What is it about July 23?

July 23, 2011...
...I caught the bouquet at my cousin's wedding.

July 23, 2012...
...We got married in Hawaii.

July 23, 2013...
...I woke up having a seizure in Cape Cod, the morning of our first-year anniversary. Brain surgery followed.

July 23, 2014...
Our two-year anniversary--and so much to be grateful for.

We decide to go on our favorite bike ride. Even though we are living a traveling life, we happen to be in our previous hometown of Santa Cruz on this day.

We ride up West Cliff Drive and on the bike path along Highway 1. Then through Wilder Ranch and over to a dirt path that follows the ocean. Farm land to our right. Infinity to our left.

Dave suddenly says, "Stop!"We scramble off our bikes. Hundreds of harbor seals lounge in the sun and play in the water.

We watch, entranced. Their silver bodies shimmer, as in celebration.

I'm suddenly so connected, so plugged in to life. As Shakespeare said, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

 

Yesterday Was . . .

. . . 12 hours with my mom, getting her transferred from the care facility back into the hospital since she she's been having more health problems.

Today was fielding phone calls about her care and a transfer to another hospital since there's no room in the one she was taken to yesterday.

The day before yesterday was a glorious 22-mile bike ride with Annie, here,

along the Coyote Creek Trail. Hawks with wingspans like open-doored cars swooped over our heads, and we swerved around two magnificent rattlesnakes who were grabbing some rays on the trail.

In the midst of it all, I've been continuing research for my novel. I've mostly been reading about Auden's and Britten's creation of the operetta Paul Bunyan. In the lyrics, Paul Bunyan expresses the hope that Americans will be saved from the

Pressure Group that says I am the Constitution,
From those who say Patriotism and mean Persecution,
From entertainments neither true nor beautiful nor witty . . .
From the dirty-mindedness of a Watch Committee.

Auden witnessed the devastating rise of facism in Europe. And yet he was not a blind patriot for Democracy. He recognized that all systems have their pitfalls and need their critics.

Speaking of critics, GO JIMMY. And swallow any possible apologies. I don't know why it's considered such an anathema for one President to speak his truth about another. Patriotism serves to silence.

Sunday, Sunday

Yesterday Annie and I needed an escape, so we escaped to an escapist movie, The Valet : perfect escapist fare. Not very deep but very enjoyable. I loved the film's tenderness toward the two main characters.

A beautiful day here. Annie and I are off for a dog walk then a bike ride.

Check out this blog tomorrow for the Monday Poetry Feature, starring a surprise poet! You will love her, trust me.