What Happened Next

 Los Angeles, California

I am not one to tempt fate. However, it is worth inscribing that our compensation for the hell of the fires of January, is the heaven of one of the mildest summers in recent years. Granted, it is only mid-August and a lengthy inferno could hit us all the way into October, but we should be admonished not to complain. We had an entire month of June Gloom, a lovely weather event that brings us overcast mornings giving way to gentle sun in the afternoon, which prevailed almost all the way through July. And after a brief heat wave last week, I awoke earlier this week to those same overcast skies and mild temperatures. How lucky are we?

So, what the hell has been going on in the months where nary a post appeared here? Let's see. There was a lot of adjusting to living in post-inferno LA. We took a census on who amongst our friends, and their friends and family, had been affected. Lynnette's sister was fortunate to not lose her home in the Palisades. But all of the homes across the street were decimated. In some ways, it was equally hard for your home to be spared, as your neighborhood is now unrecognizable and for the most part, deserted. Yes, you could go home again, literally. But figuratively, not so much.

Joel underwent surgery in early April and I stepped into uneasy shoes as his home health nurse. He recuperated at my house and after a few sleepless nights for us both, he got through to the first of several post-op appointments. He returned to work and within the month had a fall at his workplace and injured his shoulder. For the next two months, he was out of work on worker's compensation (code name: No Dancing!).

Worker's comp was an interesting experience. After clearing a few telephone evaluations, it was determined that his injury required in-person medical care. The insurance company contracts with Kaiser Permanente and he was scheduled with a Primary Care Physician who, without examining him, told him he could go back to work. He tried, but it was clear that he could not, as he was in a great deal of pain. So back to Kaiser he went. Meanwhile, he was receiving physical therapy. The physical therapists, as well as the telemedical nurses, inquired as to whether he had received X-rays or an MRI to identify the injury. When Joel returned to Kaiser to see the same PCP, he shared the question that kept being asked: Was the physician going to order X-rays or an MRI? And that physician replied: Who do you think you are? LeBron James?

You know the emoji of the head exploding? That's what happens when Joel loses his temper. The doctor tried to continue, but that was not going to happen. They brought in a facilitator after Joel made it loudly clear that he was was done with that doctor. The facilitator was good. She not only set up an appointment with an orthopedic doctor, she also ordered an MRI, and she gave Joel her cell number, saying he could call at any time.

The MRI revealed a torn rotator cuff. After over a month of no improvement through physical therapy, he was administered a cortisone injection, which immediately took his pain away. Of course, the insurance company's directive is cost management (hence, Kaiser) so getting the injured back to work as soon as possible is the goal, regardless of the potential side effects of cortisone. But Joel really wanted to go back to work. So, pain gone; back to work. And ultimately, back to dancing.

While all of spring was about Joel, I kept busy working out, spending time with friends and attending to a lot of house stuff. I completed phase two of windows and doors replacement in my house. Two down, one to go! I spent time with Lynnette before she left for a summer in the Lake District, UK. And then it was summer...

As I have written here before, my favorite season is autumn. But this summer, with such glorious weather, has been so blissful. Here at the casa, we've been barefoot, and candlelit. The new doors are beautiful and looking out at blooming bougainvilleas around the pool in my courtyard has been a gift. We have been cheering our team at Dodgers Stadium, and have been dancing in the evening each week in the courtyard of the Autry Museum. We recently shared Oaxacan food with Connie and Curt at an LA Oaxacan restaurant, where Joel did all the ordering in Spanish, and we wondered if he was complaining that he had to put up with three gringos who refused to eat chapulines (look it up).

Karen came to stay for a few days and we attended a preview screening of Ken Burns' new documentary which will open the PBS season this fall. The screening was at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Museum, which is next to the LA County Museum of Art.  It is an interesting space with several theaters and a good restaurant, where I had met my friends, Cathy and Beth1 (there is a Beth2) for lunch last year. Karen and I wandered about and finally landed in the bar where I had a very good Bombay Sapphire martini, up with a twist (I'm writing the whole thing out, much like Cathy would, as she calls this retailer by it's full name: Ross Dress for Less). We shared an impossibly delicious burrata with roasted tomatoes and strawberries. I say impossibly, because it was insanely better than it sounds. When we ordered the burrata and a chopped salad to share, our server remarked that it sounded good, but... maybe a side of french fries? Which turned out to be some of the best fries I have ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot of fries!

Just the dinner would have been enough, but after being seated in the theater the program began with the president of PBS SoCal introducing... Ken Burns! With a new haircut! But, as thrilling as that was (big Ken Burns fan), it didn't mitigate the damages of the House voting, that very day, to claw back funds for NPR and PBS. And when we returned home that evening, we learned that the Senate had concurred. And that will be the only reference to politics in this post.

So now, with a bit over a month of summer left, I am returning to my blog after an almost two-season hiatus. Just one more thing... I don't make new year's resolutions, but I do try to manifest some goals when a new year begins. And one of those for 2025 was to move away from writing about politics here, for a variety of reasons, but crystalized here it is: Too easy of a target. On the other hand, when I threw down the moratorium on politics, I think I stymied myself. There is so much going on around us. And much of it appalling. But, I truly do believe that things will get better and hopefully will settle more in the center of things. Besides, and after all, aren't we lucky? We live in California. You know the song, Am I blue..?

Joel and I have a bit of travel coming up, first out of state and later, in my beloved Carmel-by-the-Sea. We will be holding our breath for our terribly fatigued Dodgers to make it to post-season. And then, Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Leaves fall, pages fall off the calendar, we will toast with our friends to better times as we watch the summer wane. Enjoy it in all the ways that you can. I highly recommend dancing, while barefoot and candlelit.