Wow, do I not miss LA during the summer.

On Wednesday, once we had acclimated to being back in California, the kids and I kissed Darin goodbye and I drove us down to LA. We left at 8:30 in the morning, got to Tamar’s at about 1, no stopping, one tank of gas. I decided that we should go down so that Sophia could say goodbye to Damian before he moves across country. (And, of course, so I could say goodbye to Tamar and Dan too!) And given the, er, intensely over-the-top playing Sophia, Simon, and Damian have been doing for the past couple of days, I’d say they were having a good time. (Yesterday I looked at Tamar and said, “Do you suppose they’re energy vampires or something? The crazier they get, the tireder I feel.”)

We’re not staying with Tamar, because she enjoys the feline species, who tend to leave dander all over the place, which doesn’t agree with me. We’re staying at the Wyndham Bel Age (best said with an exaggerated French drawl: Ahhhhjjjjjjjjj). I wanted to try a different suites hotel this time, so now we’re on the Sunset Strip kitty-corner from the Whiskey A Go Go. (Simon keeps asking to go, but I don’t like the bands playing.) The Bel Age is much nicer than the Le Parc, where we stayed at Christmas, though there are some downsides too. A handy reference card for anyone wanting to stay at a slightly expensive suites hotel in West Hollywood:

	Wyndham Bel Age	Le Parc
Kitchenette Amenities	Refrigerator with overpriced snacks; no plates or utensils	Empty refrigerator, two burners; plates and utensils
DVD Player	Rent for $45/day!	Standard in room
Furnishings	Excellent	Good
View	Sunset Strip, all the way to downtown, some smog	Building across the street
Neighborhood	Happenin’	Residential
Noise	Haven’t noticed anything yet	Nothing
Free Phone Calls	If you join Wyndham ByRequest, you get free domestic phone calls!	Don’t remember, frankly
Free Internet	Yes: Wi-Fi, no less	Yes, but bring your ethernet cable!
Band Tour Buses	Several	None
LA Sheriff Cameos	One at valet station	None
Proximity to Sunset	Half a block, no waiting	Several blocks

§

Spent the morning yesterday at the Beverly Center, because no visit to LA is complete without a visit to a mall. Also, I needed somewhere air-conditioned that the kids could run around, because no way was I taking them to a park. I don’t know what the temperature has been while we’ve been here, but it’s also been humid, which is just so unfair—LA is all about the dry heat.

Michele and I took the kids shopping. Most specifically, I wanted some new summery tops, because I’m tired of wearing t-shirts. I know that’s a silly thing for a woman of my age to say (like: haven’t you been over them for a while?), but while I got rid of logoed t-shirts for a while, I’ve kept wearing Gap specials. I said, I need real blouses. Michele took me in hand, since she knows where to go. Most of the places we went to had these horrible retro-70s tops that are so in now. Hey, I don’t like paisley, okay? But we finally found some really me-type things at Ann Taylor (a store I’ve never set foot in before).

Wherever we went, Michele always asked Sophia her opinion of the clothes. Sophia is a snappy dresser and has very good taste, amazingly enough for a 5-year-old. Michele also taught her to search out the sale racks—”Look for these signs with the 40% off on them.”

I’m going to have a nightmare on my hands when she’s 13. It’s just a prediction.

§

One of the things that being back in LA has reminded me of is that you never, ever spend your ones. Because your one dollar bills are “valet kibble.” (At the Bel Age it’s probably fives or tens or something, but I still do ones.) I have a wallet full of ones.

§

I got a point toward my “Worst Mother Ever” merit badge when we were getting ready for bed Wednesday night and I discovered I’d forgotten to bring contact lens solution. Normally you can call the bellman and ask him to run errands for you (for a price, natch), but he said, “We’re too busy down here!” I wanted to call Pink Dot, but my cell phone was out of battery (and I wasn’t aware that I had free phone calls). So I said, “Okay, kids, put your shoes back on.”

When we walked out the door at the valet area, we discovered a gigantic back-up of cars, partially due to the presence of a LA Sheriff’s car and a couple of cops. No idea what was going on there.

We walked up to Sunset at 9:30pm to a liquor/convenience store that carried such things as toilet paper, condoms, and, yes, contact lens solution. The kids didn’t notice the Hustlers; they just wanted the package of gummy worms. (I said no.)

Okay, fine: I was really going to pick up a litre of vodka, but the kids really wouldn’t go to sleep, okay?

§

When we got back from our trip to Michigan, we noticed a sewage-y smell in the house. We thought it was because the floor guys (did I mention that we’ve had the wood floors put in?) had taken out a toilet in order to put the floor down.

After a couple of days, we said, That’s not the toilet.

Well, we couldn’t get the plumber to come in while I was there, so he came in after I’d left, meaning Darin had to stay.

And stay. And stay. Because a sewer pipe had broken under our house.

Neat.

I sure hope the water’s back on by the time we go back.

During our trip in Michigan, the subject of card games and the popularity of poker came up. Poker—very popular. Featured on TV shows, for cryin’ out loud.

I’ve never played. I downloaded DD Poker to see what this poker thing is all about.

Let’s just put it this way: I’m extremely glad I’m not an addictive personality, because if I were an addictive personality, I would be down at the local card club throwing away my children’s future. And this is someone who’s been to Vegas twice and has never gambled.

I play during off moments and down time. We’ve been having a lot of down time recently, because since we’ve come back we haven’t set up the TV, which means that we go to bed earlier. (Try it. A life without TiVo is not worth staying up for. Darin and I have never been so well-rested.) I play while cooking dinner. I play while I sit here talking to a friend.

I am thrilled when I get away with a massive bluff. I am crushed when I lose out on a round despite having great cards. I am on hold at the library for books on how to play Texas Hold ‘Em.

The only thing saving me from wondering whether I’ve totally lost my mind is knowing that periodically I get really, really, really into a topic—homeschooling, civic design, the process needed to pick up and move to Provence—before finally getting attracted to some other new and exciting idea and moving on. And I’ve been obsessed by games before (Civilization, Escape Velocity, World of Warcraft) and managed to walk away from them too.

Also: I’ve gotten much, much better at poker in the week or so I’ve been playing. I know I won’t continue improving at this rate, but seriously: I’m almost ready for the card clubs.

(Darin: I’m kidding. Seriously. Give me back the bankbook.)