"To Kill a Mockingbird"

We went downtown this afternoon to see a performance of To Kill a Mockingbird, and we took young Miss C with us. This was her first live play, other than productions at the local high school.

I loved that book from the first reading when I was a teenager, and the very first copy I owned was a battered paperback from a used book store. After that, I found a better paperback, then an old hardcover, and now I've got a brand-new hardcover, the 40th Anniversary edition, published in 1999.

When we went to New Orleans a few years ago, I found a signed First Edition of To Kill a Mockingbird in a bookstore in the French Quarter. Signed First Edition. I was so tempted to buy that, but the price was just so high.

Today's production was wonderful, with perfectly-cast young actors in the roles of Scout, Jem and Dill. As in the book, the narration was done by Scout, represented on stage by an adult Scout who stood off to the side watching the play unfold inbetween her speaking parts. They even found an Gregory Peck-looking actor to play Atticus. Although, I don't know why they felt they had to do that. Maybe for the simple reason that everyone is so familiar with Gregory Peck in that role. The children also..... Dill looked as Dill should look, as did Scout and Jem.

C had to read the book for school at the beginning of the term, and her dad rented the old black/white film from Blockbuster so she could see that as well. I had suggested to her that she not watch the movie until she read the book, and she did just that. After reading the book, then watching the movie, she decided the book was so much better. Even though today's production was extremely well done, we both agreed that nothing could ever hold a candle to the book itself. I don't think I've ever seen a film which did justice to the author's work.

I had tears in my eyes when today's play was over, and I don't know if it was due to the emotions of the story itself, or because To Kill a Mockingbird represents a time-line in my life. I read it when I was a young teenager, and I've read it once or twice every decade thereafter. The last time I read this book was in 1999 when I bought this 40th Edition publication. With each reading, at each point in my life, situations were different, locations were different. Life just kept changing, but To Kill a Mockingbird was blessedly the same.

After seeing the characters live on stage this afternoon, I think it's time for me to read the story once again.


We had dinner at Birraporeti's after the play, an Italian restaurant around the corner from the theatre. We figured it was better to just eat downtown while most of the theatre crowd found their cars in the parking garage and slowly made their way to the streets. While we were being seated at our table, the young boy who played Dill was being shown to a nearby table with his own family. We resisted the urge to go and tell him how much we enjoyed his performance. By the time we went for our car, the garage was practically empty and it was easy to negotiate our way out from the 8th level and back to the Gulf Freeway.

Instead of having dessert at the restaurant, we made our way to Hank's Ice Cream, behind Reliant Field. The best ice cream in Houston, bar none, and Hank was behind the counter so we got to say hello to him.

Community Yard Sales

Our entire subdivision was Yard-Sale City this morning..... so all I had to do was drive up and down all of the streets on both sides of the bayou. Lots of sales, lots of stuff out there, and of course I came home with a lot of good treasures.


I bought a wicker loveseat from the lady on the next corner... it wouldn't fit into my husband's car, and thankfully, Miss C was with me this morning, so we left the car right where it was and we just walked back to my street with the loveseat between us. C was laughing most of the way, saying that she had never done anything like that before. The loveseat is in our screen-porch right now, and looking very nice, with a vintage-looking green wood mirror hanging on the wall above it. The mirror was another yard sale find, along with a nice area rug that I put on the wood floor in front of the sofa.


Another sale had a three piece lawn set... a small tea-table, with two chairs. The set looks like aged green metal, but it's really made of resin. Those are now on our front porch, and looking much better than the smaller things that were there before. I found a painted wooden screen which I put in front of the cats' litter boxes on the screen-porch, so that was a nice little touch. AngelBoy has sniffed all the new things on the porch, and I guess I have his blue-eyed approval. Except for the rug--- I don't think he liked that addition because he tossed-up his lunch on it less than an hour after I put the rug on the floor. Thankfully, I saw it right away and it cleaned up so nicely that you wouldn't know anything had been on it.


Miss C found a bunch of things for her cabin at the lake... a mirror trimmed with sparkly fish, along with colorful fish that hang on the wall, also embellished with sparkles. C also found a bunch of books that she likes to read... dog stories. C is an animal lover-- all animals, all sizes, all species.


My favorite find today... a carved wood prancing horse, standing over three feet tall, which I have in the corner of our dining room. Beautifully done, and I got it for only $20... so pretty and happy-looking that I couldn't leave it there. If (when) I manage to find a sponsor for a Reading Center for the Pajama Program, then the horse will find a new home there. Till then, he'll be prancing in our dining room. Funny thing about that horse... at a sale before that sale, a lady was selling a carousel horse for $99..... very nice also, but I didn't want to spend that much, so I left that horse right where it was. Then C and I found this wooden horse that I did buy... and C said we should go back to show the $99 horse-lady what we bought for just $20.


We went downtown last night, to have dinner at a Thai restaurant with friends K and B, then we all went to see a movie about the Dalai Lama. Interesting movie, and it told of the history behind the Dalai Lama, which I hadn't known before. The Dalai Lama will be in Houston this week, and my husband is going to hear him speak, along with K and B. They bought four tickets, thinking I'd change my mind and go, but I don't think so. I respect the man and all he stands for, but I just don't feel the need to be in the audience and hear him speak. I'd rather they use my ticket and ask someone else to go, someone who would get more out of being in the audience.

Still more pajamas and more books...

The count, as of today: 176 pajama sets and 219 books. I have a volunteer in the Katy area of Texas who delivered 44 pajama sets and 22 books this afternoon to a children's shelter in her own community. Not only did she deliver all of those, but she bought all those pajamas herself. The books came from her own children's bookshelves... gently-read books that her children have outgrown. An amazing effort for one volunteer, in so short a time. Just like the woman here in our own subdivision who sent over 29 pajama sets and 48 books yesterday. Another amazing volunteer.

We had to do some banking today, and while we were in there, I told the girl behind the desk about the Pajama Program, and asked if the bank would consider hosting a "Pajama Drive" there. She thought that was a good idea, and gave me the number of the person who handles things like that at the bank. I'm waiting for a call-back from her... she wasn't in the office there today. So I have high hopes for that, since it's a very busy bank in this area, affiliated with the Johnson Space Center.

Lots of phone calls today... I found a children's shelter right in the same town as our lake cottage. Not only a children's shelter, but a homeless shelter as well. (This entire project has been one giant learning experience for me, I can honestly say that.) I spoke to the woman up near the lake who is in charge of the children's shelter.... then had her agency approved by the NY office of the Pajama Program. From now on, whenever we go up to the lake, I will be delivering a box of pajamas and books to her. One stipulation-- they will only accept children's books based on bible stories, since they are a bible-based Christian organization. I am so glad for my library experience... from the beginning of my book collections, I made it a point to ask the shelters what type of books they would accept.

So far, this lake-area shelter is the only one with such a stipulation, but I can easily fill a box with bible-story books. I've already called Half Price Books, and they will save all their bible-storybooks for me. Great company, that Half Price Books. I can't say enough about how good they've been with all of this, with not a moment's hesitation, right from the very beginning.


We're still waiting for the landscaper to start work on our flowerbeds here. He has promised to be here next week, and I'm hoping he will stick to that. He's working on building an arbor right now for another customer, and (famous last words) it's taking longer than he thought it would. I seem to remember that he told us he'd be in and out of here in under a day's time. So I hope that holds true as well.

I just wish he would get here, get it done, and get it over with. The temperatures have been getting hotter and hotter, the sun is brighter and stronger, and the days are getting longer. Which means it will very soon be too hot to be transplanting and messing around with flowerbeds. But I guess (I hope) these guys know what they're doing and they do this work all year long here.

More pajamas, more books.....

The totals continue to go up for our Houston Chapter of the Pajama Program... to date, I have collected 132 pajama sets and 197 books. 60 of those books came from our local Half-Price Bookstore, with promises of more to come. I went to the bookstore this afternoon, to take a group photo of the three people there who are responsible for setting aside the books for me each week. They're saving me such great books for the kids... I'm impressed with their selections, and with their decision to let me sort through them to take what I believe to be appropriate.

C's mom stopped by this afternoon after work to bring me pajamas and books from one of the teachers she works with. I thought she'd be bringing a couple of pajama sets and a few books. So wrong---- she brought 29 pajama sets and 48 books. The teacher (BD) was most generous, and went shopping at the local Carter's store and picked out pajamas for boys and girls of all sizes and ages. The books came from the Book Fair right at the school. I was so overwhelmed with B's donations that I was speechless. I've already called B at her home, to thank her for her generosity... and she immediately volunteered her time when and if we open up a Reading Center. (I knew I wouldn't have a problem finding volunteers for that!)

I've already made one delivery of pajamas and books to a local shelter for battered women and their children, and I will make my second delivery to another shelter as soon as the director there calls me tomorrow to tell me what sizes she needs for the boys and girls currently living there. Once again, they don't have too much storage room, so I will bring her what she needs right now, and she'll call me when she needs more for the kids.

I met a realtor this morning at the empty storefront near Half-Price Books. The interior of the store was in very good condition, and would just need a freshening up... nothing major. It's bigger than I thought it would be..... two small bathrooms, a private office in the back, a huge front space near the windows for the Reading Room, a storage room for the extra books (with floor-to-ceiling shelves) and a storage room for the pajamas. Also, two other rooms.... I could make one a quiet room for teenagers to read and/or play board games, and the other one would be for the parents of the little kids, so they could just relax and pick out books of their own. This storefront also has a tiny kitchenette, which would come in handy as well.

The rent was on the high side, being that the space is so large, and I don't think I'll be finding a sponsor to cover both the rent and the utilities, although I plan to keep trying. I told the realtor to let me know if the space gets rented before I find a sponsor, and I also asked her to look around the area for other spaces which are smaller, with a more reasonable rent.

So we'll see...... you never know what could happen. For the time being, the bins of books and pajamas are in the corner of my sitting room. And the more bins I need to put in here for storage, the larger that "corner" is going to grow.

White Lilacs and Cardinals

There are white lilac bushes (so huge, they're trees) all over our subdivision. Walking outside at this time of the year when they're all in bloom is just heavenly.... such a mild, intoxicating aroma that you feel as if you're walking wide awake in a dream.

Because of the unusually cold weather that we had over the "winter" months, there are more blooms than ever on all the lilac bushes. And because the blooms came out a little later than usual, the thousands of gardening services hadn't trimmed the bushes before they bloomed, which is what usually happens. The result-- zillions of blooms along every street. We have white lilacs along one side of our house, and my sitting room overlooks our lilac-lined path. The blooms are snow-white, gloriously big, and deliciously aromatic. And best of all, our gardeners haven't yet touched them with their clippers.

As for the Cardinals..... they continue to nest and feed in our yard, and the female is constantly on our windowsill, looking at her reflection in the glass. Mama Cardinal has also discovered the side-view mirrors on my husband's car... she can perch on the very edge of those mirrors and see her gorgeous self. The result of that-- the doors of my husband's car are beginning to look like Jackson Pollack paintings as the streaks of white cardinal poop decorate the red "canvas" of his car.

A watched phone never rings...

I am waiting for call-backs today..... and keeping my fingers crossed that the corporation representatives I will be speaking to have a generous heart as well as an imaginative sense of kindness.

The Astros.... waiting for their Community Relations Director to return my call regarding an idea I have for one of their baseball games.

Bay Area Houston Magazine, Exchange News, The Citizen.... press releases have been sent to all three of these local publications. I'm hoping that at least one of them (and please, maybe all three) will agree to give our Houston Chapter some coverage in their upcoming issues.

WhatABurger... hoping that they will become one of our corporate sponsors. Their hamburger chain here is a long-standing Texas tradition. (I will resist telling them that I don't eat hamburgers. However, if I have to, then of course I will, and of course I will proclaim it to be the best hamburger on the planet.)

Half-Price Books... (this is a big one on the wish list)--- I'm hoping they will consider funding a Reading Center for the Houston Chapter of the Pajama Program. Their Director of Community Relations called me yesterday while I was delivering pajamas and books... when I returned his call, he was in a meeting. Now we're playing phone-tag. I've found what seems to be the perfect location for our Reading Center... just a few stores away from our own community's Half-Price bookstore, and within reasonable distance from half a dozen of the children's shelters that we will be delivering pajamas and books to.

I'm carrying my cell phone all over the house, and slipping it into my purse or pocket when I go out. I keep telling it to RING! ... but so far, it's as silent as a stone. The day is young, however... it's 9:05 as I type.

Sunday with Miss C

Miss C just left with her mom..... C spent the night with us... helping immensely with the Pajama Program Party. We checked the count this morning on the pajamas and books-- we were less tired than late last night, so this total is accurate--- 95 pajama sets, 109 books.

We have collected enough for me to distribute the above to separate children's agencies, right in this area. "Way cool," as Miss C would say.

Pajamas Are Us....

...and this week, they will be with children in local shelters here. Our Pajama Party tonight was so much fun....... everyone walking in our front door with bags of pajamas and books.... and everyone was just smiling and happy to be here. They had pajamas in one hand, and a covered dish for the potluck dinner in the other hand. I've said this before, but I'll say it again--- we have such a great group of friends.

We collected 83 pajama sets at this party, and 29 books. With all the other books collected these past couple of weeks, the total number of books is 104. Most of the pajamas are for babies and toddlers and young children. I can already see that the least collected were for the teenagers, so I will have to speak to The Powers That Be at one of the local stores and ask if they'd be willing to donate pajama sets for the teenagers.

The weather was gorgeous today.... lots of sun, but not too hot, and we used the screen-porch as well as the living room and breakfast room and dining room. Young Miss C and her friends were in the TV room, and the laughter coming out of there was just joyful. The kids all came with pajamas or books, and nearly all of them made something (by themselves) for the potluck dinner. All the kids helped to straighten up after the party-- one of the boys even wanted to run the vacuum for me, but I told him that I would wait until tomorrow to do that. Miss C is staying here overnight....... she's all tired out from counting and re-counting books and pajamas. Every book and pajama set is tucked away in the plastic bins, and C is tucked away in her bed. Everyone else is sound asleep... I'm the only one wide awake--- too many words floating around in my head that need to come out.

Our "old" friends brought new friends to our party tonight.... all holding bags of pajamas...... I can see that we'll have to add some new names to our Charades list. And one of our Charades players suggested we start a Scrabble night... having two or three Scrabble games going at once. I had to laugh at that... I wonder how willing they'll be to play Scrabble here with us after my husband puts two or three seven-letter words on the board.

Some of our friends gave me good ideas for contacting people of different organizations in the area, so I wrote down all the information and I will certainly be calling them. With all the large corporations in this area, I should be able to arrange some Pajama Days around town. I told everyone about my idea for a Reading Center for the kids, so I'm hoping someone will have an idea for that as well in the near future. I've already had volunteers to work at the Reading Center!

And volunteers all around the Houston area continue to eMail me....... before the end of May, at least half a dozen separate pajama and book collections will have taken place around Houston. And I'm sure there will be more to come, because everyone will tell someone else, and before you know it, we'll all be up to our necks in pajamas. Which isn't a bad thing.

My rule is going to be "Pajamas in.... pajamas out." Keep them coming in, and keep them going out to the shelters and the agencies and get them distributed to the kids who need them.

What a great thing this is. I feel like I have found my true purpose, and I know why I was put on this planet.

It isn't the success of a person that counts... it's the significance. I hope to be significant in the Pajama Program.

Half-Price Books

You just never know until you ask........ and that's what I did this morning-- went back to Half-Price Books to speak to the manager about getting book donations for the Pajama Program. Not only did he tell me that I could have books (free books!) for the kids, but he let me pick out them out. They had two big boxes of books set to be donated elsewhere..... he told me to look through them all and take what I thought we could use for Houston area kids. I was careful to pick out bed-time storybooks for the young ones, and good, non-fluff fiction for the teenagers.

I left that bookstore today with 29 books, all of them in as-new condition, donated by the store. And even better-- there were still plenty left in those two boxes to be sent to kids outside the state. The manager told me to come back to the store once or twice a month and pick out more books..... he let me talk to the girl who takes care of the children's section of that bookstore, and I told her what I was looking for so she can put books aside for me.

What a great store....... they didn't even hesitate. I asked them to take a group photo and I would get it posted on the Houston Chapter web-site. The manage said that all publicity photos for that store must include their "resident cat." Well, of course.... anyone who uses that store on a regular basis knows the cat..... a big black and white male who always picks the most comfortable chair to take his nap..... and almost always, the chair is in a sunny spot of the store.


With publicity in mind for our Houston Chapter of the Pajama Program, I sent the Chapter web-page to the two local newspapers here, and also to the local magazine that Frankie used to write articles for. Hopefully, one of them (or all three!) will run the page in one of their upcoming issues, so everyone in the area will know the Houston Chapter is up and running and looking for pajamas. I told young Miss C that we needed tee-shirts that say GOT PAJAMAS? on the front. Being that we will now have a steady stream of books coming in from Half-Price Books, I will concentrate on the pajamas. I'm disappointed in Target... guess they don't want to donate pajamas for our kids on a regular basis. Well, that's fine.... next stop: Wal-Mart.

I continue to get eMails from Houston residents wanting to help. One girl from Blinds.com sent me a note saying that their company wants to have a pajama collection..... she asked for instructions and ideas, and is anxious to get started. I've got volunteers all over the Houston area, which doesn't surprise me.

Our friend J called me tonight on his cell-phone..... he was out shopping for pajamas to bring with him tomorrow night when he comes to the party. He asked if he could buy clothes instead of pajamas. I told him that pajamas and books is what we're after... not play-clothes and purses. "But I keep finding such cute handbags for little girls... and you should see these shorts and tops that I found." Pajamas.... pajamas! I explained to J that the shelters get enough clothes for the kids, but it's pajamas that they never get because they can't accept used pajamas and they never get new ones. J promised to get out of the play-clothes section of the store and "head on over to the pajama section." But you should just see this cute little purse.... Forget the purse! Buy pajamas!!!


And one more note about Half-Price Books..... there's an empty storefront about three shops down from the bookstore.... not too big, not too small.... the walls are already painted a pretty aqua-blue color. I asked the manager at Half-Price Books if The Powers That Be at his company would consider underwriting the rent and utilities for a Pajama Program Reading Center. If we could get a storefront close to Half-Price Books, we could tie the two together somehow. He didn't seem to think it was such a ridiculous request. He gave me the name of his district manager.... of course I will call and ask. You just never know.

Pajama Dolls

Our house has been transformed by our young Miss C's "pajama dolls." These soft little dolls (dressed in pajamas and slippers) are now arranged as centerpieces on the tables in the living room, breakfast room, and dining room. C was here after school today, arranging and fixing and accessorizing the dolls, and everything else in sight that she could think of.

The porcelain angels on my piano are now wearing pink feather boas. The porcelain cats on our mantel shelf now have cute little hats on their heads. The vintage gold angels around the archway in the breakfast room are holding little purses in their hands. There are doll clothes hanging from the mantel, and teddy bears are holding storybooks in the dining room. The giraffes that I bought at the antique shop (with hopes of using them for the Reading Center) are now wearing tiaras and sunglasses.

And did I mention the pajamas? They are hanging up all over the living room and dining room. I arranged some of them on a coat rack in a corner of the dining room, and managed to dangle them from every bookshelf on the built-in units surrounding the fireplace. Our neighbors who can't be here for the party have been bringing pajamas and books all week long. Storybooks are arranged on every table, along the hearth, and on the piano. As soon as you walk through our front door and into the foyer, you just can't help but smile. Which is how we like to see our party-guests: smiling from ear to ear as they walk in the door.


I know three little "people" who aren't smiling---- AngelBoy, ShadowBaby and Mickey Kitty. They have been banished to the screen-porch now until Saturday night's party is over. Between all the pajamas and little dolls and books, plus the baskets of favors that I've arranged in the foyer, I can't have curious little cat-paws touching everything. Thankfully, the rainstorms and cool weather are history now, and it's been warm and sunny during the day and the night-time cold snaps have disappeared. So even though the cats aren't too happy with me at the moment, the porch is very comfortable for them and that's where they're going to stay. And Gracie will be out there with them come Saturday night.

Busy, busy......

Everything seems to be happening at once, which is just the way life goes sometimes. But that's not a complaint..... I'd rather be busy. Seems that doing six things at once can be just as easy as doing one thing at a time.

Our wait for the 4th landscaper to get here was in vain.... he never showed up, never called, and didn't even answer my phone calls to him. Needless to say, we scratched him from our list of contenders. We called back the second guy who was here..... the one recommended by my friend A in Pearland. He can't get here this week because he's already begun another landscaping job, but he will be here next week, most likely on Monday. Between now and then, he said he would drop by to confirm what he'll be doing here with the front and back flowerbeds, and pick up a small deposit for the few plants he will need. We have so much growing in the backyard flowerbeds that he isn't going to buy too many new plants.

I wish he could have started on our yard this week, so it would be done for Saturday's Pajama Party, but that's the way it goes. And last night we had another bout of heavy rainstorms, so I'm wondering if that will delay his schedule this week.

Our guest list for the Pajama Party this weekend continues to grow..... it's beginning to be more of an Open House than a party. I've told our neighbors to bring friends with them.... whoever they think would be interested in the Pajama Program.... and of course, I told them to make sure their friends came with a pajama set for a child. Some of our neighbors who can't make it to the party are dropping by to bring me pajamas and books for the kids, which is such a nice thing for them to do.

One of our neighbors suggested we get some newspaper coverage from one of the smaller local papers, which I thought was a good idea. I called one paper and was told that they didn't have the staff to cover "small events," but they could send someone out for "a larger gathering." Sixty-plus people isn't large enough? And this is for a non-profit organization which is collecting pajamas and books for children in crisis, for goodness sake. I heard from another friend that the Powers That Be at this particular newspaper have been leaning toward covering the Country Club set the past couple of years. Well.... la de dah.........

So there I was last night, exercising and watching "Dancing With the Stars," when a little thought from somewhere out in the universe popped into my head: get in touch with the magazine that Frankie used to write for. Bingo. Into my closet I went, and I got the extra issues of the magazine that was printed after Frankie passed away. I read the stories about her yet again..... then found the name of the man who runs that magazine. And wouldn't you know it... I knew who he was..... Frankie and I had run into him a couple of times when we had gone out to lunch together and she had introduced us. I fired off an eMail to him at the magazine, explaining who I was, telling him about the Pajama Program, and inviting him to Saturday's party. I am hoping that he will be calling me either today or tomorrow. If not, I plan to call him and speak to him about getting some coverage on the weekend's event.

And speaking of closets...... I spent nearly two hours yesterday re-arranging (for the umpteenth time) the closet in my sitting room. This closet, filled with floor to ceiling shelves, has held so many different things over the years, from eBay items to party favors... and now half of the shelves are dedicated for pajama storage. I know that I will run out of room in the plastic bins that I have, and this sitting room can hold just so many plastic bins on the floor before I will be tripping over them, so I knew closet space would be needed. I now have six shelves to hold pajamas... two for girls, two for boys, and two for babies.

I'm still waiting for call-backs from local realtors...... still hoping that someone with a generous heart will donate a space for a Pajama Program Reading Center. (From my lips to heaven's ears...)

A Summer Monday

After this weekend's storms, which have now gone eastward, the Texas coast is once again enjoying a warm and sunny summery day. Great for us, not great for the east coast which has been getting hit with the heavy rains and wind.

Speaking of not great...... I just heard about the shootings at the Virginia college. Over 20 deaths so far. So far. And that's an estimate, the news said. An estimate? Are they not counting? Or can't they get close enough to count? I didn't understand why they used the word estimate. I also don't understand the shootings and the deaths. I will never understand why any one person on this earth thinks they have the right -- the right! -- to physically harm another person. And let's add emotionally harm to that as well. I feel very badly for the students who were shot, for their families... and even for the family of the person who did the shooting. They will have to live with this tragedy as well. So very sad.... to think that students in this country aren't safe in their schools.


We're waiting right now for the fourth (and final) landscaper to come by here to give us an estimate on the new design for the front and back flowerbeds. The first guy was way over-the-top expensive-- so much so that we didn't ask for a computerized drawing, because that would have cost us $400, if you can imagine that. He had two binders filled with photographs of the lawns and gardens he has designed. All of them beautiful, and looking through his books was like looking at one of those garden shows on HGTV. But I know his final estimate would have been thousands and thousands of dollars.

The second guy who came gave us a pen-and-paper drawing of what he would do with our front and back flowerbeds...... and he had some photographs (in his pocket) of landscaping that he had done in the area, plus we've seen his landscaping work near the Johnson Space Center. This is the landscaper who came recommended by my friend A in Pearland...... this man has done countless yards in her subdivision out there, all of them beautifully done.

The third guy came here three days after we expected him. Nice guy with a little puppy in his truck, with a cheaper estimate than the second guy. But no pictures to look at, no plans for us to see... just an idea in his head that he tried to convey to us with some stick-figure drawings. My husband wasn't impressed. I liked the little puppy in his truck. I also want to let this particular guy take over our lawn service because he knows how to maintain flowerbeds. Our current lawn guys just know how to cut grass and trim bushes.

So now we're waiting for this last landscaper. He was supposed to be here at 10:30...... I called him at 11:00 to ask if we were still on his appointment list today, but had to leave a message on his cell phone because he wasn't answering. My husband had high hopes for this man, because he was recommended by the same neighbor who recommended the air-conditioning company who recently replaced our attic duct work.

Here's the plan for today........ if this fourth guy doesn't get here by 1:30, then I will call him once again. If he doesn't show up, if I don't get any response, then I'm calling the second landscaper and telling him that the job is his........ and I'm also going to ask him if he can get here and do all of this before Friday. I would dearly love to have the front flowerbeds shaped up before Saturday night's party. Depending on what other work is on his schedule for the week, he may be able to do that because he firmly told us that he could be "in and out of here in one day's time."

Or am I being naive to believe that? Can you just picture everyone arriving for the Pajama Program "Pajama Party" on Saturday night and our front lawn is littered with the remnants of our flowerbeds as six landscapers covered in dirt are digging up and replanting boxwoods and azaleas? Give me a blessed break.

Dirt Happens

We've been up at the cottage the past couple of days, shoveling dirt around the bulkhead of our property there. So many storms over this past winter that some of the soil around the steel bulkhead just washed away. We've had an order in for replacement dirt... 8 yards of it, and the truck was finally able to deliver it on Thursday. They had a back-log of orders..... so many property owners up there needed countless yards of soil to use as filler around their bulkheads.

So up we went, knowing that a wheelbarrow and two shovels were waiting for us in the garage at Mayberry. Oh goodie. Young Miss C wanted to come and help us... she thought it would be a lot of fun. No way, of course, were we going to let her miss school to shovel dirt. But we did try and take her attitude with us to the lake.... this was going to be fun. Fun!

I started counting the wheelbarrow-loads, thinking I could tell Miss C how many times we went back and forth with all that soil. I stopped counting at the third one. By the time we had filled up the wheelbarrow with dirt for the third time, it was no longer fun. Far from it. Into the dirt went the shovel, into the wheelbarrow went that dirt. When we moved the wheelbarrow to the bulkhead, into the dirt went the shovel, and onto the property went the dirt. So much fun that we could hardly stand it.

By the morning of the second day of shoveling, I called the man who takes care of our lawn up there. I told him that the dirt had been delivered, and asked if he would like to come help. Nice guy... he was there within half an hour-- with a large wagon that hooked up to his riding mower. That green wagon held about three wheelbarrows' worth of soil. Much less work, plus there were three of us working instead of two. (Actually, I should say there were two and a half of us working, instead of one and a half. In all reality, I could only shovel half as much as my husband and the lawn guy.) I told my husband that the next time he buys me a shovel, it had better be plastic, not wood and metal.

All the soil was replaced and packed down by Friday afternoon. We even had a small pile of dirt left over, and the lawn guy said it could be shoveled into the flowerbeds or just piled up in a corner of the property somewhere, ready when we needed it. We were happy with the work we had done...... more work than we thought it would be, but it was done and we were pleased.

And then it started to rain on Friday night. Then the wind started. The waves kicked up... some of them coming up over one side of the bulkhead. Whitecaps were in the lake for as far as we could see.... wave after wave hitting the bulkhead... and taking away some of our dirt. The new dirt we had just shoveled there at the edge of our property. It was not a nice thing to see.

I told my husband that there has to be a better way. We can't be replacing dirt around the bulkhead every Spring..... maybe we could use boulders... make a rock-fence around the edge of the property. Or do what our neighbors did, and have a concrete walkway poured around the entire edge of the property's peninsula. He's thinking about it.

We were going to stay at the lake until tomorrow, but decided to come home a day early. No sense in staying up there and watching the lake steal away our hard-shoveled dirt.

Crescent Moons

The logo of the Pajama Program is a yellow crescent moon on a blue background. When I was in J's antique shop yesterday, one of the dealers had a tall brass candlestick (nearly 3' high) with a large crescent-shaped moon in the center of it. Very large candlestick, and very nicely made, not to mention a nice price tag. When J told the dealer what I wanted it for, she sold it to me for just $5.00....... pennies on the dollar, for goodness sake. I just had to buy it, and I plan to put it on the Welcome Desk when we get our Pajama Program Reading Center. (And I'm saying "when" instead of "if" because I'm staying positive and I know this will indeed happen.)

I have the crescent moon candlestick standing in a corner of my sitting room right now.... I can see it when I'm at my desk here and it's a constant reminder of the Pajama Program.

With that logo in mind, I went to the Dollar Store today because I knew I had seen paper plates/napkins/cups with a crescent moon design.... yellow moons on a blue background, if you can believe that. (Not as deep a blue as the organization logo, but blue enough). I spoke to the owner of the store, showed him my printed-out web-page from the Pajama Program site, and asked if he would donate the paper items to the first Pajama Collection Party for the new Houston Chapter. I told him I wanted the items because they matched our logo, and said I'd advertise his store and/or his name as a contributor.

Well, you would've thought I had asked for his firstborn child. He showed me the "normal retail price" on the packages, told me that each of his items sold for only one dollar and eleven cents.... much cheaper than the suggested price. Well, I can read... of course I knew that, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. I didn't argue with the man. After all, his store had just what I needed and what I went there to get. I smiled and smiled, and told him all about the Pajama Program and explained that everything our Chapter collects would be going to Houston area children, personally delivered by me.

That seemed to impress him, but not quite enough. After a few more discussions, he agreed to sell me each item at just one dollar, instead of one dollar and eleven cents. Then he told the woman at the register to give me the discount on just those paper items, not on anything else I happened to buy. With that in mind, I bought nearly all of the crescent moon paper products that he had there. I could've bought more, but he literally had an entire shelf filled with them, and I knew I wouldn't be able to store that many. I really thought he'd be more generous, given the cause. And I know he runs the store to make money to buy pajamas for his own children, but really.... I don't know how many years that man has been living in Texas, but as far as I'm concerned, he still has the do-or-die attitude of his home-country. (In my humble opinion.) But on the bright side--- he did save me eleven cents on every package.

After the Dollar Store, I went into the local Palais Royal store. They had sent me a $10.00 gift certificate for my birthday...... ten dollars to spend on anything in the store. Well, I don't need any clothing right now, but our Houston kids-in-crisis need pajamas, so that's what I went there to buy. They had a sale rack filled with children's clothes and I looked through that one first. I bought three sets of pajamas for that ten dollars.... all for babies between six and twelve months. Perfect... I now have three baby sets in the plastic bin marked with a bird picture. (Cat pictures on the bins for girls, dog pictures for boys, birds for babies.) When I was in Target the other day, they didn't have any baby pajamas on sale, so I just concentrated on the boys and girls pajama sets. I'm all for buying on sale, for the simple reason that I can get more pajamas for the money.

I called the realty agent for the two store properties in our community here. He told me that the owner hasn't gotten back to him yet. I said that I didn't mean to be pushy, but if he could let me know by the end of the week, I would surely appreciate it. If I get a definite no for this local property, then I will concentrate on the store in League City... which is really the one I'm hoping for. Positive attitude.... positive attitude.

My second "receiving organization" form was approved by Gen at the NY office this afternoon. This organization is in the Katy area of Houston, and I already have a volunteer up there who is willing to collect pajamas and books in that area and personally deliver them to the local children's Crisis Center. My list of contacts keeps growing.... lots of volunteers wanting to help, and all happy to see that Houston now has its own Chapter of the Pajama Program.

As my friend J up in NY told me in an eMail: this program will be helping the kids of Houston, one pair of pajamas at a time.

Pajama Program - Houston Chapter

There's no stopping us now..... the NY office of the Pajama Program has updated their web-site, and my Houston Chapter is now on-line. Of course, I had to send it to everyone on my eMail list.

I went to Target this afternoon, asking if they'd be interested in donating pajamas, books, and/or plastic storage bins for them all. The manager I spoke to made a copy of my "Welcome New Chapter President" letter from NY, and he will speak to the corporate offices. While I was there, I bought some pajamas for both boys and girls, as well as a few of those large clear plastic bins to get started.

The trick to all of this is to keep everything organized, so I've been labeling bins with pictures from the fronts of cards... I've always saved those and have a box of them. I came up with the idea to label the boys' bins with dog pictures, the girls' bins with cat pictures, and the baby bins with bird pictures. I have so many dog, cat and bird cards that I'll be set for quite a number of bins.

I also went to J's antique shop in League City after I got my hair trimmed this morning.... I gave the Pajama Party invitations to both J and L there. J was so excited about all of this, he could hardly speak. He offered to keep a donation bin in each of his two shops, and he will advertise that they are there. When I go into League City, which is fairly often, I can pick up the pajamas and/or books and put them in my own storage bins. J is also going to call the people he knows from the local newspapers that take care of the advertising for his store. They will get in touch with me and do a story on the Houston Chapter of the Pajama Program.

My friend B in Dallas also gave me the name of a downtown TV news reporter that he knows... but I can't go that far until I get some serious storage place. I know how generous the people of Houston are... we would be up to our knees in pajamas and books in a very short time. And I've got to keep everything in clean plastic bins-- away from our pets, away from dust or cooking odors, away from anything that could possibly bother a child.

Best of all.... one of the dealers that I know from J's shop owns various storefronts in League City. She's thinking about selling one of them... cute little shop that used to be a church... the building is about a hundred years old, but in prime condition because it's always been cared for so well. Right now, it's set up as an antique shop, but she has others and wants to consolidate. I asked her if she would consider donating that space for the Houston Pajama Program Reading Center. She loves that old church building, and really doesn't want to sell it, so I told her if she "donated" it to the Reading Center, she would always own it, and she could use it as a tax write-off. She liked the idea of the Reading Center, and she's going to think about it, talk to her lawyers, etc.... and she will let me know.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one..... if I can get that building, I wouldn't have to worry about renovations. The outside of the building is pristine, the inside has the original wood flooring, the walls are all painted. Plus there's a very small kitchen and a restroom there. Even a bigger plus... there are four separate rooms.... plenty of space for reading rooms (one for younger children, one for older), and more than enough space to store pajamas and display books on shelves. The parking is ample, and it's just a couple of streets away from the town's park-- lots of family activities in that park, so the Reading Center would get a lot of use.

There couldn't be a better choice for a Reading Center.... and I know that the founder of the Pajama Program would be so proud of what we could do with that building. From my lips to heaven's ears....... I'm hoping for the best. I am so confident that I will be able to open up a Reading Center that as I walked around J's shop, I bought some child-sized furniture at yard-sale prices...... J called up the dealers, told them what I wanted the furniture for, and they sold it to me for pennies on the dollar. J is storing the pieces in his layaway room, so they're all tucked away nice and safe till I can move them into our Reading Center, wherever it might happen to be.

My friend A in Pearland was so right.... she told me to turn the page when I was feeling a little blue a couple of weeks ago. So I took her wise advice and turned the page. And what I found was the Pajama Program. Or maybe it found me. Whichever way it was, I just feel that all of this was meant to be.

Our First Pajama Party

I've already arranged for the first Pajama Party of the Houston Chapter of "The Pajama Program." I mailed invitations out this morning to fifty of our friends and neighbors, inviting them here for a pot-luck dinner. I asked them to bring either a new pair of children's pajamas (any size, any age) or a children's storybook. (And I also told them they could wear pajamas to the party, if they want to.)

The books and pajamas for the children will be donated to one of our local organizations, Interfaith Caring Ministries. The Director of ICM will also be here for the party... I called her this morning, spoke to her about the Pajama Program, told her I was President of the Houston Chapter, and asked her if she'd like to come to the party and meet our friends who will donating the pajamas and books. She was thrilled, and happy to hear of the program.

I've already taken care of the paperwork that had to be eMailed to the NY office....... I had to wait for my husband to come home from a meeting so he could show me how to do that on my computer. I couldn't manage to fill out the on-line form..... seems that my laptop didn't have the software it needed for that. My husband installed all of that and it worked just fine. (One more new thing that I can do with this computer.)

My friend Bill up in Dallas sent me the names of people to contact here, to find out about getting office space or a storefront, or some sort of space that I can turn into a Pajama Program Reading Center. Until I get some sort of office or storage space, I will keep the fund-raisers on a reasonable level so we won't be covered up to our necks in pajamas here in the house. Houston residents are very generous, and I can easily see that happening.

So, until I get a larger space, I won't be going to the Johnson Space Center or Minute Maid Park or Reliant Center. But just you wait....... I plan to make the Houston Chapter reach very high goals for The Pajama Program. And the Reading Center... that would be the ultimate goal. (From my lips to heaven's ears....)

Easter Dinner & A Kidnapped Turtle

Yesterday's Easter dinner was great...... lots of good homemade food, made by both myself and C's mom...... lots of vegetables, which is always a good thing. We had chicken cutlets with smoked mozzarella sauce, brown rice with pecans, carrot souffle, spinach & artichoke casserole, tossed salad, pesto-stuffed biscuits, and a special Angel Food cake for dessert.

I had seen a recipe in a magazine for the cake, and it was easy to do.... and delicious. It called for a store-bought Angel Food cake, but I made my own.... then cut it into three layers. You mix a large can of crushed pineapple (with the juice) with one box of sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix. You mix that into freshly whipped cream (enough for a three-layer cake), and let the mixture sit for five minutes before you frost the cake with it. On top of the whipped-cream frosted cake, you sprinkle fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. Delicious...... and light..... and it looked so pretty on the table. I even took some of my silk butterflies and used them to dress up the cake even more.


About that turtle..... I spoke to my cousin R last night..... she called to wish us a Happy Easter and to say hello. She told me that my Aunt Dolly's turtle was stolen from her backyard. My aunt is upset because the turtle "has been in the family" for more than 25 years. Aunt Dolly always puts the turtle outside in the sun for a little while on nice warm days.... he has his own box that he's been sitting in for years and years... tall sides, so he can't get out. The turtle was out there one day this week for just a little while and when my aunt went outside to take him back in, the box was empty. Even though she knew he couldn't get out of the box by himself, she walked all over the yard looking for him.

I can just picture that... my 94-year-old aunt walking up and down every inch of her property, looking for the turtle. Needless to say, my aunt is heartbroken. My cousin offered to buy her another turtle, but my aunt said no because "it would be a strange turtle." Maybe whoever took the turtle will bring it back? I doubt it. My cousin said she hoped the turtle is in good hands, and not in someone's pot of soup. (I told her not to suggest that to my aunt.)

Easter Sunday

Everything is set for our late lunch/early dinner Easter get-together with C and her parents. Even with just the five of us, I fussed over that table and the centerpiece...... C looks at every little detail and she remembers everything from one holiday to the next.

I used a vanity mirror for the centerpiece, and filled it with green Easter grass.... then arranged my little porcelain bunnies, chicks and eggs in the grass, along with little cups of candy and jelly beans that are just below the grass-line so only the candy shows. There are silk butterflies hovering over the arrangement, attached to thin wires stuck into the grass. I also made the cutest candle holders.... pink candles set into glass votives, which are set into stemmed custard cups filled with jelly beans. Those are just too cute. (Sandra Lee of "Semi-Homemade" would be so proud.)

The place cards have those fuzzy yellow chicks attached to them, and I sprinkled a few pastel colored Lifesavers near each place card. The Lifesavers are individually wrapped in plastic... I had used them to fill up Easter baskets and wish I had saved more for the table, but there's just enough without going overboard. (Overbunny?)

My husband bought Miss C two books on the College SAT tests, so she can get prepared for all of that..... she's in the 10th grade now, and next year will be an important college-planning time for her. He also bought her a bunch of baseball cards, which are hidden all over the house, along with clues to finding them tucked into plastic Easter eggs. She loves all these games he makes up for her, so we plan to do that between dinner and dessert this afternoon. (Who says that you need 30 people for a fun party?)


I've been planning and thinking about my Houston Chapter of "The Pajama Program" since I was accepted as President the other day. I've started a notebook, because I keep coming up with one idea after the other and I don't want to forget anything. I've already got two possible locations in mind for our Pajama Program Reading Center... two storefronts in two separate shopping centers.... both busy centers but the two stores I'm thinking of have been empty for a few years. Surely the owners of those properties would want to consider donating the space to our Reading Center--- they'd get a tax write-off, and (more importantly) they'd be doing something for the kids in this community.

So that's on my to-do list for tomorrow..... going to both places and getting the phone numbers from the "For Lease" signs on those storefronts. After I find a location (and I know I will), then I will go to Lowe's or Home Depot and see if I can get supplies donated...... then find volunteers to paint and furnish the Reading Center... and young Miss C gave me the perfect place to go to for furniture donations. I wrote all of her ideas down as well.... she is jumping out of her shoes over this project, but hasn't told her parents yet. She wanted to keep it a surprise till this afternoon's dinner because she said it would be the perfect topic for today's dinner-table conversation. What a great kid.......

Houston, we have a Pajama Program!

I've been receiving eMails from Genevieve Pitturo's "The Pajama Program" for the last few days, and I have spoken briefly to Genevieve over the phone. As of this morning, the Welcome Letter from The Pajama Program was eMailed to me, giving me the go-ahead to start a Houston Chapter for The Pajama Program, with myself being Chapter President. When their web-site is brought up to date with all the latest changes, Houston will be right there under the Texas listings.

It all happened so fast, and the eMails and paperwork from Genevieve and Terri were all so helpful. I've already had offers from friends who want to help.... A in Pearland, and our own Miss C right here in town..... and the organization itself sent me eMails from those who would like to volunteer. Just wait till our Charades group hears about this..... I know what the "theme" will be for our parties from now on, and everyone we know will love this program.

I've already started a notebook...... I have a list of local agencies that would need to be approved by the New York office..... and my goal is not only to have a successful Houston Chapter, but to open up a Pajama Program Reading Center in this area. Lots of ideas.... my pen can't write them down quick enough.

My friend A in Pearland has already given me the names of agencies that were not on my own list, and Miss C has given me such great ideas that would spark the interest of the school children in this area.

So much to do..... a lot of little details, but I thrive on details. As I said in an eMail to The Pajama Program offices: "My Aunt Dolly has always told me that love is in the details."

This is going to be wonderful, and very rewarding, and I can barely wait for our first event to collect pajamas and story books. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday....... I will have to wait till Monday for the first of the details.

Pajamas

Had lunch today with my friend A, who was pretty in her pink and black tennis outfit. She's still "chasing that little yellow ball," as she says. We went to one of the newer local restaurants, Panera. Cute little cafe with tables and booths, with a menu of soups, salads, panini, and other interesting sandwich combinations. There was also a huge selection of fresh baked breads and rolls, scones, pastries and cakes.

We each had half a sandwich and soup, both delicious, but we skipped dessert. Sure was tempting, though, but when you look at those cakes and start calculating how much you have to exercise to work off the calories, the desserts lose their appeal. Plus, there's Easter chocolate in this house, so I'm trying to avoid "outside" calories when I have enough calories right here under my own roof.

Speaking of the roof....... my husband was up on our screen-porch roof this afternoon, cleaning out the gutters and adding new caulking to the roof seams. With the recent heavy rains, we've had a few leaks on the porch. The caulking is original, and is about six years old now, so I guess the summer sun has dried it out in parts. I bought my husband that tool-box this past Christmas... he's been doing handyman chores ever since, both here and at Mayberry. Coincidence or not?

And speaking of pajamas...... on Oprah's show the other day, there was a segment about The Pajama Program, started by a woman in New York City to fulfill a need-- getting brand new pajamas to kids in shelters and group homes. She started out with a dozen pairs of pajamas, and to date has given out thousands upon thousands, along with story books for each child in need. When I was watching that show, I went through a few tissues, and when the show was over, I went on-line to Oprah's web-site and found out how to donate money to the program.

We also donated money to the man who has been delivering books and building libraries in remote corners of the world..... another segment of that same show. He used to have a top job with Bill Gates, but he quit that to set up his non-profit organization for the books and libraries. His theory-- if you don't educate the children, then history just repeats itself. Another admirable cause.

But the pajamas and bedtime story books..... that just stayed with me. Probably because I used to do reading with the kids at our local school here, as did the founder of "The Pajama Program." (That's how I met our young Miss C so many years ago.) Somehow, just donating money for the pajamas didn't seem like enough. I talked to my husband. I talked to A over lunch today. I went back to The Pajama Program web-site and clicked on everything and read every word. There are chapters of this organization popping up all over the country, but none in this area. Closest one to here is in Austin. Not close enough to help the kids here.

I read all the particulars about starting a chapter. My first thought-- I can do this. I sent them an eMail... they eMailed me more information....... I eMailed them my phone number..... and now I'm waiting for them to call me and tell me what I need to do to get started.

On the Pajama Program web-site, one of their ideas for a small fund-raiser is to invite friends over for a party and ask each person to bring one book and/or one pair of children's pajamas. With all the parties and dinners that we have at our house during any given year, I can easily collect lots of books and pajamas that way. We have a great, large group of friends and I know they would be more than happy to bring a book or a pair of cute pajamas for a child. But I've got other ideas as well... the possibilities for this are endless.

Comfy pajamas and colorful storybooks for kids...... what a great idea.

"The Road"

Just finished reading the latest Oprah book... The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. I started reading it last night and couldn't put it down till I felt myself falling asleep on my pillow. As soon as I started reading this, I didn't think I would like it.... not exactly written in the traditional way that I'm used to.

But Oprah had said that.... and she suggested everyone just stick with it. And she was right, of course.... by the time you got a few pages into it, you just forgot about the writing style and you were into the story. So much into the story this afternoon that I had to get up and put a sweater on because I actually felt the raw cold that the author was writing about.

Powerful book...... simply written... an idea so simply told that it doesn't take much for your imagination to see the world as the book describes it. And how terribly sad, should this fictionalized account of a post-nuclear world ever come to be. And it could, very easily, which is also such a sad thing.

People. Mankind. Countries. Nations. Continents. Presidents. Rulers. Dictators. The Powers That Be. Will we ever learn? We're all sharing this one small planet. It's not as big as we all think it is. Its resources aren't without limits. For everything we invent to use during our time on this planet, we destroy some of our resources. And if resources aren't disturbed in the making of our conveniences, then our resources are compromised in the end of the item's usefulness.

It's a beautiful day here. Warm, sunny, and green. Blessedly, thankfully, miraculously green. After reading The Road, I feel like I should go outside in my yard and hug a tree.

Japanese Birthday Dinner

We had a last-minute invitation to the local Japanese restaurant tonight, to celebrate the birthday of C's dad. They didn't know they were going out tonight.... weekday dinners out always depend on the amount of homework that C has to do.

Nice restaurant, and very close to the subdivision..... great food, but I've never seen the parking lot all that crowded there, which makes me wonder if they've been getting enough business to stay in business. We have so many restaurants here, and everywhere else between here and downtown. I remember reading somewhere that Houston people eat out more often than any other American city of this size and population. Which doesn't surprise me, given the reasonable prices of the majority of restaurants here. (Not counting many of the downtown restaurants... I'm sure their prices are higher there because the rents are higher.)

And then we have the small country towns where you're lucky to have one little cafe and one chain restaurant-- and that's it. No choice at all, which makes me think that mostly everyone in those tiny towns just don't go out to eat.

Anyway.... nice dinner..... a nice surprise for us. I had dinner all cooked and ready when C called to invite us, and she was disappointed that I had already cooked. Not a problem, I told her.... it was cooked, but we hadn't eaten yet because I was waiting for my husband to get home from the office. I just covered everything up and put it in the fridge, called him at work to tell him of the change of plans, and changed clothes and got ready to go out. I wasn't in the mood for what I was cooking anyway.


We watched "Out of Africa" the other night, and I finished reading the book this afternoon. As always, no matter how many times I've seen that movie, watching it is like seeing it for the first time. The scenery, the music... it's all just a feast for the eyes. Now that I've read the book, I know I will want to read it again, so it's up on my bookshelves. The last time I watched "Out of Africa," I was living in New York. It's been a long time, but the magic of the movie was still there.

So many books on my bookshelves that I'm hoping to read again. Will that be possible? Can you read everything you want to read in just one life-time? And what about the books you want to read more than once--- is there time for those as well? The one with the most books wins. The one who has read the most books wins. I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again--- I can buy books faster than I can read them, and I don't think I've ever gone into a bookstore without finding something I want to read-- and that goes for the bookshop in the local library as well.

In a perfect world, there would be time enough for every book you wanted to read, with extra time set aside to re-read your favorites.