I had to drive to California today to get Genny's birth certificate.

I'm so predictable that I'm rather embarrassed. I always stop at the same outlet stores and the same produce market. But, dude, they had tomatillos for $.69 a lb. Do you have any idea how much salsa I can make now? I also bought fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and I've got limes, baby. Mike's now insisting he must have a smoker to do things right, of course.

Heh.

Lord-EE, we're such salsa snobs.

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1. 'sides that...this week Russell turned 12. I'm having a hard time not wanting to overprotect the snot out of him. He's such a good kid and I'm so darned proud of him, and sometimes, he's still just a kid. Such a tweenager.



2. My friend, Harsh Betty's birthday is today. She's reaching forward into old fogeydom , as I am. I'm fully expecting to spend my birthday cleaning my house. It's sad and all, but I'm also going to go to Vegas two days after and I've been promised a birthday meal at Excalibur and a day of lounging at the pool. Mike wanted to know what I want for my birthday and I told him a massage. I'm thinking I can get that in Vegas at the hotel.



3. Sarah, LaDawn, and I are having an Elvis day on Saturday. LaDawn is bringing the kids over and they'll all play game cube, while we drink strawberry daiquiris, eat popcorn, and watch Blue Hawaii (DROOOOOL! Young Elvis makes me hot!) and the Elvis comeback special. Mind you, the comeback special is at a time in Elvis' live that I don't think he was at hot as in his young beach movies, but I'm humoring Sarah.



4. Big Dog has this shirt and when I stopped at the outlet store on the way home, I found a pink sweatshirt with that on it and had.to.have.it.



5. I'm so freaking tired, but I'm continuing to lose weight, and I'm not AS tired, so I see that as a good sign.



6. I guess what I'm sidetracking about, while I ramble on, is just how soul crushing Hurricane Katrina has become. I can't imagine what it's like and it breaks my heart. We've donated to the red cross and then today, Mike's company announced it would match employee contributions, so I sent them my online receipt. I wish I could empty out my closets, cupboards, and dressers to send everything I have to these people.
   
   I'm embarrassed to live in a country that goes running off to save the rest of the world, but doesn't seem to be able to get it together to save its own. I also feel that there's a sense in which racism is involved -- for the most part, we are seeing poor black people on our TV screens. The TV commentators are saying how many of them couldn't afford to leave because they didn't have the money for a hotel, a tank of gas, or in some cases, even transportation. And darned, if they aren't getting help very fast at all. I'm betting if it were rich white people, everyone would be getting enough food, water, and shelter, and FEMA would have gotten far more help to these people a whole helluva lot faster than they are doing currently.
   
   I've been crying nightly. I just feel so helpless -- like a donation to the Red Cross is just a drop in the bucket compared to the enormity of need. So, if you can spare anything, you should donate to a Hurricane Katrina disaster fund, too. These people need it. You should also be bitching your fool head off at your politicians to get on FEMA's ass and ride 'em like a bronco.