Melanie Anne Phillips

Back from the first of two moves to Big Bear. Teresa drove the truck, I followed in the car - it was like watching a symphony, the way she handled those curves coming up the mountain from the desert side through Apple Valley. We loaded up the day before - two old coots shouldn't carry that much weight! Scores of big boxes of books - heavy, heavy - probably (we figure) about 2 to 3 tons, we loa ded in the 14' truck. As soon as we arrived around 1:30 Wednesday afternoon, we unloaded it all. Now doesn't that sound stupid - loading up a truck just so you can unload it again the very next day? Hail storm while unloading. Teresa's lucky omen is that it rains every time she moves. That's been true for each of our moves over the last 16 years. Slept on the air mattress we bought for Mary when she came up to stay with us in PMC for Christmas. I am SO SORRY Mary!!! We bought the highest rated one for you for your Christmas visit, but never slept on it. That thing is a me...

Teresa:  You know those young actors in the Harry Potter series were so lucky to play against the cream of British actors. Me:  Not just the education but the experience. Teresa:  Can you imagine, being that age and working with Kenneth Branagh and...  Peter O' Toole...  no, wait, not Peter O' Toole...  that other guy, the one I like. Me:  Oh, yeah..  the guy who played Dumbledore originally.  I can't remember his name now either. Teresa:  I hate getting old Me:  I don't think it's age so much as experience.  You stuff sot much information into your mind over the years,  you just can't find things easily anymore.  Oh, I'm sure age can be a factor, but there's also the overstuffed warehouse aspect. Teresa: I know what you mean. Me:  Richard Harris!  See, it was in there, I just had to track it down.  That's why I don't let my memories wander the halls at night.  Everybody has to go bac...

When I fly down to California to work with my partners, the restroom down the hall from their offices has a motion sensor to turn the lights on and off. It works great when you walk in, and does fine if you are just washing your hands, checking your hair or have a quick pee.  But anything more than that, and the damn thing snaps off, leaving you in total darkness. Of course, you can sit there in the dark waving your arms wildly around and eventually it will get the message and snap back on - bur only long enough to get back to business.  No sooner has everything settled down enough to continue, but it snaps off again! At first, I tried cursing at it, but found (not surprising for a motion detector) that it responds best to crude gestures. Eventually, you just settle into an ongoing game with the wretched thing of waving and clenching until the job is done or the urge passes.