Out of Season/Place

I’m sitting in a Starbucks in Orange County, California in boots, jaunty wool cap and sweater. I know it’s November but I’m surrounded by Palm Trees and capris in 80 degree weather. I feel a little out of place.

I’m also the only girl under 50 in a 50 mile radius who is not wearing skinny jeans.

I am visiting my grandparents, my grandpa just turned 89 on Sunday and is the only man on his block to take care of his own yard. My grandma is 85 and volunteers twice a week at the Nixon library. They just finished a cruise to Scandinavia, earlier this year they cruised the tip on South America, last year they went to New Zealand and the year before they walked the Great Wall. I come from some fantastic genetics.

I have spent the last few days cornered by my grandpa telling me stories from WWII, he was sent to Pearl Harbor 3 weeks after the war started and was a forensic entomologist, meaning he was in charge of keeping the bugs that make people sick at bay. He has hundreds of photos from his service as Malaria control and one of his college professors was in charge of designing the Panama Canal. He still works as an entomologist for citrus groves all over Southern California. The man loooves bugs.

They have been married 62 years. They both served in WWII, lived through the Great Depression, segregation, the invention of television, the first man on the moon and now the first African American President.

the moosh is named after my grandma.

I apologize to any of you who were worried after my last post, a lot is going on in my life and it all became overwhelming right before I was about to leave for two months.

I broke down into hysterical sobs because my favorite sweater had fuzzballs on it.

Cody has law school finals and since this is his last year, and it’s kind of our tradition, the moosh and I took off on a migration to let Cody psychotically study for the next month and half and he’ll join us in Utah in December for Christmas.

I’ll be all over Southern California until November 18th. I’ll be spending a lot of my time with her. If you know her, email her, let’s party. If you don’t know her, you should really reconsider. After that time I’ll be in Utah.

the moosh has finished her muffin, her milk is gone, which means my time at Starbucks is spent.

Thank you to all of you who have stuck around, or who have just come here. This blog has been a lifeline for me when I have nothing left, nowhere to go to, or no one to talk to. It has also been my sounding board for things I love, things that bug me and for all the ridiculous little nuances of life.

I know you all have a hundred other things you could be or should be doing and I’m truly blessed and honored that you spend a little bit of your life in mine.

xoxo

53 thoughts on “Out of Season/Place

  1. I hope your time away from your honey goes quickly! It is so hard to be apart and just the thought of it can make anyone hysterical. Your grandparents sound fascinating, I am sure you will enjoy your time with them.

    Bug Hugs!

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  2. I can’t really put into words what I really want to say. I love your blog. Sometimes I have those days when I think that everything is going wrong. I find inspiration in reading about how you survive everyday. I love reading about your little Moosh. I too someday (when the time is right hope to be a mom). I know you don’t know me but, thanks. Thanks for having the strength to share your life with the world. Thanks for being an inspiration. Thanks for everything!
    ~Alicia

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  3. I thank you for writing your blog. You have given me hope and the courage to do what I thought I could never do. You are an inspiration for me. The moosh is adorable and thanks so much for sharing your life with me. Thank you for everything. Have fun in California, and I hope to get to meet you at BlogHer or if we’re ever in the same city.

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  4. I absolutley love LOVE LOVE! that you blog.

    Also, I LOVE that you’re in my hood. Nixon library, Right down the road from me. BLVD really, but yeah.

    I hope you have a wonderful time. Sometimes getting away is what we need.

    JachiCues last blog post..Holding my breathe…

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  5. A pox on skinny jeans! You’re so lucky to still have your grandparents! My parents are their generation and I hear all the stories from them, but my grandmother was the the St. Louis World’s Fair and sometimes I wish I’d known her.

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  6. Glad that you’re (relatively) ok and that you’re hanging out with some awesome people πŸ™‚ Make sure you get lots of hugs, that’s what grandparents are for!

    Megs last blog post..Addendum

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  7. Your grandparents sound like amazing people. But why should anyone be surprised. Glad it’s all okay. Your last post did have me worried, but I didn’t want to be nosy. Anyway, have fun in CA. Maybe more mouse worshiping? I hope so!

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  8. I hope you have a happy time in your travels. That is great you get to visit with your grandparents. I never got to know mine, I only saw them a handful of times (we lived very far away). I was grandparentless by the time I was 18. Enjoy the warm weather. We got our first snow here in Iowa today.

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  9. I’m visiting Southern CA too! Wanna meet up? I was going to say that in your last post but I didn’t want to sound to stalkerish. I hope your having a great time with your grandparents!

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  10. Okay, I’m good now! I was just trying to figure out why you were going to CA instead of UT! Good luck to the law school student on getting it all done and done well!

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  11. whew! So glad you are OK. You had me worried.

    Enjoy beautiful CA!

    Give the moosh a hug. And good luck to Cody and his finals.

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  12. Tell your grandmother that I love the Nixon Library. I really enjoyed visiting his old home and the museum is excellent in showcasing Nixon’s amazing career as a politician.

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  13. Is it because I follow you on twitter that I wasn’t worried?? I knew you’d be going west for a couple of months and figured that was why you were feeling a bit heavy. I hope you have a fantastic time in CA/UT and that Cody kicks ass on his finals.

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  14. Huge hugs darling one! I hope you and the darling and unstoppable Moosh have a fabulous time.

    Enjoy and God Bless love. Don’t worry, I’m in a similar climate and you wouldn’t catch me in skinny jeans even for money πŸ™‚ and you’re way cuter and skinnier than I am πŸ™‚

    God Bless you honey. Relax and enjoy your family time.

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  15. If you have time to burn, you should takΓ© the moosh on a trip up the coast to Monterey. (Yes, it’s a bit of a drive.) But, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will rock your daughter’s world. Also, the weather on the Central Coast is much more conducive to the boots and jaunty cap thing. Also, grandparents/great-grandparents get a kick out of watching the little ones at the aquarium. Oh- also Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel/Big Sur is breathtakingly beautiful in a way SoCal will never be. (I’m allowed to say that – I’ve lived in both places)

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  16. Glad to hear that everyone is healthy and without family ememrgency. I can’t imagine leaving my husband for months, he’s at a scout campout tonight and I hate being alone in our house! I doubt it’s any easier for you and the Moosh. You both must love him a ton to give him this time to study.

    On a different thread, I LOVE your blog. I love knowing that somewhere out there someone I don’t “know” I already like and admire. Thanks for being you and sharing your life through your blog. I for one am sticking around here a while.

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  17. I don’t comment often, well, only once, but I follow your blog religiously. When you said you were gone I was concerned for you. Thanks for sharing the reasons. I understand how you are feeling. I am in that same moment in my life. That moment where you don’t quite belong and you no where is quite home. That place where you long for nothing else but a small little space to go that is yours and yours alone. I get it. Hang on. Can’t last forever. Right?

    Brees last blog post..Butterbean Turn’s 5

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  18. Just delurking to say HI and I really like your blog and I used to live down the street from the Nixon library! We recently moved to St. Louis from OC and miss that nice 80 degree weather that is year round.

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  19. Your grandparents sound like amazing people, they have lived! I love hearing about older people who don’t let their age slow them down, it is so inspiring.

    Your blog is wonderful and I’m glad I found it. I hope you have an awesome time with your friends and family.

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  20. Hoping your trip is good. Hoping finals are fast and painless.
    Hoping you and Heather are somewhat empty and sad because I am totally swamped with mad jealousy for you two getting to hang! If you don’t post a million pictures of Maddie and the Moosh, there will be no forgiveness possible.

    HAVE FUN!

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  21. You are totally addictive. The topics you write that I don’t get, help me “get” someone else. Otherwise I’m either trying not to pee my pants, nodding in total agreement or wanting to kill someone on your behalf. Anyways, please, please keep it up. You’re a lifeline for what is I’m sure a much larger audience than leaves you little notes.

    Jolenes last blog post..The Smelly Kid

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  22. See, I am sad that you won’t be in Utah before the 16th, because I am going this weekend. But grandparents are important and stuff… πŸ˜‰

    I hope you have a lovely time and that things settle down.

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  23. So I have to tell you that we were sitting in the row infront of Cody during the fireside tonight and Paige looks at him and says “mommy, where’s “moosh” and “moosh’s mommy?” and I told her that you were with your family and she said. “When is she coming home?” I told her after we go to see Nana in Canada and then she told me “mommy, I miss “moosh” I thought it was so sweet and had to share and let you know that you are missed here!

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  24. Glad everyone is okay, even though you are having a hard time right now! I have to say that you are such a wonderful writer, you make me feel so content after reading and I love how raw and honest you always are. Thank you Casey, you rock. Have fun in Cali and Utah πŸ™‚

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