Category: Woman Boss

Thanks to Aunt Lee& Nathan, Sophie and Mouse, and I are spending the weekend in Idyllwild.

This means we eat what we want!

Brunch at The Red Kettle.
Mom: chili, peach pie, coffee. A real Agent Cooper kinda-lunch, and they make a damn fine cup of coffee.
Sophie & Mouse: Chicken strips with fries, and beaucoup gravy, and apple juice.

Then we go shopping and buy dumb stuff:
shaved ice
candy necklaces
salt water taffy
small felted rabbit
crazy expensive bath bombs
and earrings (for Sophie) and adding to Mom’s huge, and Sophie’s non-existent button collection:

While we were shopping we went into one store that had all these beautiful blown glass items, quite large, in a case under the counter. “Those are so pretty!” said Sophie. “What are they?”

“Those are bongs,” I said, “you use them to smoke weed and get high.”

“Oh my gosh,” said the woman behind the counter (about my age, store owner I surmise), “I love that. So matter-of-fact, and no judgement.”

I also bought a pro-choice button (which is already affixed to the hoodie I wore to the 2016/17 Women’s march on Washington (the hoodie that is signed by all the people who were on the bus with me…. always have a Sharpie about your person, okay?), so the shopkeep and I had a good long talk about legislators legislating weed, and trans folks, and women’s bodies, when there’s MAGA and mass shootings, and anti-semitism, and all the things that are sooooooo wrong with USA right now, so we got along really well. And I bought Sophie her first bong. (Nope, just kidding on that last part…. Have you ever used a bong? I never have, though I have seen a few in action.

Then stop at the little grocery in town (there are two) and rustle up the perfect dinner. Sophie declared it was better than Thanksgiving!

Sophie… by request: Pillsbury crescent rolls, Spam, peas, mashed and gobs of gravy. For Mom, fruit, olive bread smeared with labne, grilled halloumi, Q ginger beer.

Then we played Trash Pandas, and M.A.S.H. Sophie won Trash Pandas, but lost at MASH as she is going to live in a shack with her friend from school, drive a murder van, and make $0.003/year as an origami instructor. I am going to marry Eddy from Two-Set Violin (I like Eddy, but I was hoping to get 1970 Paul McCartney), have one child, and make a million dollars a year as a singer (funny that “successful novelist” is not in my future.). Oh! And I get to drive Vera’s Land Rover (see the British TV show VERA).

Interrupting the weekend for a little bit tomorrow to have a Devil’s Party Press author marketing meeting. Trying to build a community among the authors and Dave and me so that we can all foster each other’s success. Men work from sun to sun, but a publisher’s work is never done.

If you get a chance to visit Idyllwild, it’s fun. I even like the round and round drive up the mountain (Sophie takes motion sickness pills and puts a blanket over her head…. so experiences may vary. You do you.)

Thanks Aunt Lee and Nathan for the weekend~