August Visitations

The first six months or so that we were here in Northern California, we holed up like moles and barely ventured out of the house except for the bare necessities. Slowly, as the weather warmed up, and we warmed up too, we began to poke our noses out to see friends here and there, and now a new phase has begun. People are coming to visit US!

Our friend Billy drove up from L.A. on his way to his uncle's house in Downeyville. He brought his daughter "Young Zoe" (as he calls her) with him. Back in L.A. we'd had this lovely tradition of meeting Billy and Zoe at The Rose Café in Venice Beach. Ted and Billy would talk about sports and solve the world's problems, and Zoe and I would crayon our way through the paper tablecloth while eating eggs and pancakes loaded with syrup.

The tradition continues up here in Northern California. We had breakfast with Billy and Zoe, and yes, the menfolk talked and us "girls" drew on our placemats and ate eggs and pancakes. Zoe made the most amazing map of her road trip and when we got back to our house, I showed her around our little potted garden. We snipped pieces of herbs and sweet peas and lots of other green stuff and Zoe taped them all to her map. Just look how GORgeous ... (the map too)!


Zoe told me that her uncle's house is built over a river. The whole family has rubber ducky races down the river and she was excited about this year's race. I asked her to send a ducky down for me, and she said she would, so I'm awaitin' the results. I'll let you know if I won.

But wait ... a Storm was on it's way too. I mean our friend StormMiguel and his fiancé Annalise. These two are just wonderful and amazing.




We met StormMiguel and Annalise at Dierck's Café for juicy, grilled hamburgers smothered in roquefort cheese. (Be still my heart!) It'd been at least five years since we'd seen StormMiguel and it was our first time meeting Annalise. I was deeply moved by both of them.

StormMiguel's a wonderful musician, songwriter and performer, and we just love him (http://www.stormflorez.com/). Annalise is a clinical psychologist who has just recently finished producing and directing a documentary "Diagnosing Difference" that she will shop around at film festivals this year and next. (See: http://www.diagnosingdifference.com)

Conversation with StormMiguel and Annalise ranged from general catching up to gender identity issues. As foreign as these issues may seem to the general public (although not nearly as much as it used to be), I saw their gender identity story as the big-picture story of an evolving humanity — a humanity that is opening and becoming more accepting of differences rather than condemning and rejecting them.

I don't know if these two feel particularly courageous or not. They're just being who they are and living their lives. But to me, I am reminded of all the men and women in history who have stood up in the face of social prejudice to break down old beliefs, and to have the courage to be genuine and free. I am in awe of that kind of authenticity, and I am grateful for our friends, Annalise and StormMiguel.