2021 Western Oddysey: Sleeping Human 12/5

Ruthie has a cold and Sheila is feeling a little puny too, so we slept in rather than heading over for the 8 a.m. service at Faith Lutheran this Sunday. I tuned in to our online service at Trinity, 2000 miles away.

Then I took my morning walk through a nearby neighborhood I have never walked before between Bobier and the sports park -- along Knapp and Encino streets. Here are two sights I decided I wanted to remember. 

The first is a house totally covered with carefully trimmed vines. Wow! 

 Interesting but it looks like a high-maintenance siding.

And a yard with a beautiful palm and assorted succulents underneath. 

I ended the walk at Brannon and John's house on Anza.

We're still trying to catch a photo of Susannah smiling. Alas not quite yet.

Clementine, like her mother 35 years ago, is serious about her art.

John has put up white Christmas lights on the front of the house. 

Meanwhile Clementine and Ruth have very definite ideas about how pretending is to be done. I have never been easy to direct, but then I have not had stonger-willed directors than these two. 

The currently long-running play at the Carlin Theater is called Sleeping Human. Improvisation is frowned upon. The specific stage directions go something like: "Grandshaw, you be Sleeping Human and Granny is the clock. I will be the kitty and Ruthie will be a dog."  So I tell everyone "Good night; sleep tight; don't let the bedbugs bite!" and begin snoring. At some point Sheila the Clock interrupts my slumber with "Brring, brring, brring!" I wake, (and may be instructed to hit the snooze alarm to repeat this beginning of the scene up to four times); brush my teeth with imaginary toothbrush, paste, and water; bathe, dry, and dress with imaginary stuff; open cans of pretend dog food and cat food and place it in make-believe saucers on the floor. At this point the two animals crawl on all fours out of their respective sleeping places as I call "Here, Kitty; here Puppy!" and make a show of eating from the floor. then return to their sleeping spots. 

Repeat till some other event or activity distracts the directors.

Sleeping human

Our supper tonight was wonderful spaghetti with tomato tomato sauce and salad by Renata. Brannon and Renata are vegetarians but there were meatballs for us carnivores.