Goodbye Uncle Art

I won't be having Nana day with Julia this next week after all. My dear Uncle Art passed away Thursday afternoon after a long and arduous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was my fathers youngest brother. He was the Uncle who was the most like my dad. I'm not sure that it was necessary for me to fly out to California for the funeral. I've barely been here over the years and haven't stay in touch with family that closely, but then that is not something I'm particularly proud of, so when I told Derek that Uncle Art had died and he told me that I needed to go, I went. I trust Derek. He's a pretty smart guy. So here I am in Bakersfield yet again, wanting so much to reconnect with my extended family and share this time of grief with them. It's a place I try hard to avoid. I have lived in some breathtakingly beautiful places and this is not one of them. But all the matters is that family is here and so Jeannie and I hopped a westbound plane and headed for California. As we began our descent and drew close enough to see the city, it was clear that Bakersfield would not disappoint me and my determination never to live here again remains staunch. It is as dry, dusty and unappealing as it has always been. I scanned the landscape below for some sign of green but found it only in the paint jobs of the ancient low riders driving around like matchbox cars. Many cities across America spend exorbitant sums of money on beautification projects to make their cities more appealing. I think it's safe to say that Bakersfield could never be accused of such frivolous spending. I admit that there are areas that would be interesting to photograph. For instance, the vast oilfields could be graphically interesting, but Bakersfield will NEVER win any beauty contests.

speaking of photography, I have done the unspeakable. I, Leni Hester, a professional photographer, forgot my camera! I did mention in a recent blog that I was not designed to fly at 6:00 am. Well, this was yet another 6:00 am flight and once again we had to be at the airport at 4:30. Rest assured, I made absolutely certain that there were NO bomb ingredients (toiletries) in my carry-on bag this time, but sadly, there was also no camera. Derek informs me that when he got home after dropping Jeannie and I at the airport, he found it sitting forlorn and abandoned at the bottom of the stairs. I feel particularly stupid because it's not exactly an inconspicuous camera. It is a Nikon D700 with an extended batter back. It is a veritable behemoth of a camera and I might as well have forgotten my left arm. I feel naked without it.

There WAS one glorious reprieve. I had expected the temperature to be a hellish 110 degrees, because after all, it's only September. We were pleasantly surprised to find that it was a balmy 79 when we landed. Uncle Harold and aunt Lorraine picked us up at the airport. Thought I know that they are getting older (I certainly am, so it stands to reason everyone else is too), but to me they looked the same as they always have. They are simply...themselves, sweet as ever.

Have I mentioned that in the past several months I have lost 50 lbs? I have converted to a life of Weight Watchers and have met with great success. When Aunt Lorraine produced lunch yesterday, I knew that this week was not going to be a weight watchers week. I suspect that this will be a weight gainers week, but I will try to be valiant. The only problem is that Bakersfield is like so many of the 'Pasta Mama's' of Italy. Not much to look at, but a great cook! There is a bakery here called, simply, Smith's Bakery. I have a framed pastry box top with there logo on it in my home. Do I really need to say any more? In addition, Bakersfield was originally settled by Basque sheep Herders. Have you ever had Basque food? It's practically a religious experience. Go to the Wool Growers some time. You'll see. Then after sheep herding took a downturn in popularity, Mexico took over. Bakersfield is over 80 percent Hispanic. You won't find better Mexican food in Mexico than you'll find here. So, I have decided that I can stay here and visit family, but I will, unfortunately, not be able to leave the house. Of course, this won't be much help either because Aunt Lorraine is a really great cook and being in her 80's, has never even heard of health food. This is a home of comfort food, so my goal for this week is simple. Try not to gain back the entire 50 lbs in 7 days. Pray for me....