Martinez Family Journal

Well, I asked Matty and he wanted to try again. We have tried so hard in vain to get Drew and John to come outside and sleep outside with us but to no avail. John with his breathing apparatus, he is high maintenance at night time. The past three nights have been quite a very unusual coincidence, with raindrops, just a few, coming down very soon after I got in bed on the balcony's futon. I could hardly believe it. We of course, do not get much rain. We often forget what rain is, in fact, that is how very little we get here. So it was very discouraging to have to pick up Matty and bring him inside. But we will chance it again tonight and see how we fare. the children get up at 620 for school on weekdays, and the nights are getting longer now, quickly. So he has been very mad lately when I get him up and it is now dark when I wake Matty and he is indignant that I am waking him when it is still dark out! I never heard such an indignant voice as Matty's, when he is awoken in the dark.

WEll, the end of summer brought us to the balcony upstiars off the master. The ever present breezes of the evening and cooler temps (it is amazing how it get scooler outside than inside, even when all the windows are open and breezes are blowing) made it just right for sleeping. We pulled the futon out there and when it rains we cover it of course, with a tarp. It is absolutely heavenly, with the stars over us and cool temps and views opf both the mountain range to the east and the river valley and village below us 1000 feet to the west. Jsut amazing views, I never thought I would live in a place with such views as this.

Anyhow, I put Matty to bed and then went into my bathroom to get ready for bed. he was all nicely tucked in and all, when I heard 'Hi! Hello down there! and Hi! I am up here!' shouting to he neighbors walking dogs along the sidewalks below. he jsut loves it, sleeping on the balcony. He revels in sleeping in the fresh air. In fact, often we have had to cuddle with sleeping bags zipped up tight, to stay warm enough. And wear socks to bed in an effort to stay sufficiently warm! A very nice antidote for the very warm summer days. it has been so neat to wake up and feel raindrips on my face and feel the brisk wind blowing my hair around. Wow, like camping.

We had a pretty funny incident occur last week. I had had a very touching conversation with Matty's lovely teacher, Mrs. Snyder about her daughter who just became diabetic in the last year, right around age 17-18. it was labeled juvenile onset. Anyhow, she was telling me about how she now goes on the same diet as her daughter, exactly the same, to provide moral and emotional support. Wow, was I moved. That really touched me, being a lover of sweets. She is too. I fix her mochas every morning and she jsut loves them. So she was careful to teach me how to make it with very little sugar, and was pleased as punch to hear that mine have no added sugar, only splenda or stevia. I am careful not to add much chocolate raspberry creamer for it is loaded with corn syrup. Anyhow, over dinner the next day I carefully told the family how Mrs. Snyder does this for her daughter and I knew I would appreciate it very much if a family member, especially a live in family member dieted the same, now that suddenly there are restrictions. Drew wasted no time telling me "'There is no way you would do that for us Mom!" and he maybe right. I would sure want to give moral support, but wow, do I ever have a sweet tooth. WE all burwt out laughing though, immediately, for he hit the nail on the head. In fact, I think everyone at the table, John and Matty believed Drew. ~mary