It mostly didn’t feel different from other years while it was happening, but looking back on it Two thousand nineteen was a monumental year for our family: Important beginnings, significant endings, bittersweet remembrances…and a few non-sequiturs as well.
After many years of
good intentions that never came to fruition, we set aside a Saturday in
February to walk the poppy fields in Antelope Valley. This was a year of a
Super Bloom, which means there were thousands of people trampling the same
flowers we were all there to see. It was an immersive sensory experience, bright
oranges waves among green hillsides under royal blue skies, breezes whispering
through the waving stalks and even a subtle and sweet aroma that poppies in
smaller amounts are not known for. We tried outwalking the hordes of picture
takers, baby strollers and sullen teens and that got us a chance to stand still
and listen and soak in the spectacle of the hillsides.
Over Spring Break,
Steve Arnett and his family came out to enjoy the delights of California, but
he insisted on helping clear the last remnants of former plants in our backyard.
Thank you, Steve, and everyone should know your example was instructive. We
discovered that hard work and planning improves the look of a backyard far
better than carelessness and inattention. Lesson learned. So after years of mostly just sifting and
removing gravel, we were finally ready to give up and lay sod over the stony survivors.
We ordered the sod with delight, looking forward to waving grasslands full of
game animals, or at least having a surface to walk on that isn’t painful. On
the Saturday we were laying it, our gardener arrived halfway through to mow the
front. Although we were both covered in mud, sweat, gravel and grass bits, Jenn
got his attention to get an estimate of how much more it would cost to maintain
our new patch of grass. He put his hand
to his chin to think, but his first words were about how much we had done that
morning, “That’s a lot of work for…,” he said and Jenn nodded, knowing he is a
man who understands physical labor, ”… your husband.” Her expression changed to
one I seldom see and never really enjoy, and I hustled him back to the front
yard to discuss matters further.
In June our
daughters flew off to Wisconsin for a few weeks, which allowed Jenn and me to
indulge in more adult pursuits—namely plumbing. It was The Summer of Plumbers! You
know that one job that ticks you off because it defies your best attempts? For
me it was the leak in the shower of the master bath. Every time I heard the
drip-drip-drip I swore either that leak or I would be departing this world
soon. I had been reassured the valve was older but well-made and only needed a new
valve stem. So I replaced it, but the drip continued. I took it apart again to
put Teflon tape on the threads. No dice. Then I replaced the valve seats,
requiring the purchase of a special tool. Nope. So I finally decided I would
replace the whole valve with a Moen which I knew I could fix. Other projects
came up but finally it threw a last insurmountable challenge my way: the handle
fell off and could not be reattached because the threads were stripped. I
seethed with rage at the utter insolence of this water fixture, refusing to
work and refusing to be repaired. I bought the new valve, got out my pipe
cutter, propane torch, flux, pipe and crescent wrenches and rubbed my hands
with fury and glee at the upcoming battle. The next thing I remember is hearing
Jenn say, “I heard a lot of swearing so the guy is coming tomorrow between 8
and 9. Can you be home?” I am not too proud to say she saved my life that
morning.
I partially restored
my sense of self-worth by installing sprinklers in the new backyard. Jenn and I
were out working in the dark one night, trying to finish before the sod came
the next morning. Another life lesson: laying sprinkler pipe by headlamps is
better avoided if possible. And to round out the plumbing festivities, our good
friend Jason Jensen installed new pipes in our shower in the guest bath and
laid new tile. It looks good, but I never heard him swear, so I wonder if he
was really doing it right.
On our 21st
anniversary, July 18th, we went to a concert by a Prince tribute
band with eight of our friends—a lot of dancing, a little drinking and a ton of
fun. Prince must have been the most seductive man alive because even just an
impersonator was able to get the whole middle aged crowd revved up, eyes
shining, head thrown back and one hand in the hair (and that’s just the men!).
Once the end of
August came, Claire put on her resigned face and trudged off to Pacifica High
School. I asked Emily about school starting. “No, we don’t start for another
six weeks at UCI.” Six weeks! UCI! Can
one be proud and appalled at the same time?
Jenn assured me that once classes start, the learning goes very fast. Of
course she also told me that Emily’s dorm is reserved exclusively for girls who
have renounced fun in all its forms. Yet when we moved her in I noticed the
presence of several young men who knew nothing
about such a pledge. The first quarter is almost done, and she has done
very well.
From late September
to early October, we were bouncing around the country for two weddings and a
funeral. Jenn went to Montana for the day-after festivities at Elizabeth Peck
nee Geise’s wedding and a trip around Glacier National Park with her parents.
It was monumental enough to warrant a scrapbook. All four of us went to Utah
for Paul and Stephanie’s wedding which was beautiful and delightful. My uncle
Rod McKenzie passed away too soon, and I went back to Duluth to attend the
service. He was a good man who still had a lot to give.
About that same time
Claire’s Cross Country team qualified for CIF Prelims and finals after that.
Unfortunately she had plantar fasciitis and could only be a cheer leader. But
the team performed excellently and is expecting even more success next year.
Even while laid up, Claire performed as captain and even received the Most
Valuable Junior award.
We hosted two German
Exchange students in October instead of one because a host family had a change
in circumstance. They went to Disneyland, Hollywood, football games and the
beach. Klara and Benjamin were polite and a joy as only other people’s children
for two weeks can be.
We celebrated the
tenth anniversary of our Veteran’s Weekend Joshua Tree camping trips with
specialty t-shirts, fireball and campfires. As Emily was busy at UCI, we
invited along one of Claire’s best friends, Sandra Vu, who clearly felt
compelled to help with everything, to laugh at all our jokes and to be an absolute
delight. Unlike previous years, the weather was excellent and we enjoyed the
time out of cell phone range.
The highlight of
November (besides Thanksgiving, of course) was Jenn’s 10 year anniversary at
Disney. They kicked the paying customers out of California Adventure into
Disneyland at 5 pm and brought in all the honored employees and their plus
ones. For five hours we enjoyed open bars, open food stands and most
shockingly, open queues on every ride. We wandered and ate and listened to live
music until midnight. I made Jenn promise that she would not seek to cut the
night short (as one of us has a habit of doing), and she was an excellent date.
We are looking
forward to Christmas and particularly a boat ride around Newport Bay to see the
lights on the fancy houses afterwards.
All the best to you
and yours,
The Leebs
