14 July 2017

fresh fruit late at night
some chilled oranges from the fridge
summertime repast

—————

never meditate
and put water on the stove
screaming steam distracts

13 July 2017

flying through the sky
     birthday high
          on silver wings
piñatas below

traveling to wherever
birthdays always lay ahead

A Mister Magoo Moment

 
People of my generation sometimes like to kid nowadays about brain farts and early onset Alzheimer's when they do something odd. If someone does something that's foolish and funny because they're not wearing their glasses, I like to think they're just having a Mister Magoo moment.

Mister Magoo was a cartoon character who had a television show that I used to watch when I was a kid. He was a very near-sighted old man who never wore glasses. As a result, chaos and comedy would ensue from the mistakes he made because of his disability. The TV character was voiced by the actor Jim Backus. At the end of each episode, he would chuckle in a self-deprecating manner and say "Oh Magoo, you've done it again."

I have to admit that I usually wear my glasses just for reading, especially when I'm home. The rest of the time I get by without them. I like to think that I don't need them that much. I'm reconsidering that notion now.

Two night's ago, I came home after dark with a bag full of groceries. As usual, all of my indoor cats were at the sliding glass door waiting to slip out, and one of three gray semi-feral outdoor cats that feed on my porch was waiting to sneak in. I had to get in the door by using my foot to wrangle the kitties out of the way. Because of the bag in my arm and the darkness at my doorstep, I really couldn't see all that well at all.

Anyway I got in, put up the groceries, feed and watered the indoor cats, and put some food outside for Mattie. She's the  gray outdoor cat who seems determined to live inside my apartment. Then I started to tidy up. A few minutes later, I looked through the sliding glass door and saw another cat-a black cat-just off the porch. I looked around and didn't see Kitty or Prince who are my indoor black cats. So I thought: "Damn, one of the has escaped." I didn't need glasses to know that it must be one of my black kitties.

So, carefully closing the screen door behind me, I stepped outside, and for ten minutes the black cat eluded my attempts to recover it. All the time Mattie is running between my legs and getting in the way. I decided then to just sit on the porch and wait for the kitty to return on its own volition. I couldn't tell if it was Kitty or Prince, but I was certain that hunger would bring my accidentally released indoor cat home.

So I returned to the porch and sat down, and Mattie went back to her snack. The black cat approached cautiously. It was just out of reach. Clearly whoever is was-Kitty or Prince-was conflicted about getting near me with Mattie eating on the porch.

So I made a plan. I scooted a little bit closer to it and slowly reached out my hand to scratch its head. All the time, I was saying soothing things to create a calming ambiance for the wayward critter.

Then, I grabbed the cat by the scuff of the neck, slid open the screen door, and softly tossed the cat inside the apartment just as Kitty and Prince walked out from where they had been to look at the howling new animal that just been thrown into their already over-crowded home.

The cat glared and growled at me. Then it lowered its head down, ran towards the screen door, leaped up, and struck the middle of the screen. The whole screen door popped out the glide frame, and the now clearly unknown feral cat took off into the night. I had to jump into the apartment and close the glass door before all the cats-indoor and out-realized the passageway was wide open.

Of course you can't pick up a strange cat if the cat doesn't want to picked up without repercussions. My scratch-covered right hand and forearm can bear testimony to that fact. It's my own fault; I really thought that one of my black cats had gotten outside, and I was worried about it,

Because I wasn't wearing my glasses, I've been telling myself that I have had a Mister Magoo moment. I can hear Jim Backus saying: "Oh Magoo, you've done it again. You've proven that all black cats look alike in the dark."

22 April 2015

bright April morning soft mews asleep in closet sunlight leaves the room

Collect for Chernobyl 26 April 2016

Heavenly Father, who created the sun and the stars to light the day and the night, thirty years ago today the power that makes stars burn was accidently released from the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl in Belarus. Please forgive the hubris and and carelessness on that day. Inspire us as well to be better caretakers of your garden called the planet Earth. We also petition that you bless, guide, and protect the souls of the victims and survivors of that horrible and apocalyptic day now and forevermore. Abba, this we pray in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. who with you and the Holy Ghost reign as One God world without end. Amen

On turning 65

Yesterday was my birthday, and I decided to spoil myself by visiting my favorite restaurant-Bahia de Guaymas for lunch. I got to enjoy the perfect meal for a hot July day: tostada de ceviche de camaron.
This dish has a mound of shrimp ceviche on a toasted corn tortilla with a garnish of avocado. This wonderful food is prepared with fresh shrimp, crispy chile peppers and other veggies as well as lemon or lime juice. This chilly and citrusy delight is the perfect meal on a hot July afternoon in Phoenix. Ceviche always reminds me of eating kelaguen on Guam and yom gung in Thailand. The three dishes are similarly prepared. The shrimp ceviche as well as the fish ceviche at this restaurant is the best in town.
As always, the service was great. Everyone at Bahia de Guaymas restaurant are always friendly and nice. Alma, my dear friend for two decades now, was my waitress. Knowing what day it was, she put Vicente Fernandez singing "Las Mananitas" on the juke box. The owner doña Anita, who is a long-time friend as well, also wished me a "Happy Birthday." It was a wonderful afternoon for an old man on his birthday.

Early this morning was a glorious event. Rainy mornings in July is a rare and remarkable event here in Phoenix, but that's what I woke up to today. The light at dawn poured in under the  the cloud cover and filled the Valley of the Sun with a golden almost celestial light. At the same time, there was a beautiful and bright rainbow in the west.  It was wonderful to walk around in sprinkling rain and witness the light around me.

Temprano esta mañana fue un evento glorioso. Mañanas de lluvia en julio es un evento raro y notable aquí en Phoenix, pero eso es lo que me desperté al día de hoy. La luz en el amanecer vierte en virtud de la cobertura de nubes y llenó el Valle del Sol con una luz casi celestial de oro. Al mismo tiempo, había un arco iris hermoso y brillante en el oeste. Fue maravilloso para pasear por aspersión lluvia y ser testigo de la luz a mi alrededor.