Coffee Talk Mom

No-Bola

 

Well, we are all going to die someday, but the recent headlines about Ebola have me a little freaked out. Although apparently Ebola is not airborne, it is highly contagious. It made me wonder about a recent flight CTDad and I took home from California. About a week before the madness began, we had boarded a flight from John Wayne Airport to DIA. As the flight attendants closed the doors and the pilot announced our impending takeoff, CTD settled onto my shoulder and abruptly fell asleep. As a side note, to those of you capable of doing that, it is a gift. Thank God you can sleep on demand. I, on the other hand, need a good 30 minutes of tossing and turning.

Having a good view of the front of the plane in row 3 I watched the following take place: A flight attendant approached the bathroom, knocked and told the passenger that they would need to return to their seat as we were taking off. 5 minutes pass and the same attendant now knocks loudly and asks the person if they are ok. I could hear a response in broken English although as I watched the drama unfold I could tell that even the flight attendant did not quite understand the response. Another couple of minutes pass and now there are 2 employees knocking and asking the passenger if "they are ok to fly". Another few minutes passed (in review…I have a sleeper on me who notices nothing). Meanwhile my heart rate is rising and I am imagining a bomb sniffing dog or armed police or something sinister.

As the door finally opened, the flight attendants gasped and immediately slammed the bathroom door. The passenger was wiping her face, insisting she was ok by waving off the attendant and returning to her seat in the last row of the plane. With a pale look, the flight attendants insisted that NO ONE was to enter the bathroom and the flight took off. The entire flight, passengers were told to use the back bathroom only and the flight attendant told me in a hushed voice that the vomit was everywhere. As the plane lifted off, CTDad awoke and I told him about the drama...the last thing we wanted was the stomach flu. I am pretty sure that if the same thing happened on a flight today, the passenger would be removed and the plane disinfected. My advice is to take Lysol wipes when you travel and be aware of the people around you.

I just don't understand why flights from the Ebola affected areas did not stop immediately?? What is wrong with this country?

Where are YOU headed?

CoffeeTalkMom

 

P.S. Don't Google "Ebola photos" blech!…but consider watching the NOVA special on PBS…good stuff

Fall Finds

 

Recently, I found some inspiration in a magazine, and, knowing I had a window box to fill, did a little copy-cat version for my house in Boulder. I LOVE fall weather, but, like the rest of you, mourn the color and leaves falling off the trees, revealing a brown that lasts for months. One thing that keeps me happy and ready for the seasons is to fill my pots and windows with seasonal greens. In this illustration, I used some of the things that I had, and added about $50 worth of supplies form Michaels. I admit, I planted the cabbages before the inspiration, so I wish I would have angled them a bit. Granted, I am not sure how they did this unless they were fake or not actually "planted". This time of year I don't mind mixing real and fake plants. Next, I added the mums and LOVED the artichokes so I had to buy those. Unfortunately, they don't show as well as I would have liked and they were the most expensive part. Most of these things can be saved in a "window box" box for next year. One tip is to get your mini pumpkins/gourds at the grocery store, not at a craft shop. The whole bag to fill in the box was $5. I love the berry "sprays" and will be keeping an eye on those for next year. I may also add some dried hydrangias from the garden. The leaves are a twiggy vine on sale at Michaels for 60% off…The key is to fill it with what suits you and goes with the charm of your house! Happy Fall Gardening!

 

 

 

 

CoffeeTalkMom

A Different Disney

Here I am ...back in my old stomping grounds. Growing up in California provided me with many trips to Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland. Typically, I went with my friend Susan and we would be dropped at the entrance when it opened and picked up by a tired dad when it closed. We would come home ragged and exhausted and broke, having spent all of our $13.50 saved from babysitting. We didn't have a debit card, a cash machine, power bars, or water bottles.

This morning at the hotel, I saw the familiar dad running with a forgotten backpack narrowly missing the air-conditioned van taking he and his already exhausted family to the park. Kids were in the restaurant whining about what to eat at the $24.95 pp buffet offered to hotels guests. Heck, my parents would have schlepped a box of Wheaties to the room and stolen milk from the free coffee pot in the lobby to "feed" before having the "best day of our lives". Further, no fussing would be tolerated: if you were thirsty, we found a drinking fountain. When we were hungry for lunch, we would scout the least expensive stand in the park and get a single hot dog, no questions asked. This was life, and vacation day, and all a huge privilege. In all of the years of living in CA, I maybe owned a single sweatshirt and I think I may have a blown glass (remember that stuff??) figurine somewhere. Kids now have bubble blowers, hats, princess dresses, and so much more... on demand.

I remember coming to this same hotel with the boys and the excitement was palpable (see photo). As a parent, taking your kids to a place like Disney is worth all of the hassle. Dave and I sat in the bar having a beer last night...at 9:45...watching 2 and 3 year olds watch a Disney movie and play with their newly acquired toys. We laughed, remembering our boys. We always had to get them showered and in bed, lest one of them would puke (too many rides), or start a migraine (poor Buzz)...

Life has changed and now the thought of puking and being dizzy or, God forbid, injuring my neck again, keeps me from most rides. There is something about walking through the Magic Kingdom. The rides look smaller...or did I get bigger? Susan's parents, who once ran me through the park, I am now leading through the park on their electric scooters. The fact that they still go is a testament to their fortitude and determination not to slow down too much. I hope, when I am 85, I am scootering through Disneyland with a beer in one hand and my big pocketbook in the other, dolling out $10 bills to the grandkids!

Life is good...don't be too frantic "buying toys" to enjoy the view!

 

 

CoffeeTalkMom