aloe vera and old friends

Xander and I drove up to the Waco area on Saturday to see one of my oldest friends, Becky. Our kids played, we ate a good dinner and got to visit. It has been a long time! Bec and I were sitting in the swing on her front porch talking about...well...plants. I had mentioned that my neighbor tended to give me plants and she was pointing out some of hers in the front yard. Then she pointed out an aloe vera plant that is the descendant of the one my step father, Gary, had forced upon my friends in high school.

That is a great memory. She is probably the third person who has told me they still either have that same plant or the off shoot of that plant. Sounds weird? Let me explain... When we were in high school, my friends and I started this little game of get together to "pull over" on my parents. It was all very innocent because we didn't drink, do bad things, etc. BUT...every once in awhile we decided on Friday's to have an impromptu get together at my house. Here's how it happened, my friends would just "show up" at my front door and say "I was bored, I thought Angela would be too." So 5-10 people would show up with the same line... My parents were not stupid people at all. They knew it was a scam, but a pretty harmless one that would send my step-dad to the store for soda and propel my mother to order us all pizza. The worst thing for them was the crowds and that they would be banished to the kitchen for the evening.

One night, Gary exacted his own revenge. Always a proficient gardner, he happened to have several potted aloe vera plants that he cultivated from this very large one around the house. Before any of my friends could leave, he made them take a plant. It was embarrasing at the time (mildly, really and slightly humorous), but now when another friend says they still have one of those plants, or the grandson of that plant, it makes me smile for the memory of the man that helped raise me. Gary passed away a month after I graduated high school. To this day I think of him. He is the reason I wanted to build a garden this year. He always had a green thumb and a love of growing things to share with others.

The Bounty

I have peppers!!!! The first signs of life in my garden. Up next, the small green tomatos that are growing as we speak.

Xander Smiles!

Xander HATES having his picture taken. Though he seems to be a pretty happy toddler, all of his pictures seem somber. Last night we were hanging outside with his "big boy" underwear on and I caught a smile. A big one. Isn't he beautiful? Of course that is just my totally objective opinion...

P.S. He just had a bath so no, there was no hair product involved. It was just wet!

Rest Stop

while you were sleeping
I was listening to the radio
And wondering what you're dreaming when
It came to mind that I didn't care
So I thought - hell if it's over
I had better end it quick
Or I could lose my nerve

Heard this one on the iPod this morning and remembered the first time I heard the song. It was the final push I needed to break up with a certain crazy person in 2001.

Good memories!

Progressive Yard Work

This year we started gardening and landscaping... Here is the latest.

X-A-N-D-E-R sitting in a tree

No really!

Songs that take you back

I graduated college in Spring 1995. It was the first time, besides my early youth, that I didn't really have any responsibility. I didn't have to study for school and quite frankly didn't have anything else really going on. I was working at the Movies 12 in Pflugerville, TX. I usually worked the night shows and then valiantly searched for a job during the day (or slept in and made a couple of calls). I started as a concession stand worker and moved my way up to box office within a couple of weeks. This caused a little uproar among the other workers but I explained that I DID have a business degree so I thought I might be a little more qualified to handle the cash than the high schoolers. OF course I really never learned to count cash back to people. SO...I called up my friend Katie who was working as an accountant and we got together over a couple of beers so she could teach me how to count the cash back....and I didn't look like a total fraud. The teenagers got over their initial anger and proceeded to ask me to buy them beer and cigarettes. I told them I would but it would be one 6 pack for me for every one I bought for them. Since we were all making $4.50/hour, no one could afford that. I spent most of my hard earned movie money on beer. I was living with my mother so the rest was taken care of. I spent the rest of my earnings on paying the minimum payments on the 4 credit cards I opened and maxxed out my senior year of college. One I actually opened for the free candy bar. I was so nervous my mother would find out about the credit cards that I had all the statements going to Katie's apartment. She would call a few times a week to let me know they were hounding me. I didn't care though...

This morning when I heard Alanis Morrisette's "One Hand in my Pocket," it took me back to a night I was feeling particulary carefree driving home from the theatre about 11 and that song came on the radio. It was a hot Summer/Early Fall night and I cranked the radio up and rolled my windows down and sang loudly to the song.

Hearing the song made me smile. I have very few carefree moments these days, not that I would trade my current responsibilities for anything in the world, but it is nice to look back.

Food in Houston and pics while I'm away

Day 1 - The Melting Pot. Review? I liked the cheese fondue, but the restaurant is really dark, complicated (little nooks everywhere) and incredibley expensive. I would say eat the cheese, skip the rest.

Day 2 - Niko Niko's. As Jenny said (a co-worker traveling with me). They are all hot (the Greek men), even the not so hot are sort of hot. Me? Yes, the men were hot, but I have been dreaming about the feta, olives and falafel for 10 years since I went with Sinda the first time.

Paula sent me the pic of Xander in the pj's his auntie Keely and cousin Ethan got him for Christmas.

growing weed

See the weed growing in my gutter? Does this mean I should clean them out? I guess I can see if a tree will grow up there too.

Other pic is of X-man this morning.