Song of the mockingbird

loved this cake

This little guy was quite bold. I thought it was some sort of western chickadee (no such thing) but it seems to be a variety of junco

for a second, this looked real

interesting flowers at the hotel. Looks like a hummingbird magnet. Hummers don't love red flowers per se but insects avoid them and thus there should be more nectar left

my trusty rental car. I was told I was getting a Toyota but noticed in the middle of the week it was actually a Chrysler. Bizarre little dial to change gears instead of the usual large lever.

back at home, we had a flock (7 birds?) of cedar wax wings visit the service berry tree last night. Hope they will be back tonight so we can get a better photo. They are striking birds.  I didn't think the berries were ripe yet though one of the waxwings has a red berry here

photo booth of us moms at the wedding. My nose is red from a day around the pool though I thought I was in shade

I am back and it is 5 am California time yet I have been up more than an hour. I guess I adjust quickly. Lots of stuff needs to be done but as soon as this coffee is in me, I am going for a long run as I feel bloated and ugly. Recently there was a cartoon on Facebook with a woman critically reviewing herself in the mirror telling her husband I feel hideous, fat and ugly. Please say something nice to me. Husband: Well you seem to have near perfect vision.

 

Lies we tell ourselves. I made a stab at losing weight for the wedding not drinking except maybe a glass on the weekends for more than a month before as usual, I backslid.. With the flurry of activity a few weeks before I went in which I barely had time to eat, I think I actually lost weight as clothes were fitting more loosely but now they are digging into me. What made me think I really didn't look all that bad? What made me think the dress looked good on me? Delusions. One look at the many photos brought me back to reality. Below are some photos of me taken last week. I won't even post the photo of me in front of the weinermobile in which I am wearing a not very supportive running bra so my dissymmetry is very apparent for all to see.

 

 

My hair was cut way too short and although I thought I styled it, all quickly came undone. My friends were careful to cover up their upper arms but the shawl I brought didn't match well. Bonus: I froze once the sun went down. The top photo was taken by a sweet young woman from Michigan (yay!) that we shared a table with at the trendy restaurant I met with my blogging friend.

We were told that no one ever wears nylons in California and so we shouldn't either. This posed a dilemma for the Moms though one said Fuck it...I'm wearing them. As I had sandals, I didn't plan on it anyway. My legs actually are in very good shape and tanned. And I never had veins or thick ankles except when pregnant but the rest of me has gone to hell in a handbasket.

 

Throughout the stay, I was treated to the songs of mockingbirds. Their favorite thing to imitate are car alarms, the ones that cycle through 4 different sounds. The birds themselves re sort of unimpressive: medium sized gray birds though their wings in flight seem to have stripes but their songs are interesting. When I googled  Bird that sounds like car alarm to find them, the lyre bird of Australia has a much more impressive repertoire imitating chainsaws, various children toys, camera shutters clicking and film rolls advancing came up also. Sam the cockatiel living with my friend imitates the swoosh of curtains opening and phones.

 

Despite my many worries, getting up in time, dropping of the rental car and getting on my plane went smoothly helped by Delta waking me up at 4 am to announce a gate change; a sharp contrast to coming to California. The airport is so much busier than Detroit's.

 

California was a good break. I had plenty of things and people to keep me amused and it is so pretty and different from Michigan.

 

Back at home I was in a fog hungry as I had no food for I don't know how many hours. It takes me longer to unpack than pack. As it turns out, I didn't have to cram everything into a little bag as I did get free luggage. New flowers here in bloom; many weeds to take care of probably at the old house too. We have had 9 showings and no offers. We will have an open house this weekend so that better work.

 

Steve says he saw no hummingbirds and orioles while I was gone. No sign of the orioles but there were plenty of hummers. I did enjoy my friend's hummers. She has no feeders but they love her fountains. I think she has Annas, Rufous and possibly Allen hummingbirds. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the service berry tree outside our bedroom was covered with colorful birds way too big to be the usual cloud of finches. Steve thought they all were female cardinals but their bright yellow tails and black masks indicated cedar waxwings. They eat only fruit. The berries are just starting to ripen so I suspect they will be back.

 

Now to run.