TERESA IN OAKLAND
First apartments of our very own are when we find out who we really are…at least I believe that’s true for girls. Too many of us, at least of my generation, didn’t discover our personal rhythms of life until we were divorced! Much better to do it early in life and then compromise (some) when life partners enter the picture.
That’s where Teresa is in her life. Out of mom and dad’s house, into dorms and shared apartments and now, an apartment of her own. She has no desire to always live alone, looking forward to travels and roommates, and a husband and children. But for this moment in time, she is in a space fine-tuned just for her. And a lovely space it is.
Teresa is a bit of a shape shifter; she can go on brisk physical outings and holidays, out at the crack of dawn, up the mountainside, down in the shark cage, over to the beach. She can also be quite sloth-like, which is the shape I enjoy hanging around with the most.
Last weekend, we slothed. First talking and eating and napping and visiting with Teresa’s most interesting neighbors—one of whom works for Aljazeera, which made me very happy since I still consider it the best source of television news (along with PBS/BBC). Day two we roused ourselves enough for REI, a Lithuanian restaurant in Alameda, the bookstore, a vegetable shop and finishing up in a coffeehouse. I personally consider that the absolutely perfect day of a perfect weekend.
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- The other USA…where some Californians live.
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- Lithuanian beer is the perfect accompaniment to borscht.
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- Finally, some borscht, after a long dry spell in Albuquerque.
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- Poppyseed cake is as good as it gets. I’d say ‘the best’ but that’s no longer a reliable comment.
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- An actual Lithuanian baby. Wow. So much cuteness right after dessert.
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- Dying Easter eggs with natural dyes, a Lithuanian tradition.
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- We absolutely recommend this wonderful place.
Best of all of course is that Teresa is an interesting and companionable young woman; she can explain in detail just what engineers are recording when they’re walking around a job site taking notes, or describe a thousand ways to prepare vegetables, or wax positively lyrical about a possible next trip to almost anywhere. And now she’s off to New Zealand for a temporary job assignment—needless to say this does not make her unhappy.
as always thanks for sharing your family and a wonderful family it is. Must have something to do with being a good Mother and Grandmother. Her apartment is very nice and looks like you both are eating a lot…the photos made me hungry..well, I had a bowl of rice krispies for Dinner…need I say more. You are having such a great time and makes me anxious to really start planning my visit to the Land of Enchantment and my other family…