News Trend A True Story|Actual

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense." -Mark Twain

Fact. I'd kept the check safe and secure for weeks, carefully placed between my keyboard and desktop monitor, waiting for a trip to the bank. Finally, the right errand day arrived and I gathered up this one hundred dollar beauty, tucked it into the depths of my bag, and headed out the door.

Fact. I always run my errands in a certain order: I head to the farthest destination first, and then slowly work my way back towards home. Sometimes I'll make an exception to that rule, and take care of a few right-handed stops on my outbound journey. Because logic trumps order. But on this particular day, I honored my process which called for the bank to be my last stop.

Fact. As I pulled up to the ATM, my right hand confidentlally dug into my bag to grab that oversize check.

Fact. It wasn't there.

Fact. "Whatttt. No. Of course it's there. You just need to look more methodically." This is the conversation my frontal lobe had with my freaked out limbic system. I'm a fan of self-talk.

Fact. After turning my bag inside out, emptying my wallet, and checking under all the floor mats, I reached a conclusion. The check was most certainly gone.

Fact. "Where did you last see it?" This is my husband's favorite question to ask me when I'm looking for something. Wait. That's not true. Usually he's the one searching for what I've misplaced because I hate to chase after missing things and he quite enjoys it. But in this case, I didn't mind the question because for once, I knew the answer. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, I remembered feeling the check in my bag as I was fumbling for the key to look up my storage unit, which had been my second-to-last stop.

Fact. After almost a decade of putting up with an overcrowded garage, we recently rented a small storage unit to stash our collection of furniture that will someday go to live in our daughters' future homes. Best decision I've made in a long time.

Fact. Storage warehouses are busy places. And they are full of strangers. If I had indeed dropped my check on the floor in that building, that baby would be gone, long gone. Weighing my options in the bank parking lot, my first instinct was to drive back to the warehouse with a lead foot. But, my internal conversation continued, let's be realistic. The check had almost certainly disappeared. Maybe it was worth a call to the warehouse office to see if a kind soul had turned it in, but the best investment of my time would probably to call the person who wrote the check and arrange to have her stop payment and then cut me a new check net of the fees.

Fact. Ugh.

Fact. In  a sudden surge of optimism, I decided to go look for my check.

So. I reversed my route and drove back a mile,

parked my car,

walked into the lobby,

climbed into the elevator,

punched in my codes,

ascended to the third floor,

exited the lift,

found the proper hallway,

then turned round the corner to look down the aisle toward my very own unit.

This I did not expect to see.

Fact. And, miracle of miracles, there was my check, just where I had apparently left it.

News Trend P.S. Her Name Was Shannon|Actual

Even though the sidewalk appears empty, in my mind's eye,

I still see my frisky red companion trotting along up ahead of me.

It happened again today.

This time, I was stepping off the corner of Chennault Beach Road and 107th Street SW, just about to cross the street into my neighborhood, when I heard a voice call out.

"Excuse me. Excuse me!"

I turned round to see a woman behind me, emerging from a car that she had clearly just pulled to the curb. In fact, I realized only seconds before, she had driven past me on the corner where I had been waiting to cross.

I paused. I didn't know this person.

"Are you the one who used to walk a beautiful big dog on a long, long (her arms fully outstretched in illustration) leash?"

Haha. Umm. Yes.That would be me.

Knowing where this conversation was about to go, I hesitated to answer the question as I walked back toward her, as she came toward me.When we met on corner, she took both my hands and looked deep into my eyes.

Remember, I have never seen this woman in my life.

Yes, that was me.

Her eyes filled with tears.

He died

She hugged me.

She told me how sorry she was to hear that.

She described in great lebih jelasnya my dog's sparkling spirit and spanking good humor.

She mentioned that over the years, she and her husband talked about my dog regularly, and lately have been worried about his absence. Her husband didn't want her to ask me about it for fear of upsetting me.

My eyes filled with tears.

Yes, he's gone. He was ready. He lived a good life.

She hugged me again.

She told me that she loved me.

I've never had anyone tell me they love me before they even tell me their name.

But you know, when you share life with a dog like Ranger, you get used to some pretty amazing things.

News Trend Looking Up: Mother's Day Edition|Actual

Now that's red hair.

I was a tiny little thing, much shorter than the towering round racks of clothes scattered across the sales floor of our local Arborland JCPenney. But I wandered among them confidently, knowing that I could easily spot my mother from any place in the store. All I had to do was look up. At 5'11" with waves of auburn hair, my mom stood out in a crowd and I never, ever worried about getting separated from her.

It's memories like this one - simple, straightforward, and full of security - that make my first Mother's Day without her a bit easier to bear.

News Trend Letting Go In Mexico |Actual

 Traveling south down the long, lean line of Baja California,

with the Gulf of California and the mainland of Mexico in sight on the left.

Last week I flew away to Mexico and spent five lovely days of pure, unadulterated leisure. I stayed with my two elder daughters at a resort in Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of Baja California, where the closest body of land to the south is Antarctica.

I had never been to a proper resort before, where all your needs are laid out before you, and nothing more is required than to lean back and enjoy. Quite a different experience than my recent international cultural immersion adventures, or the golden days of road tripping across the country with four children and assorted pets in a minivan.

I will confess that I struggled at first. Doing nothing is an acquired skill, and I had to make a concentrated effort to let go of all the things I could do - surfing! parasailing! painting ceramic bowls! - to embrace the fine art of sitting still.

And so I sat.

Golden squiggles mark the paths of dry riverbeds, a sure sign of desert terrain.

As if the never-ending brown landscape left any doubt.

Well. Technically, I did a lot of lying. On my chaise lounge.

And on my floaty as I drifted around the pool.

I allowed myself to take a lot of pictures, and to play at the beach.

And to eat fish tacos every day.

But that was about it.

And you know what? An amazing thing happened.

Little islands litter the eastern coastline.

And all I can think is that this is where grey whales come to have their babies.

I found myself not filling up with new ideas, new experiences, new plans, as I usually do on vacation.

I found myself emptying out.

All of the priorities and principles and pressing needs of my day-to-day life gently subsided.

I didn't forget about them. I just let them sit with me.

And then, at then end of my trip, I realized that I now had a choice.

I could pick all those things back up and carry them home to keep on with my life as usual

Or I could let some things go.

And that's what I did.

Back home again.

As we descended through the marine layers over good ol' Seattle,

the Olympic Mountains showed as a row of smiling teeth in the west.

I gathered up some of the fears, stresses, anxieties, and troubles that just don't suit me anymore, and I cast them off like so many messages in a bottle into the refreshing waters of the Sea of Cortez. They were floating off into the horizon as I turned and walked away. Next stop: the South Pole.

Since I've been home, I've been tempted - probably more from habit that desire - to pick those troublesome thoughts and emotions back up. But every time I do, I see in my mind's eye those imaginary glass bottles bobbing up and down in the water. They've surely been swept out into the wide open Pacific by now, and while I hope to never see them again, I certainly wish them well.

* * * * *

Read more about my trip to Cabo

Letting Go In Mexico

My Fish Taco Challenge

A Royal Journey

Missing Mexican Memories

The Sweet Little Bonito

News Trend Happy Birthday, Janey|Actual

When your third-born wild child is far away in South Korea and you have no choice but to celebrate her birthday without her:

You firm up the menu with a quick iMessage but you knew all along that she would ask for enchiladas.

And you bake her favorite cake - Katie's Kentucky Chocolate Cake - on the laman that is falling out of the cookbook because you've baked it for pretty much every birthday of her life.

Then you light the candles and with the whole family, sing to her, because the windows are open and maybe the breezes will blow just so and carry our voices far across the sea to her waiting ears.

And when the time comes, you get to blow out the candles because that's a mother's privilege.

Happy Birthday, Janey!

News Trend My Fish Taco Challenge|Actual

Lately I have been obsessed with fish tacos.

There's something about the intricate balance of flavor and texture

the delicate fish,

the earthy tortilla,

the crisp slaw,

the tangy sauce and

the bright note of cilantro

that fascinates me and reassures me that every time I bite into one of this angelic creations, it will surely be just a little bit different than any fish taco I have ever eaten before.

During my trip to Mexico, I decided to challenge myself not only eat fish tacos every day but also to rate them and choose the winner. Here's how my eats stacked up.

Day One: Las Palomas at the resort

Pros: After a long day of travel, I was starving, and ready to eat a caballo. The fried fish was crisp, the slaw was tangy.

Cons: No cilantro. What.

Day dua: Herradero at the marina

Pros: Fresh caught sea bass. Crisp slaw. I tucked the orange garnish from my plate into my taco and went straight to heaven. Fresh pico de gallo and possibly handmade tortillas (note rips and tears).

Cons: There were only three tacos. I could have eaten eight.

Day 3: Las Palomas served poolside.

Pros: Even when served outside, the warm components were still warm and the cool components were still cool. The chipotle sauce was sassy and bold.

Cons: Breaded fish. I prefer unbreaded.

Day 4: The Bistro at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach

Pros: No but that cilantro. So much. And so good. Fresh red snapper.

Cons: Sauteed vegetables and rice missed the mark. Uninspired salsa.

Day lima: Las Palomas served poolside again

Pros: For the third time in a row, this kitchen managed to serve the fish warm, and the slaw cool, even under the unforgiving Mexican sun.  And I could drink that chipotle sauce straight from the cup.

Cons: The guacamole is wasted on me (I can't eat avocado), and the refried beans heavy and tasteless. I would have gladly traded it all in for a fourth taco.

Day 6: Wahoo's Fish Tacos at LAX

Pros: Delicate and pretty little tortillas with a pleasing proportion of filling to wrap. Beautiful colors and presentation, albeit in a styrofoam clamshell.

Cons: The flavor notes were bland and muddled. And what's up with just two tacos? I consider a trio of fish tacos to be gospel.

* * * * *

And the winner of my South of the Border Taco Challenge?

My Day Two plate at Herrado, served by an adorable waiter I nicknamed Baby Lupe and threatened to bring him home as a Mexican groom for one of my (unsuspecting) daughters. He was handsome and polite and funny and thoughtful and brought us endless Mexican Cokes on ice and this amazing dish of pineapple ice cream as well.

He promised us this dessert would be to die for, and said that if we didn't like it, he'd eat it for us.

So huzzah to Herrado Restaurant and our own Baby Lupe and to delicious fish tacos everywhere!

* * * * *

Read more about my trip to Cabo

Letting Go In Mexico

My Fish Taco Challenge

A Royal Journey

Missing Mexican Memories

The Sweet Little Bonito

News Trend Luna Comes Home|Actual

Our beloved Luna is safe and sound and living, as usual, in the lap of luxury.

I was sitting at the kitchen counter, working on a to-do list, when I caught a glimpse of a dark smudge of movement at my back door.

The sleek little body

The orca's fin of a tail.

The reddish brown glint of the black sun-swept fur

I knew in an instant this was my Luna, and my heart nearly leaped out of my chest.

Calming myself so as not to frighten him, I cautiously opened the slider as I crooned to him.

Hi Tooney. I'm so happy to see you.

Soundlessly, fluidly, he flowed across the top step and wound his way around the house to the side yard. I followed, fighting back the urge to shout my joy from the rooftops.

Near the side door to the garage, Luna paused, still and alert, and posed under a pink rose bush.

I'm just going to pick you up, Toonus. Don't worry. Everything's okay.

My blood pulsed in my ears as I bent down and scooped him up. Surprisingly passive, he leaned into my shoulder and let me hold him tight. Then the tears which had been bottled up for the past four days finally flowed

* * * * *

Luna had been missing. For forty-eight miserable hours, we saw not a hint of him.

* * * * *

Our three cats, Luna, Sirius, and Cedric, are indoor/outdoor cats.

While we let them roam free outdoors whenever they so choose, the brothers are rarely far from home. Most of their outdoor adventures take place in our back yard, often with other cats from the neighborhood who come over to play or nap with them

They occasionally stray to our closest neighbors' yards to play with the neighbors' children and taunt the neighbors' dogs, but my three cats make a point to keep close to their food dishes. And barring the half-dozen summer nights that are so warm that they prefer to curl up in their garden nests and sleep in the starlight, my cats always come in at night when we call them, to sleep upon pillows, sheepskins, and the fluffiest of down comforters.

* * * * *

Sirius sleeps blissfully unaware in the bark while Cedric the chair hog hops down to investigate the photographer, and Luna is mesmerized by a bug crawling on the rocks.

I understand that some people find us to be irresponsible cat owners. The world is a dangerous place, they say, and cats are safer indoors. When left to run free, cats can get hit by cars, or lost, or worst of all, carried off by the wild things that roam suburban streets at night. Shame on you, they say, for not taking better care of your cats.

I can only shrug my shoulders and say, maybe some cats are happy to always live indoors.

But if you saw my cats

leaping at elusive butterflies,

sleeping in the shadows under the day lilies,

surveying their world from atop the fence posts,

curled up in the vines on top of the trellis,

dozing on their favorite wicker chair,

and

waiting on the front porch for me to come home,

then you would understand that my cats' souls come alive when they are out of doors, and to deny them this freedom would be to break their spirits and consign them to lives of misery.

We realize the risks we take every time we open the door to let our cats run free.

We accept that they would probably live longer if we kept them inside at all times.

But a miserable life is no life at all.

So we let our cats go out.

* * * * *

Despite our worst fears, Luna showed no sign of injury or attack.

But he was definitely skinny and uncharacteristically passive.

Relieved and certainly protective, we whisked our prodigal son back into the house when we hoped he would stay safe for hours if not days, while we all recovered from this stress berat. But as soon as we set him down in the family room, he circled round and round by the back door, pacing and yowling, clearly terrified to be indoors.

Luna must have been trapped, we surmised. Somehow, he must have gotten himself shut up in a garage or a shed, and that's why he didn't come home. And that is why he is so upset about being kept inside at home.

And we knew that as much as we wanted to keep him safe indoors, we could see that his little soul was in a panic.

Luna needed to go out.

And we needed to be brave enough to let him go.

So we all hugged him and kissed him and made him promise to come back very soon. Then we opened up the back door and let Luna go out into the night.

* * * * *

Epilogue: It's been three full days now since Luna came back. He is still a little jumpy and sensitive. He's eating often, though his meals are smaller than usual, and he's asking to go in and out of the house countless times a day.

We also notice that he is staying very close to the house.

And when we call, he always comes running back home.