Day 231: A Long Day

Wow, today was a long day. Hubby Brian and teenager Spencer headed out at around 7:30 a.m. this morning to drive to Malibu High School. Spencer had a game at 10:00, had to be there by 8:30 a.m.

I stayed back with Harrison and pal Justin Ruder. All three boys had to be at the park by 4:30 for a 6 p.m. game. In between Brian spent the day in Palmdale doing an ACN presentation and met me at Clover Park in Santa Monica for the 6 p.m. game. (ACN is Brian's second business, launched just about one year ago).

In between I of course was at the market doing a large grocery run (I feel like that's what I do a lot to keep this house stocked!)

We did not leave the park tonight until 10:00 p.m.! I mean the park lights went out. It was ridiculous. Overkill at its best. Boys played 9 innings instead of the usual 7 innings and then I guess coach was so pissed at how they performed he made these kids at night, in the cold, run so many sprints, it was making my eyes spin.

And as if that wasn't enough he decided to punish the Team Captains for not acting more "like leaders" and made them run MORE sprints. One of the Team Captain's is my son Spencer. By 10 p.m. he had clocked 10 hours of baseball. I mean really, that's just over the top even for a die hard baseball Mom like me. I mean I wasn't sure if the Coaches were trying to punish the parents as well!

So here it is 10 p.m. on Saturday night and of course it's Los Angeles so every restaurant suitable to take 5 teenage boys, in dirty uniforms, to eat at was closed. And of course they were starving ... having been at the park since 4:30.

Well, guess what, we ended up at Carrows on Ocean Park Avenue (it's opened until midnight in case you ever need a joint to eat at opened late). It's a coffee shop like Norm's or Coco's.

Can I tell you it was the best way to end a very long day of craziness watching these teenagers mow on steak and chocolate crepes for dinner at 10:30 at night. I was just grateful they served wine and happily had a glass!

Life is never boring with teenagers or baseball that's for sure!

Day 206: When A Friend Needs You

I cherish my friendships. Always have. And I take them seriously. I also give a hell of a lot to my relationships. I mean I really give. Of my time, energy, love and compassion. That's why if I feel you don't show me the respect and mutual love that I believe a friendship requires to be successful, then I move on. I have way too many people in my life and not enough time to waste it being in the company of those who I believe have either "dissed" me, not treated me right or basically don't give a damn about me. I give too much to be in this type of relationship.

Another quality I have is loyalty. I have written about my loyalty to people, vendors, friends, and family before on my Blog ... I stay forever... if you are a soul sister or brother, you'll have my heart forever, but not if you treat me wrong. As I approach 50 I have evaluated a lot of relationships ... those that don't offer me anything, have been dropped. I feel like it's an honor to have me in your life. And for my true, dear friends they are cherished and honored in my life.

I received a call today from a friend I met more than 30 years ago when we both were enrolled in an internship program in Washington, D.C. during our junior year of college. She was from New York, me from Los Angeles. She was an Italian Catholic, me an LA Jew. We bonded then and it's lasted all these years. We had our first child the same year. Her son is now a sophomore at University of California, Santa Cruz, mine at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. We both went on to have two more kids... I flew to Berkeley to attend her baby shower and she returned the love to me by flying to Los Angeles during my campaign.

She left a voicemail message today for me. After listening to it I had a pinge in my stomach. Something wasn't right. Her voice didn't sound like the soulful, joyful voice it had always been. This friend was so committed to our friendship that during my campaign for City Council in 2009 she flew to Los Angeles with her teenage daughter during the GOTV (Get Out The Vote) part of my campaign to walk precincts and cheer me on. She wanted to show her daughter a real woman's champion.... I couldn't have been more touched. I had friends here in LA that didn't show up for anything, yet here was a person who flew into town to be with me during one of the most significant times of my life. That says a lot about the character of a person and about our connection.

So today when I heard her voice I knew something was up. When I called her back I reached her voicemail ... I left a message saying I was worried... she sent me back an email saying that she was en route to pick her son up from school, but indeed she was in a funk, and asked how the hell did I know? I knew because that's what friends do. They know when a friend is hurting.

When was the last time you checked on those you cherish? If it's been awhile you better get a move on!