Kanlaon

July is self’s favorite month of the year. Always has been. For the following reasons:

• In California, July is hot.
• In France, on Bastille Day, self understands that the whole French nation goes crazy and starts kissing one another.  One of self’s life goals is to get to Paris on Bastille Day (July 14).
• The Fourth of July Parade in Redwood City is the best in the whole Bay Area.  The Leland Stanford, Jr. Marching Band, the UC Berkeley Marching Band, and the UC Davis Marching Band are regulars.
• July 2006 is when self started this blog.  Happy Anniversary Month, Kanlaon!
• July is when the really summer-type movies open.  Many many years ago, “Independence Day” landed in movie theaters and self never forgot that it took hubby and self three attempts before they were able to get into a screening that was not sold out.  July 15 is when “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” opens.  Also, now showing is a movie with Johnny Depp –  thank you, Hollywood producers, for ensuring that this month is a truly great one for movie-goers!
• July also happens to be self’s birth month. (On self’s 16th birthday, and every birthday thereafter until she got married, Dear Departed Dad would give self something with a ruby in it.  With such a father, is it any wonder that self turned into an incorrigible idealist?)
• July also happens to be son’s birth month. Yes, all those many years ago, self was at one time pregnant, and went into labor in the third week of July. Whereupon she was driven by a friend (or was it hubby? Everything’s a blur) to the Stanford Medical Center, where after heroic labor (Dearest Mum was at hand, but eating popsicles in the birthing room, which was no help) she was delivered of an 8-and-a half-pound baby boy.  Also, son’s fifth birthday was spent in Manila, and self hired a dancing troupe of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle impersonators.  An occasion she will never forget.  Now then, this July hubby is taking self to see Chris Botti.
• July is also when self, hubby and son usually go to see a CalShakes play.
• In July 2007, self was in the Djerassi Arts Residency Program.  She did no writing but, oh wow, the food was divine.

Stay tuned, dear blog readers, stay tuned.