Teddles.com

It was quite a week.

What with the Supreme Court acknowledging that Californians can take rights away by a simple majority vote (and it's only a simple majority, 52%, of those that voted - approximatedly 30% of the registered voters, you do the math) and the ensuing march from Balboa Park to the Hall Of Justice downtown Tuesday was both depressing and uplifting. Gratefully in that order. The crowd and march helped me understand that we just need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start the fight once again. Hopefully, but not necessarily, for the last time.

Work was fine. It was a busy week. I hate to sit around and I get bored easily so work is good for me. If I'm going to spend the time there I need to be working.

Friday we went out to Mo's with Scott and had a great time. We bought him his first Jello Shot. He liked it. He gets high so easily that we have to go slow with him so he can enjoy a longer evening. With 2 drinks and a Jello Shot his blood alcohol after dinner was .09, over the limit. Mine was .06. I drove us home. Nice that they have a Breath-o-lizer on the premises.

House.Boi Hillcrest opened Friday so Ari and Alex and the House.Boi models were touting it for Twinkie night at Mo's. It made for even more fun. I can hardly wait to see the new space. I've looked in the window but Tuesday I'm going shopping! I have to get something to wear for the Grand Opening party on this Friday!

The weather turned ugly. Not drenching rains, just ugly. Overast and drizzle. Saturday it actually was raining a bit when I walked Buster first thing at 5:30 AM.

I am so glad that we were able to get home to Palm Springs. We got here last evening at 5:30, relaxed a while and then went to dinner at Wang's In The Desert. It's always good and we had a great meal.

From there we headed home, but I just wasn't ready for the evening to end. It was only 9:15 so we headed for Blame It On Midnight to hear my favorite singer in the desert Genine Jackson. We left around 10:45 and came home to bed.

It was a great way to end a week with such ups and downs. End it on an UP!

As we suspected, the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8 and ruled that it is acceptable to remove rights from minorities with a simple majority vote.

While they held that the marriages celebrated in the six months that same sex marriage in California was legal will remain valid, we are very sad for the tens of thousands of GLTB couples that will have to wait for their legal rights.

We will get equality in California. We will have to fight harder and longer than we had hoped but the fight is in us. Talk to your neighbors, talk to your families and talk to anyone who will listen.

In the example of Harvey Milk, we need to come out, be out and be persuasive if we are to overcome the bigotry of religion and narrow minds.

Today at 10:00 AM the California Supreme Court will post it's decison on the legality of Proposition 8, and two other ancillary issues. One being whether minority rights can be abrogated by a simple majority vote. The other, what is the legal status of the 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place while it was legal in California.

Today we will find out if religious hatred and fear wins out, or if justice and fairness prevail. I hate that it comes down to lawyers. I hate that my fate is not in my own hands. But it is through the courts that we got to be legally married in the first place.

I woke up at 4:00 AM thinking about it. Thinking about my homophobic nephew and niece and hoping that they will be proven wrong. I have little hope for that. I have little hope that Prop 8 will be overturned.

I do hold hope that the court finds that minority rights cannot be stolen by a simple majority vote. To allow this would endanger the rights of many many Californians. NOT just the gay citizens.

I hope they find that the marriages conducted from May to November are legal and do not dissolve my marriage to Steve. It is a precious thing after so many years together building a life.

I came to the conclusion that the decision has already been made, and is just waiting to be posted. There is nothing I can do now but show up for the celebration or the protest depending on what the court rules. Nothing will keep me away this time.

Will I be happy? Will I be sad? Here's what I said to me.
Que Sera Sera. Whatever will be will be. And then, if we need to, we will start the fight for equality all over again, and again, and again until we win our rights.

Dedicated to my nephew Jimmy.

Steve had a cold for the last week and a half, then Scott got it, and I guess it's my turn. I was hoping to avoid it but....

We did go out to Azul on Saturday night and then to see Genine Jackson sing again, but headed home early.

We did breakfast at Bongo's as usual, but ordered lunch stuff as breakfast sounded too hot in the 100 degree weather. Tuna salad was perfect. Plus it matched our diet criterion. (Steve has lost 10lbs and I have lost 5!) We came home and layed in the pool for a while. Really exciting huh! Sure felt good to us just to relax after last weekends move into the RV.

I came home and got on the computer to try to find a decent hotel in New York for Mom's birthday in December. I figured I had better get going and I was right. Man! Things are expensive there. If they aren't you wonder if they are any good. I went through Expedia because they have so many reviews. I also checked through Orbitz. Everything agreed review wise so I booked a hotel across the street from Carnegie Hall. Good location and got a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

We went to Wang's In The Desert for a great Chinese dinner and, again, came right home to lay around.

Monday was a bit more fun. First thing I got on the computer and phone with Delta to secure airline reservations to New York on the days we needed. I was thrilled that I had enough miles to get all three of us there and back. Not first class, but maybe we can upgrade at the airport to Business Class for a small fee. We'll see. If not, it's only 5 hours non-stop.

We met Mitch for lunch at Tyler's as a storm seemed to roll across the valley. No rain but lots of dark clouds and wind and humidity. Yuk. We came home and Steve got in the pool and I paid some bills, did my banking and other mudane things.

Later in the afternoon we finally got to watch "Milk". We just haven't had time till now, but what a good movie. People had told us how good it was and it didn't disappoint. So poignant.

Dinner was fish tacos and a Cobb salad at Tropicale. Always good there. And they told us that many of the desert restaurants will be closing on Mondays for the summer so from now on reservations should be made especially for Monday night. And the place was full last night.

Today we head back to San Diego. Steve has an MRI today on his back and I'm trying to get into see a doctor for some antibiotics for my infected sinuses. Gee. Doesn't that sound like fun.

NO.

I find things like this satire more relevant. What she says here is really what the NOM group and their whole movement really mean.

What a job. One would think that we would be used to moving, what with this being the fifth move in less than two years. Not even close.

It's amazing how tiring it is just trying to find where to put things away in a rig with a different configuration. Let alone all the toting downstairs from one rig and up stairs in the other. Boxes and boxes, and more boxes. How the hell did we fit all of that into the Flair? We have nice storage in the new Tropi-Cal, but the Flair had mega storage I guess. We are having to throw away stuff and take some to Palm Springs. We have waaaay to much stuff. I just don't know how we got it all in the little Flair.

But we are in the new coach. I have no pictures yet, but I will soon. I don't want to show the interior until it's all put away and organized. Fussy Queen. It has taken the better part of three days and there is still lots to organize, but it will just take time.

In the meantime I have had my car worked on, and we got the Flair over to County RV to get some work done on it. I still have to have my car smogged, work, and recover from this move.

We are both sore, our backs are killing us, and more tired than I can remember. But I'm sure we were this tired when we moved from Lewis Street, but it's hard to imagine at this point.

Last night we were in need of some carbs so we went to Losta Pasta and had some. Steve had Fettuccini Alfredo and I had Spagattini with Bolognase and meatballs. We just needed to replace some of the energy we spent. It tasted good and having been without that type of carb for so long we practically got high from it. OOooo so good.

Well, I have to get ready for work now and take a break from moving.

More later.

It's a busy weekend for sure. We couldn't go to Palm Springs (poor us) because we have stuff to do. Important stuff. Like Mother's Day and a new home!

Sunday morning we got up early and headed for Hemet to pick up the new motorhome. We bought a 35 foot diesel Tropi-Cal made by National RV. It has three slides! We are so excited to have more room to move around, since we're living in it 4 days a week. And there is room to put clothes! We have a wardrobe all across the back of the coach. No more outside closet.

(I will post pictures as soon as we get things set up and in the space at the park. We just have no time right now. I'm up before Steve today and have time to post this!)

We got back from Hemet around 1:00 and started to move some of the kitchen stuff in. That is the hardest room to organize, and while we have not everything there, as we live in it we will reorganize till we get it comfortable to use.

Then at 5:00 we stopped and got cleaned up and picked up my mom for dinner at Bertrand's at Mr. A's. It is a beautiful restaurant with a view of all of San Diego's downtown, complete with the planes flying by at eye level on the way to landing at the airport. The food is usually excellent.

Last night was sketchy. Mom had never had Osso Bucco and decided to try it. Steve also ordered it. Steve's was grisly and tough. Usually it falls off the bone and is fork tender. NOT. Mom's looked much better and tender, and took most of hers home as she never eats very much.

I had the grilled sole stuffed with lobster. It was delicious, if miniscule. I really enjoyed it, and to tell the truth, really needed no more. It's just for the price there should have been a bit more substance if only the fabulous seasoned and grilled cauliflower. Yum.

Today we will be making the big move from the Flair to the Tropi-Cal. It's gonna kill both of our backs, but at the end of the day I'm heading to the chiropractor for some A.R.T. stretching and manipulation. Maybe Steve will go with me.

I also have to get my car in to have some minor work done. Just what we needed on a busy day like today.

Well, I had better get to it. More later. Probably whining and complaining, but more none the less. LOL.

Today has been varied and interesting.

Steve has been frustrated from early today with trying to understand and program his new Denon amplifier. It is quite complex and I offered to have the Geek Squad come out, since we bought it at Best Buy. He is still working on it, with a few breaks.

First break was for lunch. We had our first venture to Tyler's on the Plaza. It is a really good lunch place, with burgers and salads and hot dogs. Basic stuff. But good. We were joined by our friend Christopher who is always a treasure. He is interesting and involved, evolved and happy. Just a joy to be around. Thanks for a nice lunch break Chris.

Then Steve went back to pulling his hair trying to figure out how to play the ITouch through the new unit (I bought a IPod deck, also by Denon, to work with it. It hasn't helped.). I think he is getting there but still there are issues to be worked out.

I took the loan docs to be sent Fedex finally, and did my banking. I made some calls, got on Facebook for a minute or two, read some email and then went to check on Steve's progress.

But the pool called and with the shade approaching we knew it was now or tomorrow and we have to leave earlier than normal tomorrow so... Jump in.

Tonight there is a fundraiser at Blame It On Midnight and from what I hear there will be about 20 or so performers. We'll go for a while at least. Hope some of our favorites are there, and maybe we will find some new favorites!

I'll let you know.

As restful and fun as the weekends in Palm Springs are, there is still a lot of things to get done among the playtime. It's all good.

This weekend we had to first concentrate on getting the RV loan docs signed and overnighted to Texas. We had to find a notary that worked on Sunday. I found a lovely woman in the Desert Yellow Pages that advertised 24/7. She came over Sunday morning and we got everything signed and ready to send. Only one problem. Fedex doesn't pick up on Sunday. Oh weel. So they are ready to go first thing Monday morning.

We did our Sunday morning Bongo Johnny's breakfast. You can tell that the season is winding down, with seating at outside tables getting easier. They still are doing great business and the food is still good.

We spent time lounging in the pool, and then the wind came up. It didn't bother us down at water level too much but BAM! A 12 foot long piece of our neighbors palm tree pod came down and hit Steve in the pool. Thank goodness it didn't hit his head. We gotta have them clean up those trees. Now it's getting dangerous.

Well, we had been there an hour already so we just got out for the day. There will be tomorrow for more sun, and hopefully no wind.

We went by Revivals, a resale store that supports the AIDs groups in town, but found nothing that we really had to have. From there we went to The Estate Sale and looked around. There was nothing there that we really needed either.

We did go to the Backstreet Art District on Cherokee Way a block behind the Estate Sale for the first time. A friend of ours Daniel had a show there a few weeks ago but it was on a Friday and, of course, we are still in San Diego on Fridays. So this was our first exposure to the district.

There is so much good art there and I fell in love with one painting. I didn't buy it as we first need cabinets installed, a closet built, the walls redone in the living room, etc. But if it's still there later on.....

From there we went to Best Buy because Steve has been wanting a new amplifier for the stereo system for about 5 years. Ours is no longer doing what it should so now is the time. He bought a good one that is about as confusing as it looks. But we are told that once it's hooked up right the sound will be great and we can play different sets of speakers or all of them with the touch of a button. It will eventually be the surround sound in the media room too.

While Steve worked on figuring out the new amplifier, I decided to take the old worn fireplace screen off the living room foreplace. That also entailed scrubbing the firebox so that our cat, Namale, wouldn't investigate the new space and then track soot on the couch.

Mike Bliss stopped by to say hi and arrange a get together for today, and then we were off to meet Mitch and Dave for dinner at La Casita on Indian Canyon. We always have a good time with them, and the food is good there.

We followed them over to a house that may be in their future. It's a project that will be incredible when done, and in town! Yay. That would be so great to have them nearby so we can bug them incessantly. Kidding.

Then on to Miss Fern at the Street Bar! After all it's Sunday. Miss Fern is a must, at least for a while. When she was done, we headed home so I could fall asleep in my recliner.

See? And all that on a Sunday. One Sunday.
But like I said above,

it's all good!