Bakersfield - Round 3

Monday, October 27, 2008

Last night Connie made a fabulous dinner of stuffed chicken breasts, fresh fruit salad, a giant plate of steamed vegetables, and potatoes. It was awesome.

Afterward we sort of vegged - each reading his/her own book, paper, magazine(s) with some TV in the background. Just hanging together. Old pals. Comfortable without doing anything. Without playing games. Without trying to entertain one another. Without talking (even Frank). Content in the silence and the aura of the friendship. Each of us, I think, is at a place in our lives where we are quite comfortable in our own skins. That allows us the luxury of feeling at home with each other.

I, for one, am grateful for having the chance and the time to simply be in the same place at the same time with Connie & Frank.


Today, Monday, I was busy with business stuff mostly. Frank and Connie both had some running around to do and everyone got done what they needed to.

Frank's mom, Ruth popped in, gratefully, so I could at least get one picture of her up here.

Ruth

Every once in a while I feel like I should be a more entertaining or engaging guest. A better guest. I guess I really don't know how to be a good guest other than to just leave, I suppose. But I do try to pick up after myself, try not to be too disruptive to my hosts' lives and lifestyles, offer to clean and cook and help out in any other way I can think of -- which offers of help, by the way, are typically turned down so it's a cheap way to ingratiate yourself with your hosts without actually having to do anything.

And I can tell that from time to time Connie and/or Frank feel like they should be entertaining me more or something. Trying to be better hosts.

But all of those feelings pass quickly as we realize we're just family. Thus, no entertaining needed.

That's what makes it so great.

This is, I guess, as good a time as any to tell you about Pita. No, not the Agave plant fiber. And not the flat bread, either.

The dog.

Pita, The Dog.

She's a Dachshund (Wiener Dog) and Chihuahua mix. If it were up to me I'd call this breed or cross-breed, or sub-breed - whatever it is, a WienieHuaHua. How do you like that? We could petition the American Kennel Association for that one. It's a winner. Or, perhaps, a weeeener.

I'm not ordinarily a fan of little dogs, of highly inbred dogs, nor of hybrid, mixed breed, designer dogs. I generally prefer regular dogs. Especially those that you don't have to bend over to pet. If you can't reach the top of a dog's head while you are standing straight up, it's not a real dog in my view.

Be that as it may, Pita is pretty darned cool.

PITA

Pita got so excited to see some of her doggy buddies a couple of weeks ago she jumped out of someone's arms and injured her left hind leg. Hence the cast/splint/bandage job. Per doctor's orders she is suppoed to be in her cage full time. Neither Frank nor Connie can manage that. She pretty much does whatever she darned well pleases.

Pita is very well mannered, quite calm, cuddly, and just as gentle and sweet as can be.

All traits that are clearly Connie's influence, because just look at Frank, The Maniac!