sunny skies and snowy skis sing silly songs
We anxiously await arrival of the 2018 Vernal Equinox — which marks the official end of winter…
“ … and start of Spring,” Nazy concluded. “And, most importantly, the Persian New Year.”
It is, indeed, a beautiful time of year. The days are getting longer, the temperatures..
“… are unpleasant, Dan.” Nazy notes. “It’s been very cold.”
“Cold?”I replied. “I laugh at cold.”
“It was almost 40 ℉ (4℃) last night.”
“Awww.” I replied. “Now I really laugh at ‘cold’.” I thought. “Do you know that we have friends and family in New England who are suffering through the 3rd ‘Nor’easter’ in 10 days?”
“Of course, Dan.”
“They have cold. We have..”
“ … moved to California. And that, Dan, is why we moved to California.”
“Indeed, dear.” I replied. “That — and hostile notes from the US taxation authorities, the cost of living in Switzerland, the fact that grandchildren were on the horizon in Santa Barbara, …” I thought.
Tiger has also noticed that the days are getting longer. He can play outside after school and…
“The sun is still shining when we go into swimming class, Dan.” Tiger explained last Wednesday.
“Yes, but the sun is not shining when we come out of swimming class.” I noted. “Why do you think that happens?”
“Don’t you remember, Dan?” Tiger replied sounding exasperated. “You showed me the ball that was the Earth and you said that when it turns so that we are on the back and the sun is on the other side — then it is night.”
“You are right, Tiger.” I replied. “You are a bit of a smart-ass, Tiger.” I thought, well aware that it was unusual to be verbally jousting with a three year old.
“Would you like to hear my description of quantum mechanics?” I interjected. "Or, I could try to explain daylight savings time," I thought.
Tiger sighed.
While I was playing with Tiger, Nazy was in Los Angeles visiting Mitra and Stefan. They had lunch (and probably did a good bit of shopping) on Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice.
Of course, no visit with Mitra and Stefan is complete without some outdoor activity. Stefan, an avid hiker, knows all the good trails. Moreover, the weather cooperated. It was a spectacular day in Los Angeles County. They went for a walk on the Temescal Canyon Trail.
Note: Although the website rates this trail as ‘Easy’, Nazy (and several commenters on the website) believe ‘moderate’ to be a more accurate description because..
“It had a lot of ups and downs, Dan.” Nazy explained.
“I can imagine,” I replied.
Nazy enjoyed sunshine in LA. Tom, Melika, Tiger and Arrow went to the snow and skiing at Mammoth. Well — Melika went skiing. Tom went snow boarding. Tiger went sledding. And Arrow went. There was a LOT of snow. After a very slow start on the precipitation score, California is in the midst of a March miracle. So far in Santa Barbara, it’s rained almost every day this month.
And, Darius has arrived in Beirut. He’ll be in Lebanon for a (whole) 11 hours before heading back with Christiane and the Lovely Leandra. They will return to Bellingham via Vancouver.
And, on the political front, it was a normal week. Many high level firings, a couple of resignations, several score nasty and veracity-free tweets, and a mountain of Republican hypocrisy about investigations of malfeasance.
The GOP is supposed to be a conservative party…
Definition: Conservative con·serv·a·tive [kənˈsərvədiv]— someone who doesn’t like to do anything for the first time.
… but it should be un-conservative to mindlessly support a rude, ill-mannered, short-tempered, narcissistic, blowhardy simpleton who has no similar predecessor in the executive branch.
“ … and start of Spring,” Nazy concluded. “And, most importantly, the Persian New Year.”
It is, indeed, a beautiful time of year. The days are getting longer, the temperatures..
“… are unpleasant, Dan.” Nazy notes. “It’s been very cold.”
“Cold?”I replied. “I laugh at cold.”
“It was almost 40 ℉ (4℃) last night.”
“Awww.” I replied. “Now I really laugh at ‘cold’.” I thought. “Do you know that we have friends and family in New England who are suffering through the 3rd ‘Nor’easter’ in 10 days?”
“Of course, Dan.”
“They have cold. We have..”
“ … moved to California. And that, Dan, is why we moved to California.”
“Indeed, dear.” I replied. “That — and hostile notes from the US taxation authorities, the cost of living in Switzerland, the fact that grandchildren were on the horizon in Santa Barbara, …” I thought.
Tiger has also noticed that the days are getting longer. He can play outside after school and…
“The sun is still shining when we go into swimming class, Dan.” Tiger explained last Wednesday.
“Yes, but the sun is not shining when we come out of swimming class.” I noted. “Why do you think that happens?”
“Don’t you remember, Dan?” Tiger replied sounding exasperated. “You showed me the ball that was the Earth and you said that when it turns so that we are on the back and the sun is on the other side — then it is night.”
“You are right, Tiger.” I replied. “You are a bit of a smart-ass, Tiger.” I thought, well aware that it was unusual to be verbally jousting with a three year old.
“Would you like to hear my description of quantum mechanics?” I interjected. "Or, I could try to explain daylight savings time," I thought.
Tiger sighed.
While I was playing with Tiger, Nazy was in Los Angeles visiting Mitra and Stefan. They had lunch (and probably did a good bit of shopping) on Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice.
Of course, no visit with Mitra and Stefan is complete without some outdoor activity. Stefan, an avid hiker, knows all the good trails. Moreover, the weather cooperated. It was a spectacular day in Los Angeles County. They went for a walk on the Temescal Canyon Trail.
Note: Although the website rates this trail as ‘Easy’, Nazy (and several commenters on the website) believe ‘moderate’ to be a more accurate description because..
“It had a lot of ups and downs, Dan.” Nazy explained.
“I can imagine,” I replied.
Mitra, Nazy and Stefan on the hike
“And we sang songs as we hiked.” Nazy continued.
“Songs?”
“I sang the song that my Russian nanny taught me when I was a little girl.”
“Russian Nanny?”
“Yes. But — one day she just disappeared. I think she worked for the KGB.”
“Ah!” I replied articulately. “Putin was probably her controller,” I thought. “He was building the skills needed to control the Vicar of Tweetdom,”
“Does anyone ‘know’ your song?”
“Nope. I’ve asked Russian friends, but they’ve never heard of it. So I asked Stefan.”
“Stefan is Romanian.”
“Right. But the Russian song is not. So then I sang a different song — one that my Dad taught me.”
“And what language is that…”
“French.” Nazy replied, but no French person has ever heard it, so Mitra and I sang “By the Shores of Gitchigumi’”
“Gesundheit.”
Nazy enjoyed sunshine in LA. Tom, Melika, Tiger and Arrow went to the snow and skiing at Mammoth. Well — Melika went skiing. Tom went snow boarding. Tiger went sledding. And Arrow went. There was a LOT of snow. After a very slow start on the precipitation score, California is in the midst of a March miracle. So far in Santa Barbara, it’s rained almost every day this month.
And, Darius has arrived in Beirut. He’ll be in Lebanon for a (whole) 11 hours before heading back with Christiane and the Lovely Leandra. They will return to Bellingham via Vancouver.
And, on the political front, it was a normal week. Many high level firings, a couple of resignations, several score nasty and veracity-free tweets, and a mountain of Republican hypocrisy about investigations of malfeasance.
The GOP is supposed to be a conservative party…
Definition: Conservative con·serv·a·tive [kənˈsərvədiv]— someone who doesn’t like to do anything for the first time.
… but it should be un-conservative to mindlessly support a rude, ill-mannered, short-tempered, narcissistic, blowhardy simpleton who has no similar predecessor in the executive branch.
For last week's letter, please click here
Mitra and Nazy Hiking
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