When I was a little girl, I used to snoop around in my parent's stuff, knowing that if it was hidden from me, it had to be really interesting or really bad. My dad had an old suitcase full of papers, girly magazines and other boring stuff but under those papers and naked ladies, I found something really neat. It was a small, black photo album filled with black and white candid shots of my mom coming out of the bathroom with her hair in curlers, my uncles playing poker, my dad and his friends looking...

Since my last entry, my grandmother spent 3 weeks in a nursing home and...

The nurses suggested we contact someone about possible elder abuse regarding the neighbor lady who has been helping her out

We discovered that this neighbor/unofficial caretaker had a gas credit card in my grandma's name and charged $70 in gas while she was hospitalized

Someone has a cell phone that my grandma has been paying for for the past 2 years

My grandmother...

The past week has been horrible. My grandma was found on her bedroom floor last Thursday, too weak to get up because she had been vomiting all night. It turned out to be her gallbladder but she's too old for surgery so they sent her home from the hospital on Sunday. I took her home, got her comfortable, dropped off her prescription and hoped she would okay. I hate leaving her alone but she insisted that I go home.

The next day, a neighbor that watches over her decided it would...

She turned 91 earlier this week and just called to thank me for the flowers I sent. She told me all about her big day, having lunch at Knott's Berry Farm and not getting home until 7:30 (PM!) on her birthday! She's a wild woman

After some small talk, we had the following conversation:

Gram: "so I was hoping you could take me to the parade today"

Me: "what parade?"

Gram: "the big gay pride parade!"...

I have it. Taxes, bills, bitchy clients, difficult family members, etc. You name it, it's going on right now. But how can I not smile and count my blessings when I get to see this face everyday?

It's pretty much impossible to be grumpy with her around


...

I got a big envelope in the mail today and it was a stack of court documents and a letter informing me that my ex husband wants me to go to court and approve a modification to his child support order. Even though my kids with him are 21 and 23, he owes me so much from the years he didn't pay, I still get a small amount from a wage garnishment. I don't need the money, but it helps with things like tuition and books and cell phone bills.

When I first opened the package, I had no...

That is one of the stories on the main page of Yahoo news right now, right under the headline about a power emergency Southern California could be facing with all the wildfires burning right now. We are sitting here watching the smoke and flames from a fire in the hills just beyond our neighborhood, while one friend is preparing to evacuate due to another fire and yet another friend has probably lost her home and ENTIRE neighborhood in the Sylmar fire. Honestly, I don't know why the words "celebrities...

That is what we will probably be from this point on. In a sea of Yes on Prop 8 and McCain-Palin yard signs and bumper stickers, we proudly stick out like a sore thumb.

I fully expect that our house will be egged tonight and that we will get a few choice words thrown our way, from moving cars of course, but all I can say is BRING IT ON!



...

That is the estimated date that my son and his girlfriend will welcome their first baby, a little girl they have already named Madison Christine.

(Christine is my middle name too)

Of course, this is taking me back to when I found out I was pregnant with Javier, almost 24 years ago, and had to find a way to tell my mom. I was only 17 and really scared but to my surprise, she handled it pretty well. It makes me laugh now that even though they are 23 and 24...

They did it!

Other than the paparazzi helicopter that kept flying over during the vows and a very nervous ceremony music starter , things went perfectly! The ceremony was beautiful, the backyard looked gorgeous and it was so much fun to see two very special people so giddy and in love!

I think they are busy honeymooning right now so I will assume they won't mind if I post a few pics

The arch
...

Is your second toe longer than your first?
no

Do you have a favorite type of pen?
Uni-Ball gel impact 1.0mm

Look at your planner for May 14, what are you doing?
I'm totally open that day

What color are your toenails usually?
French pedicure

What was the last thing you highlighted?
due dates on some credit card bills

What color are your bedroom curtains?
light green

...

I can't get to sleep without:
ambient noise

If I were a doll, the accessories packaged with me would be:
my laptop, bottled water, John Frusciante cd, Softlips raspberry lip balm

I have an irrational fear of:
open windows after dark, especially in the bathroom

What type of food do you eat at your grandparents house?
10 year old Goldfish crackers, petrified Snickers bars and store brand cola she bought when I was in high school...

All of the pics:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v58/u2charlene/Club%2033/



From the balcony near our table, overlooking New Orleans Square






The entryway/buffet/bar...