Life of Wry

Today, someone on Facebook posted this photo. It’s most of the staff and teachers from Cesar Chavez Elementary school during Peter’s tenure there. This particular photo, the poster believed, was taken in about 2009, which was the year Peter entered 6th grade, his final at Chavez.

The photo includes Senora Bugsch (first grade.. almost out of the photo on the right side), Senora Dunbar (second grade, white tee shirt with lettering, who taught with Senora [hmmm], not pictured), Senora Peavyhouse (I think) (sixth grade, on Chavez’s right shoulder), principal Senora Beck (far left).. and numerous other teachers he didn’t have. I don’t see Peter’s kindergarten teacher (Senora Gutierrez), nor his second grade teacher (Senorita Cruz), nor his fourth grade teacher (Senorita Marchand), nor his fifth grade teacher (Senora Ponce). I can’t imagine they’d all moved on.. but nor can I imagine the photo includes the entire teacher community at Chavez!

But.. whew.. remembering all these names… that was really reaching back in the memory bank.

While I’m on the subject of Peter’s teachers.. here are a few I could put my hands on quickly…

Peter with Senora Gutierrez (kindergarten):

Peter and Senora Bugsch (first grade):

Senora Bugsch and Senorita Cruz sitting on Peter’s bed (happened when we hosted one course of a progressive dinner.. a fundraiser for Chavez).. they teased that this photo could be used as blackmail one day:

This is a photo I came across today, as well… it’s a photo taken in the summer following first grade.. and it really got me. The crumbs, yes, the eyelid freckle and the fold of the ears.. but I really smiled at his name inscribed (by him) on the inside of this hat. I could stare at this photo for hours.

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One other thing happened today. We went to a memorial service for the dad of one of Peter’s Chavez friends, Anna. For a while — kindergarten and first grade mostly — Anna was it.

A couple of Anna and Peter pics (and Jack makes an appearance):

They enjoyed hanging out in the hammock in the backyard.. just talking.

So, Jim Belenis passed away a month and a half ago, a heart complication. He was sort of legendary — part of a well-known family in town — and so very well liked. Among many more important community contributions, he served on my board for many years. I really liked him a lot. It was a sad memorial, for the fact he lived life with many health issues stemming from childhood cancer. He faced so many challenges, got passed most of them, until the last thing. Died at 63 leaving a loving family and a huge community of friends grieving.

It was really lovely to talk with Anna — very grown up Anna. Still so sweet.

Peter and Maya arrived last night, this morning we mobilized — packed, Bernardo’d, then set out on Hwy 50, thinking we’d skirt the crowds at the Northwest 120 entrance and slide into our Lee Vining cottage sans traffic. We stopped for a break at Horsetail Falls, then went all the way into Echo to check that out (miss that place). We walked up to the ridge to give Maya a look at Lake Tahoe (first time), then headed over to the old Sorensen’s (now either the Desolation Hope or the Wylder Resort… that was confusing) on 89/88 and had a great lunch at the Sorensen’s Cafe. Eventually crossed Monitor Pass and dropped onto the east side — just gorgeous scenery, I tell ya. Green, sweeping vistas, Mono Lake, fire remnants/regrowth… all just beautiful. Checked into the Lake View Hotel, whined about sketchy wifi as we delighted in the funky but generous accommodations, then finally had dinner at the Mobil station, which, funnily, is the best food around. Here are photos from the day.

Oh… and I’m so so so over the moon to be with these three for the next five days in the SIERRA. Happy happy happy.

I’m sitting here all excited… Jim and I will be leaving shortly to pick Peter and Maya up from the airport, a late night flight delayed. They were coming in at 10:18, now arriving 10:38… not too late, not too delayed.

Anyway, as I wait another half hour or so before we depart, thought I’d post some distracting, funny animal shots!

It goes without saying.. I didn’t take any of these *

(*) I found them on a site called, “comedywildlifephoto dot com” and each photo is attributed. There are lots; these are the ones that made me laugh out loud. Their captions were pretty good.

Can ya stand another summer meal photo? I happen to think these are just the best.

Those are tomatoes and strawberries from the garden, a peach from the coop, and leftover Sophia’s.

We are in the thick of summer.. shorts, bare feet, sleeveless tops. And lots of fresh fruits and veggies everywhere, anytime. Often a peach or plum or nectarine is sitting on a cutting board in the kitchen so that every time I walk by, I take a bite. Lots of heavenly hammock time today. So many icy fruit smoothies.

Loving it.

And here’s today’s haul:

I think I’m going to have to dehydrate some tomatoes tomorrow.. or maybe just cut them up and freeze them for winter? We take off Tuesday for almost a week and the tomatoes are coming fast and furious… two full size tomato plants and one yellow cherry… definitely sufficient for the two of us.

I won’t forget this week… for its sadness, for its courtroom lessons, for its bonding with Maria around a profound tragedy (tragedy…. a word that comes to mind often).

Around the intensity and the surrealness (another word I can’t seem to shake), there was levity. “This is not a whodunnit,” said Sam the judge. “Never the two shall twain,” uttered nonsensically by Rosemary the nurse. And, oddly, some laugh-out-loud moments (which I can’t quite remember, but welcomed).

There were stories and backstories. History and context. Revelations.

I was moved by the many 20-somethings who were friends of the defendant — roommates, co-workers, a girlfriend — who were just 20-somethings, who seemed not to know what to do about the red flags, but who cared and tried to support. Who were just going about their lives as students and found themselves in the midst of a nightmare. All I could think of was that could be Peter, or any of his friends. They were smart young people, polite, earnest, nervous as they answered questions on the witness stand… completely over their heads with the horrors that unfolded. I couldn’t help but think that we as a culture need to do more to create awareness for mental illness. We need to provide education and a common language for people to be able to talk about it, and more importantly recognize it and appropriately respond to it. Lives depend on our compassion and action.

I was fascinated by court process. Fascinated by the strategies of the lawyers. Truly… so eye opening. I could easily spend days just wandering from courtroom to courtroom, observing the proceedings. One could if one were so inclined.

The trial now takes a week-long break and resumes on Aug 7, likely concluding that week with a decision about the defendant’s competency to stand trial in criminal proceedings. It’s hard to believe the jury will determine that he is competent. He’s urgently in need of help, life saving help, to address severe schizophrenia (not an official diagnosis as yet). And then, I don’t know what.

In the meantime… as I said, lots of sharing, stories, debriefs. Being there with Maria was a balm, as difficult as the situation is. And Sarah. Appreciating their decency, humanity, smarts, grace, kindnesses.

Here’s a pic.. taken during one of the many breaks:

The competency trial continues and another day was spent at Yolo County Superior Court. I continue to be fascinated by the process, the players, and the proceedings.

And.. there’s always a 90-min lunch break, so happy me getting to explore Woodland and try different restaurants every day. Today’s was an Afghan eatery! Afghan Urban Eats.. how about that.

Yummm! Mine’s the one at the bottom of the pic, eggplant buryani w/ a tomato/cucumber salad, a yogurt sauce and a mint (maybe it was cilantro?) chutney-ish thing, and naan. Wonderful.

T’was a lovely day and Main Street Woodland was in fine form:

… is my achilles tendon.

Specifically, I have chronic tendinosis… or degenerative tendinopathy… defined thusly:

Achilles tendinosis is a condition in which very small tears form and inflammation occurs in the Achilles tendon. Otherwise known as degenerative tendinopathy, this disorder frequently affects athletes and happens when too much stress is placed on the tendon.

I forgot I had this (officially diagnosed with an MRI in 2012) until my current physical therapist (the amazing Shanette) reminded me last week. I’d had plenty of issues with my achilles tendons before 2012, and tried numerous PT-advised strategies, but 2012 was the diagnostic breakthrough.

Yay?

And I addressed it! And I have seen years of painless tendons. Until recently when it flared up.. prolly due to aging (less supple tissue and lots of wear and tear), and maybe just too much walking on hard surfaces. Maybe a rest day or two each week between those long walks? Maybe cushier shoes? Maybe getting rid of those negative heel shoes? Argg.

I’ve been immobilizing my heel this week to rest the tendon and hopefully reduce the inflammation (read: pain) before our Yosemite hiking trip next week. I’ve been wearing a boot (the dreaded) and refraining from my 5-mile walks on Davis pavement (bad). Today, I shifted my strategy to kinesiology tape and ibuprofen. It was a pain-free day!

I’m hopeful for next week’s hiking.

I don’t know why I don’t spend more time in Woodland… it’s a pretty cool town. Been spending a lot of time up there this week, with more visits to go as this competency trial continues. And really, all I’m seeing is a few blocks of mostly Main St, those blocks near the courthouse. But, three days down and three restaurants in the bag, and many to go. Excited!

Lunch time has offered a brief respite from the difficulties of a surreal, extremely sad trial. Compartmentalizing is necessary, and when I’m able to do that, I am appreciating all I’m learning about how trials work. Truly fascinating.

So today, we went to Las Brasas and had a simple, nice lunch of tacos (yesterday was Maria’s Cantina, and Monday’s was Morgan’s Mill).

Our view while eating lunch… quite cool, no?

And walking back to the courthouse, appreciating the historic buildings…

We’ve reached that part of the summer where the Crepe Myrtles are ablaze all over town. We’re down to about two (I think) on our property, where we once had about thirteen! It’s not that I don’t love them.. but when we leveled our back yard and replanted the whole back and most of the front, we just ended up planting new things (like Chinese pistache, ginkgo, redbud, numerous fruit, and a strawberry tree, among other shrubs and such). We have volunteer myrtles all over the back, but we’re not letting them take over.

Anyway… the two that remain are in our front yard, north side of the driveway and the tippy top limbs have finally got the sun they need to burst… and here comes the lavender (my favorite of all the myrtle colors):

Spent the day here… Yolo County Superior Court, fourth floor, Department 10.

Today was the jury selection phase of a competency trial for the young man who murdered two people in Davis and attempted a third. I borrowed the above picture because I didn’t take any.

It’s a fascinating thing to witness, this justice system.

To be so up-close to this process is near-surreal. It’s somewhat familiar, because TV and movies give us a lot of courtroom drama. But to know the victim, to be seated not 20 feet behind the defendant, to know the judge, to know a prospective juror, to know the local crime reporter, to be sitting among people who are now so very familiar to me… makes it all so very real. Even as the crime — so unfathomably brutal — seems unreal, and the stakes — the death penalty — are so unimaginably dire.

The trial — again, not the criminal trial for the homicides and attempted homicide, but the civil trial to determine whether he’s even competent to stand trial — begins tomorrow morning at 9:00. I will be there, and likely every day of the trial.

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(*) I clearly have not watched enough crime and courtroom dramas, because this term was unfamiliar to me. After hearing it for about two hours, I finally looked it up:

Voir dire: Means “to speak the truth” in French. It refers to the examination of prospective jurors by the judge and attorneys to determine whether the individuals are qualified to serve on a jury in a particular case.