestest friend in high school and Jackie’s mom was, well, the bestest mom. Because Jackie’s parents were divorced, my mother would insist I invite Jackie over for some “mothering,” which Mom figured anyone with divorced parents would need. But I was the one who needed mothering, and I got it from Mrs. Bloom.

I have a complete phobia of needles. Hate ‘em. Terrified. Reduced to melted Jell-O around ‘em. When I heard I needed a blood test to get married, I nearly called the whole thing off. That kind of phobia. But this, like most things, I reasoned, should be controllable. So I saw a doctor who tried a treatment called EMDR that’s really a mind game. Part of it involves imagining someone comforting you through the icky times. “Who would that person be?” asked the doc. In a flash: Mrs. Bloom. And now whenever I have to get blood drawn (as seldom as possible but more often than I’d like) or a shot (nearly never if I can help it), she’s by my side and I don’t feel so scared. I just think of her and I feel…stronger.

She had Alzheimer’s for years. Early on there were times she would ask about me. Jackie moved her closer to her in NH last April. I asked if I could visit, but Jackie, wisely, thought I’d be better off remembering her mom as I did from high school.

Jackie said even though her mother lost her memory and her bearings, she never lost being loving. Or loved. Which, I guess, it what it’s all about.

Kids

Aren’t children great? Ain’t it greater when other people have them?

Summer’s Over

1. No eggplant this year. Lousy year in general for all the hot-weather-lovers. Cabbage? Kale? Cauliflower? Happy as cruciforms!

2. Still at it with AT&T! Nine months, one Better Business Bureau report, 2 phone assurances from AT&T command that “You’ll never receive another bill from us,” and lo, a mysterious $14 with a monthly 20 cents penality for not paying. Good luck, iPhoners.

3. Niece Sarah at Northeastern (with my laptop til yesterday when hers finally got fixed).

4. Still loving Helium. How weird is that! Janice = Happy. Too much.

5. And because life is cruel: We lost Lorraine. She’d been in hospice care for about 2 weeks, so one steels one’s nerves. Which fail when the inevitable email comes.

So who was Lorraine? She was my girly-girl shopping buddy. She had a weakness for Chestnut Hill Mall, so we’d scour around shops-for-shrimps in Eileen Fisher, Sigrid Olsen and the like. Lorraine didn’t need an occasion to buy a pretty something (I don’t part with my pelf unless I know precisely when and where I’ll be required to wear new garments). So we’re wandering through one of those frightening make-up sections in some big department store. Argh, I said, the only thing I ever wear is lipstick.

“Lipstick!” Lorraine said, “I just remembered I need some. Let’s look. We’ll buy you one.”

I don’t know, I demurred, lipsticks always change color on me or look weird.

“Nonsense. I will find you something.” And Lorraine charged ahead to the Chanel counter, where she seemed to be intimately familiar with every shade and style. She tried on a few, looking perfect in each, smiling at herself in the mirror with the world’s most beautiful teeth (what can I say, her teeth were gorgeous), then plucked one out for me. “This,” she said, “will be perfect on you.”

Me being me, I looked at the price first.

“Dear god, do you know how much this costs?” I yelped.

And Lorraine explained with her unimpeachable girly-girl logic: “Janice, it’s lipstick.”

So I bought it. I don’t wear it much. I’m not sure I really like the color. But I’m really really glad I have that lipstick. And that Lorraine was my friend.

AT&T…again

So I cancelled long distance service in January. Still billed in March. Cancelled again in March — had to clear up that no, I no longer was at the number that I previously had 7 years ago. So, what is it, June? Still getting billed for long distance service. So now want to close the remnant of the ancient Internet access I had through AT&T. Ha ha. you cannot reach phone support if you haven’t paid the bill — which you are being billed for illegally because you cancelled the service. So, I’ve tried email. Any bets that’ll work? At least I don’t have to listen to the loud, unbelievably annoying two beeps every time an operator or system switches in AT&T.

The Thing about Spring

It’s always a complete surprise to me. Asparagus! Who thought? Daffodils and volunteer arugula! Raspberry canes budding out in leaves all over the place. Hosta and bleeding heart nubs turning into leaves and plants. So along with it goes raking up about 90 tons of catalpa beans from the lawn, but great god almighty, it is nice to have spring back.

Recommendation to Bostonians: If you can get tickets to the Huntington Theater’s Persephone now on (and not much longer), run to get them. Terrific fantasy about art and the curse of eternal life and one 500-year-old statue and one smart-talking rat.

Fun with Art

I had to get some pictures of me taken for work. I hate getting my picture taken but, okay, it’s better than getting punctured with a big ol’ needle. So Husbando and I took to the studio and used some of his artwork for backdrop. Well, something on the picture had to look good.

TU Dinner 2007 — Interesting at Last!

 I know this will sound really weird, but this was a great TU fundraiser this year. No, not just because Linda and I played spa-at-home day with a walk around greater downtown Pepperell and a soak in her hot tub and about an hour just leafing through a year’s worth of magazines. No, it was interesting because this year the Owl People — Marcia and Mark Wilson — gave a talk and showed these gorgeous owls. So a digital camera showed all its wait…I’m… taking…a….picture…but….it’ll…..be…a…while flaws (Husbando  cursed and wished for his old Nikon), but still the pictures are pretty impressive.

I’m also trying out Tabblo, Chris, so bear with me.

See my Tabblo>

They’re Baaaaack

Mr. Woodcock! (See last year’s post – they’re 2 weeks later this year!) Wow — I guess spring really is going to come….

Redux

I’d been chiding myself about not posting. But, honestly, just look at the post beneath this. Same thing!

How Icy Is It?

You have to get in the car and drive to the mail box. That icy.