Sundays in My City - Bits and Pieces - February 1, 2015 o

On the 3rd of February, it will be two months since my return from India!  My days seem so full, I can't catch up on all my projects and I still didn't complete Harper's stocking in time for her second Christmas.  I am determined to finish it before I return to India on May 5th.  I made the excuse that she is still too young to really find fault with her Nana's procrastination!

When Alex or Laura are working, I look after my granddaughter who will be two-years-old on April 13th.  She constantly amazes me.  Harper is so intelligent and is

learning Spanish as well as English.  Alex speaks fluent 

Spanish and reads her bilingual stories and identifies colors,

animals, etc, in both languages.  She is full of energy and

doesn't realize that Nana, at 70, can't quite keep up the pace 

that she does.  The other day, as we walked to the park, she

kept telling me, "Run, Nana, run," as I tried to match her little rapid footsteps!

My granddogs, Taffy and Bucky, are just wonderful with her,

tolerating having their tails and ears pulled - though we admonish her not to do so.  She constantly uses Bucky for a seat and MUST have Taffy, her doggie mother present whenever she goes in for her nap or bedtime.  If they go into

their kennels for a brief respite, she wants to go in with them!!

Watching Sesame Street with Taffy

I really miss San Francisco.  I've only been down once, for three doctor's appointments.  It's a hundred miles from Sacramento - thankfully, the gas prices have dropped to about $2.60/gallon - but, with my baby sitting responsibilities, I just can't get down there.  

I was able to see my orthopedist, Dr. John Belzer for cortisone injections in my right shoulder and left knee.  Probably, next time I'm home from India, I will have to get a total right shoulder replacement.  The procedure done on my left shoulder was such a success, I won't continue to suffer much longer with this pain. 

Thankfully, for the time being anyway, one of my really dear friends, Kris Bleything, has moved to Sacramento.  It is so nice to be able to have a pal to try out some of the area's restaurants and with whom to enjoy movies and to catch up on the latest gossip.  Last night, we watched a really nice Helen Mirren movie, "The Hundred Foot Journey."

I've managed to gain eight pounds since my return home, thanks to the ability to find so many good, reasonably priced wines and to access all sorts of decent restaurants near me.  

Alex and Laura are only about fifty miles from California's famed Napa Valley and there are several nice wineries within twenty miles of their home.  One of them, Bogle Vineyards, is in Clarksburg, only fifteen miles away.  I've always liked their wines, reasonably priced, and with many varietals from which to choose.  This past year, I attended a wine event at the Sacramento Convention Center and tasted their "Essential Red" for the first time.  It is a a blend of Old Vine Zinfandel,

Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Sirah.  

Bogle 2012 Essential Red, received a rating of 91 points in Wine Enthusiast as well as a "Best Buy" designation.  In many stores in my area, it is available for under $12/bottle.  

Rich and complex, with flavors of boysenberries and sweet cherries, it is a wine that is sure to please, in my opinion.  Costco, this past week, had it for $8/bottle.

I've eaten at some good restaurants, especially Japanese places for sashimi and sushi - since I won't do raw fish in India.  The Bay area abounds in these, often within a block or so of each other.  Most of the time, these are a bit hard on the budget but worth the indulgence!

My computer is on its last legs so I have been trying to read the latest info in hopes of getting a new one before I return to India. I do have a tablet but it just doesn't seem adequate to me for blogging, research, etc.  Anyone have suggestions for me?  

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Alexander the Great ( well, he's great to me, anyway )

A is for ALEXANDER

On August 27, 1982, twelve years after I had given birth to my first son, I was in labor ( I was 38-year-old ) at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco.  Was I at the delivery room, though?  No, not on your life.  I was over at the operating room, hanging out in the lounge with my former R.N. co-workers, counting my contractions.  Dr. Reid had told me to come back across the street when they were five minutes apart.  I had fully intended to do so but, as soon as my husband and I would get ready to leave, someone else would show up to chat.  Finally, as I began to get a little uncomfortable, I realized my contractions were only four minutes apart and I took off, with my husband in tow. 

We had to wait for the elevator in the main hospital, get across very busy Sutter Street, then wait for the elevator in the Pavilion.  By the time I got into a gown and the nurse checked me, I was informed my son's head was crowning and they were rushing me to the delivery room.  Dr. Reid, yelled, "I told you to come back when your contractions were five minutes apart!"  I was now seriously uncomfortable and asked, "Where's my epidural?"  His response, "Too late!"  I

looked in a panic.  "What do you mean, it's too late - I didn't go to the classes...I HAVE to have an epidural."   Well I guess I did not because 8 pound, 9 ounce, Alexander Vukasinovic ( no middle name with that monicker ) arrived pretty damn fast and  he has been a joy ( okay, most of the time ) ever since.

He was a good student, always looking out for his younger brother who arrived two years later.  I remember his being quite upset when his favorite teacher ( he had Mrs. Rapozo for both kindergarten and first grade ) announced her retirement at the end of his first grade year.  "But," he beseeched, "you can't go...my brother is coming to school in September."

After high school, Alex went to college at UC Davis.  I was so excited, especially to be able to go to a parent - student weekend.  I had gone to a diploma school of nursing and my oldest son, Shawn, had gone to junior college, then done an Air Force reserve stint of duty before transferring to San Jose State.  Alex would be the first son to attend a four year university.  Well, he hated it.  After his first semester, he refused to go to classes and disclosed to me that he really didn't like UC Davis, that what he had really wanted to do was go to City College, a local junior college and play football for them.  He said he was transferring to American River College, and would be getting a job at Safeway, and would never expect me to finance any more of his education.  And he never has.  From that day forward, he has paid for everything himself.  He did get to play football for American River, as a defensive lineman.  His first year, if I remember correctly, they only won four games.  His second year, they were undefeated!  He wanted to continue on playing varsity football but, when the schools that were trying to recruit him, did not want him to work, he finally said, "My mom can't afford to supplement a scholarship without my working so it's time for me to give up football."  That almost broke my heart. 

Alex has continued on at Safeway while he has completed his fire technology studies in hopes

of pursuing a firefighter career.  It was in school that he met beautiful, Laura Winterhalter, who will become his wife on May 7th of this year.  In April, they bought their first home in West Sacramento.  Laura also completed the fire technology program and her paramedic training and, though they have given me two granddogs, I am looking forward to the day, I will also have

grandchildren. 

I am blessed, really, with three incredible sons - three testosterone boys...and I will welcome Laura, with open arms, into my household.  Alexander, my "A" child has done his family proud in every way and, never more so, than in his very wise choice of a life partner.

Alex Vukasinovic and Laura Winterhalter at Bogle Vineyards, Clarksburg, CA

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