Capture the Feeling

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.” --Goethe, from the book “BE” by A.C. Ping 

Barbara Reynolds of Berkeley sent me a beautiful card of colorful roses in a garden. I don’t know many people who love to do gardening. I’m sure being out in the sunlight would make it enjoyable (with a hat on).  

Cousin Edward Espinosa in Albuquerque sent me a trio of postcards from Ruidoso, NM (INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS); Bonito Lake, NM and Ruidoso Downs, a premier racetrack that I never knew about in Ruidoso, NM.  

My dear friend (former coworker/pen pal), Dorothy Rua, finally arrived for a Los Angeles weekend visit with her friend, Rosemary. Alan and I planned to meet them on Saturday, June 20th, at the FOUR SEASONS, Beverly Hills, for drinks and yummy bites (they prepare a nice pizza). It was fun to see Dorothy and meet Rosemary for the first time.

Dorothy claims, “I never get out enough.”

And I see now why she likes to hang with Rosemary as she is a fireball of FUN ENERGY.  

When I was up in the Bay Area last week Mom and I managed a brief visit to my Aunt Lela. I was happy to receive a note from her this week.  

On Father’s Day, June 21st, Alan and I went to Santa Barbara with Jack, Gloria and the girls (Lauren and Carrie). It was a beautiful day and I tried to capture the feeling of the day by photographing local people, the art fair, the free lawn and summer mood.  

There were Gloria's classic shoes that caught my eye. The delicious brunch at the Ojai Valley Inn. Everything was perfectly Santa Barbara-ish.

18 June 98 

Dear Mike,  

Wow. Funny...got your letter the day I visited our Charles Schwab Berkeley Office and I’m kind of surprised you are considering leaving Charles Schwab, yet I know you are certainly an entrepreneur of character. 

Thanks for the tip to call your brother, Tony (which I did) and he did message me back as to what is available job wise in his work locale. So, if any more is to happens to me it will be to go back to 370 Third Street in San Francisco. The BIG PROBLEM now is how spoiled I am now working so close to home, and you are correct of course. I would stay 5 years in an office if it had a relaxed work environment. 

This week I began testing out available desks in our office. I just cannot be seated directly under an air vent. The search is on.  

I swapped a vacation day from September 4th today. I took a nap after running around, then tackled the garden. I did some significant pruning and was glad to define space. 

Finally...SUN and FLOWERS and the roses are blooming. I got this card today, inspiring me to write. Funny enough tonight while David was away at school, I did log on to his computer and know now that I could e-mail you, so, good option. I thank you for your gift of cards and happy liked the ones I sent...and you got to a fine spot for your Birthday. 

More films...waiting to see some on your list. I saw “WILDE” (Oscar) last Saturday which was terrific and touching and sad—but very good. We saw THE HANGING GARDEN the week before, good for growth in my life.  

Europe sounds good. I talked to some of my English cousins a couple of weeks ago. They are wonderful to talk with and they are thinking of making another trip to California...sigh. London and Italy both sound wonderful. I can barely remember Amsterdam. It has been twenty-five years since I was there. 

Ashley will be 14 years old? Excited about high school? She is lucky to have you as an uncle.  

Hope you had a great trip up here! I’m just travelling in my mind. 

See ya, Love, Barbara  

6/19/98 

Dear Michael, 

Ruidoso is both a winter and summer resort in New Mexico.
There’s plenty of snow in the winter and cool pines in the summer. We’re having our annual Florist Convention here. Margaret’s burned out on all of this, so I must do the Public Relations work. I don’t mind it. Networking is always profitable.  

Did you get Denise’s e-mail address? If not, I’ll send it to you when I answer your last letter at home. Meanwhile, try mine at the address on my card. Dean says it’s very difficult to access but Johnny writes to Margaret all the time. I still don’t have one at home. Our next Board meeting will probably be in Albuquerque but the next all member event will be in Silver City, another Southern NM resort late this summer. We'll have one more all member meeting in October and nothing more until after Mother’s Day.  

I still plan to go to L.A. late in August (last week). So, I guess I’ll miss you this time but there’ll be other times on the horizon and probably other places. I’ll write to you from home as I have some advice to give you on your business ambitions and some thoughts on that.  

Regards to your mom and Alan. 

Love You, 

Edward 

June 1998

It’s me! 

Well, I found your gift minutes after you left. We sure did enjoy our time with you and we’re looking forward to a visit down to your neck of the woods. 

Lovingly, 

Auntie Lela 

“Anything beautiful should be given a name, do you not agree?” --Tah Twan Eng, THE GARDEN OF THE EVENING MISTS