Two Surprise Visits and Evidence of One

This is me continually learning; a new word. 

esoteric /adj/ understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest. private. secret. confidential. belonging to the select few.

1. Wednesday I got a surprise call from my best friend. She just happened to be traveling with her husband to Long Beach on a business-related trip.  Her next two questions quickened my step.  How far do you live from Long Beach? and What are you doing tomorrow? 

Uh, thirty minutes. And hanging out with you!

I wanted to pick her up in a new Lexus; she would have probably cried. We grabbed a snack at a quaint ocean side cafe. Then we walked in the sand, sat under our umbrella and spoke of our esoteric interests and how we used to sing together often and loud.

Travis tagged along and took this picture. We were laughing so hard because he's only three and took it like he had practiced.

. 

OK, so this is where I live. 

2. Sometimes I become unconscious when I clean, clearing everything in my path and inaccurately classifying the clutter. Four empty water bottles - trash. Two gum wrappers - trash. One paper plate - trash. Two old card board boxes with tape and string - trash. 

Today I quietly considered why this trash happens to be on the floor through out the house anyway and not in the garbage. Sometimes, I'm not quiet about it. 

How was I to know Matthew's esoteric intentions. The leprechaun traps weren't labeled. 

After going to more than Three stores, I found the perfect leprechaun sized evidence. Those tricky leprechauns!

3. I agreed to host book club for the month of April, which includes having a bunch of ladies over for a discussion and refreshments. It sounds simple, and yet, the voice in my head turns the commitment into something that feels like defeat. 

I suggested the book, The History of Love for April's book choice; probably because it's the only book I thought everyone might not have already read and because I liked reading it.  Maybe I should have suggested East of Eden.

I got three packages in the mail this week that looked just like this one.

Three new books because of our esoteric club of women. Esoteric probably doesn't fit here, but I was excited about the packages and hosting book club is something on my mind lately. Letting go of my ego on this one, the gathering will be perfect. 

4. My Uncle and cousin were in town yesterday from Mesa, Arizona and joined our family for Matthew's first baseball game, which was a success after his earlier feelings of nervousness. He was 100% at bat.

In visiting with me while I made cookies for the fireside, my uncle asked How are your siblings and which one of you got your mom's temper. Many things became very clear at that moment, and I joined his esoteric circle of trust. Makayla was the first one to offer it was probably me. Matthew asked What is a temper? 

I always thought the temper came from my Dad's Irish/German side, I looked up with dough and flour down my front, Was her temper learned behavior?

Probably the Indian in us. 

 

Of course, the tribal beliefs.

Makayla brought home the empty plate of cookies from church. When I made it through the line, they were all gone. 

 

Matthew said, Damn. Part of me wanted to burst out laughing. Instead I told him, That's a swear word and we don't use that word. 

What I wanted to say was, That word is probably too strong for this moment. Wait until you've lost your temper.