Betty Birney’s Blog

  As my family knows all too well, holiday music is a big deal with me, both listening to it and playing it on the piano.  It’s a key element in the enjoyment of the holiday, going back to my childhood. I’ve amassed quite a collection of holiday music for the CD player, including my beloved and obscure novelty songs, “I Yust Go Nuts at Christms” and “Yingle Bells” by Yogi Yogerson and “Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey” by Lou Monte.

Then there’s my tattered Christmas sheet music from the 50s. They’re all in pretty bad shape. “White Christmas” disintegrated completely but I managed to copy it and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (one of my favorites) is partially gone. There are so many carol books but I far prefer one from my childhood. It’s in shreds but still playable.

Playing piano always makes me nostalgic, though, and last night I thought so much of Mr. Ehrhardt, my wonderful, patient, intuitive piano teacher who taught me theory at age 7 and taught me to improvise. He died in his 40s, a real loss, but his memory is always with me when I play and see his pencil scribbled shorthand on my music. I can still hear him chuckle and say, “That was great! Now let’s play it the way it’s written.” He saw early on that I had a knack for improvisation and he led me that way, while always insisting I also had pieces that had to be played the way they were written, too.

So, humming as I write, I say “Happy holidays” to one and all. Whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope you have a song in your heart this year.

Around our house, it does, anyway.

Early this morning - still dark outside - I foolishly let our dog, Desi, out in the back yard and she got sprayed by a skunk. I’ve lost track of how many times she’s been skunked. The first time was the worst - it soaked her face. If the skunk sprays the nose pad, the odor lingers a long time. She retaliated by, um, eliminating a few skunks. She also managed to get sprayed in the daytime (skunks, like hamsters, are nocturnal) twice in the same day! Okay, we were a little slow to catch on but for the last few years, we take her out in the front yard, which is smaller and more protective, when it’s dark out. But this morning at 5:30, sleepily slipped up.

Our neighborhood is obviously full of skunks - there are certain times of year where we are awakened every night by the strong odor of skunk somewhere or another and have to run around and close the windows.

Some years ago, I went out to get the morning paper (I arise anywhere from 4:00 to 6:00 - usually around 5:00 - luckily the paper comes early). There, not far from the front door I found myself face to face with a skunk! We looked at each other in alarm. He was huge! I’m guessing they can puff out their fur to make themselves look bigger. Nothing like Flower in Bambi, I assure you. I quietly backed into the house and when I peeked out the window a few seconds later, he was gone. I think they go through a hole in the hedge to the yard next door - don’t get me started on that.

Everyone in our neighborhood has mature fruit trees, so that’s the attraction, and we’re fairly close to two wildlife parks/hiking areas - less than a mile (straight up the canyon). When I travel out of town and talk about our wildlife (possums, owls, rats, skunks, coyotes), people say, “Oh, so you don’t actually live in L.A.” I assure you I do. L.A. just isn’t the concrete jungle people imagine it to be.

Desi’s smelling much better. There’s some stuff we keep on hand- our Petco on the corner says they can’t keep it in stock. And forget the tomato juice myth. We tried that. It didn’t get rid of the smell at all but it turned her fur pink! I tried a homemade remedy I found on the internet - it doesn’t work. Buy the stuff at Petco. It’s for humans who get sprayed, too.

The house is smelling better but my office got it the worst. The face-off must have happened right outside. In fact, they might live behind my little writing house but I’m not going back there.

As for coyotes, we live on a busy street but twice in the ten years we’ve lived here, I’ve gone out to get the paper and had a close encounter. Once in our front yard - he hurried out through the hedge - and once in our driveway. Really, maybe I need to arm myself with a broom or something when I go out to get the paper!

Speaking of nature … I found this in the yard this week. I know what it is - do you? (Answer to come but take a crack at it if you like.)

Our dear dog, Desi, has had a rough year but you wouldn’t know it from this picture taken week before last, on the last day of her radiation treatments. She has a benign but aggressive tumor around her spinal cord and we had some pretty dismal days in October. Prednisone, a steroid, got her walking again (she couldn’t stand up) and we don’t know if the radiation worked but hopefully the treatments did something. Best case: shrink the tumor a lot. Next best case: stop the growth. Third best case: the treatment would improve the nerves around the area.

With some trepidation, we opted for radiation and waited for the side effects: tiredness, loss of appetite, an oozing sore at the site. And she had NONE. They are calling her the miracle baby at the fabulous animal cancer center in Culver City, CA. (The last time she came home, she was covered in lipstick from the ladies who work there.)

This picture was taken by her friend KIrsten. When I was in Calgary, Frank had a function to attend and Kirsten volunteered to dogsit for a few hours. Now let me say, Desi is a very independent dog, not a lap dog. She never sits by my side and lets me pet her endlessly. But she does have a girlie-girl streak, which especially comes out when our son’s girlfriend, Ania, visits. She won’t leave Ania’s side and my favorite memory was of the two of them sun-bathing side-by-side in the backyard a few years ago.

Kirsten took her home, but do I see a Victoria’s Secret bag in the back? Did the girls make a stop along the way? They rented some chick-flicks, ate pizza and caesar salad, which apparently Desi loved. She sat next to Kirsten on the couch and got petted all evening.

Does this dog look sick?

Under the harness is the spot where they shaved her for the treatment and then marked the target with green magic marker. It’s sort of like a tattoo. That fur will probably not grow back but I can already see the fur around it coming down to cover it a little.

Anyway, we bought her some time … or rather bought us some time to enjoy the best dog I’ve ever known. Even if we don’t do girlie-girl things together. (Actually, I think she sees me as “the mom” and not “the friend.” )

 Dad at 20

One year ago today, October 16, I lost my father. He was 89 but still had so much life in him, it was unexpected. He was so strong - a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge in Patton’s army, a businessman, artist, great husband, father and friend, an excellent writer and collector of stories and information.

I can’t count how many times over the past year I’ve almost picked up the phone to tell him some good news (he loved great book news and bragged too much). I’ve been in bookstores and seen a book and thought, “Oh, Dad will love that,” and pulled back my hand from the shelf. I’m heading off to Nebraska to receive their state award, the Golden Sower. A year ago, the nurses in the hospital were quite taken aback when he’d reel off the list of my awards - and he was accurate, too.

My mother, also gone, was once extremely ill and quite out of her head with pneumonia. She was having some pretty interesting hallucinations - scary at the time but good material for a writer. The first thing she said when she came back to normal was, “Where’s Dad? I want to see him.” My father, sister and I were rather shocked because her father had died 25 years earlier. Dad kindly said, “Well, he’s been gone a long time. Don’t you remember?” (At this point, due to the hallucinations, we still weren’t sure she was mentally okay but believe me, she was.)

I’ll never forget the huge look of disappointment on her face. “Oh, yes,” she said. Then she went on to explain, “I was just lying here thinking he never asks for anything for himself and I wanted to put my arms around him and tell him I love him.’

 This was Grandma’s favorite photo of Grandpa - she kept it on her dresser.

Grandpa was one of the greatest, most generous guys ever and though he was a great storyteller, he could be a quiet person, too.  But he knew how much Mother loved him.  She just wanted to tell him again.

My sister and I were lucky enough to have ample opportunity to tell my father how much we loved him. And as the daily grief lessens, instead of the pain, I remember how hard we laughed in his hospital room about a silly joke he made. It still makes me laugh now.

Laughter and stories, those are the great gifts, aren’t they?

Recently, after I recently spoke at Vail Mountain School, a student commented that I was lucky to have such an interesting family.  How true - and I am grateful.

I spent the past week in the good company of three of my favorite “people” pictured here: my son’s girlfriend Ania, our dog Desi and my son Walshe.  Ania and Walshe were visiting us from New York. All of us have had trying times recently: Ania’s father unexpectedly passed away just a few short weeks ago, a terrible loss. My husband, Frank, and I have been dealing with Desi’s dramatic and abrupt problem walking, which we now know is from a tumor on her spinal cord. We are starting a series of radiation treatments for her on Monday.

Somehow, just being together made us all feel better and we had a wonderful week talking, eating and relaxing. It was also Walshe’s 24th birthday yesterday. (Photo at top is pre-haircut; photo below is post.) He has that look on his face because he couldn’t believe that his ma actually stooped to using trick candles again (you blow them out and they relight) but I was impressed because he actually did blow them out eventually.

Ania and Walshe are back in NY, Desi is enjoying her California sunbeams and life goes on - though it will be a much quieter life for us for a while as I’m planning to stick close to home with Desi and won’t leave her alone at night  - so much for that Hollywood nightlife! It’s well  worth it, because who is here through all those quiet and often frustrating hours at the computer, by my side or nearby? Miss Desi, of course.

By the way, 24 years ago today, I was ecstatically happy, getting to know my beautiful new baby boy. It seems like yesterday.

  I’ve been to Vail, CO, speaking at the Vail Mountain School last  Friday –beautiful place, beautiful school, beautiful people. I will post again about that visit, hopefully tomorrow.

Interspersed with such a great trip (except for travel delays both ways and other indignities), my dearest dog Desi has gone from racing through the yard three weeks ago to not being able to walk at all. She can walk a little now, thanks to steroids, but she has a tumor of the spinal cord. She was supposed to have surgery this week but it’s been postponed until next week. That’s probably just as well because our son (we got the dog for him when he was 11) is coming home Friday and bringing his girlfriend, Ania, another of Desi’s favorite people. Coping with Desi’s day-to-day problems has taken up time. However, her absolutely indomitable spirit is completely inspiring. The worst was having her away from us for a few days. Right now, she’s lying in my office and I feel so much better having her here.

It’s hot here - HOT-HOT-HOT as Humphrey would say, but the office is cool.

I can’t say enough wonderful things about my hosts at Vail Mountain School but I will give more details in the next post.

It was so lovely to see fall color!

Perhaps I need to meditate about the spelling of Intermediate. I made a typo on the photo caption on the blog - too bad I don’t have a copy editor at home like I do on my books.

I also meant to say, regarding the Houston cousins, “whom I hope to see….”

I would so hate to disappoint Miss Ahrens.

Midway Intermedita library assistant Jan Duello, me, librarian Judy Payne.

Watching Hurricane Ike do his terrible thing, it’s hard to believe that a week ago today I was enjoying sunny Houston with relatives there.

I started off in Waco at the Midway Intermediate School, spending the day with very enthusiastic fifth and sixth graders. It was my first visit to Waco and Judy Payne, the librarian, was a terrific hostess, making sure I was well-fed, well cared for and even gave me a great tour of Waco and the beautiful Baylor University Campus.  Sometimes when I travel, I only see the school and the hotel and don’t get to see the city, but I always like to get a sense of where I am and see the wonders of the area.

On Saturday, I flew to Houston, rented a car and drove out to The Woodlands, a beautiful lushly wooded planned community. I was invited to speak at a school on Monday and took the opportunity to visit my cousin and her family - the first time I’ve gotten to The Woodlands even though they’ve lived there 15 years! I had a relaxing weekend, talking, eating, talking, working, talking.  Again, a taste of great Texas hospitality.

Cousins Linda, Sam (the last of three sons still at home), John

With Susan Gerding at John Cooper

Monday, I was at the John Cooper School where I spoke to kindergarteners and up, had a great lunch in their really great cafeteria (I chose the taco bar) and signed a lot of books. Cousin Linda stopped by to check out my presentation (luckily it went well) and Librarian and hostess Susan Gerding made everything move smoothly. There was a very special lunch with students, who got to choose cupcakes by picking their favorite wonder (see below). I got the Humphrey cupcake.

Wonder-full cupcakes!

I was amazed at the wonderful art projects the students had created (school had only been in session a little over a week): Uncle Sam applehead dolls with writing about the Wonders of America … unbelievably detailed clothespin dolls like Aunt Pretty made … and Humphrey drawings and book covers. I took a lot of pictures … and they turned out lousy! I’m so sorry I can’t share them with you but all you’d see was the flash. I may work on them some more.

Now, I’m just watching the news and hoping all my Texas friends and relatives, including my husband’s cousins in Houston who I hope to see in January, and my cousin’s daughter and husband, newly moved to Corpus Christi. Odd that just after a spectacular week falling in love with Cedar Rapids, IA in April they had such devastating floods. Maybe I should stay home!

 Find Lisa, Lisa’s Peepy, Sally Nemeth, me (front row); Michael Reisman, Dan Santat, Mark London Williams, Sue Casey (back and center). Love the lighting!

Lisa Yee threw huge a LAYAS (Los Angeles Young Adult writers) get-together on Wednesday and it was what you’d expect when you get together a big bunch of people who spend a great deal of time alone staring at a computer: wild and crazy fun. (But as you can see, we did end up in front of the computer.) FYI, when writers get together they talk, laugh, talk, eat, get silly, talk … well, you get the idea. Two out-of-town YA writers, Julia DeVillers and Sarah Darer Littman, happened to be in town at the same time, which made it a great excuse for a party … thanks to Lisa’s generous hospitality.

And as an addendum to the last post, Greg Proops is not only the voice of Humphrey; he’s the voice of Bob the Builder in the U.S. And Bob doesn’t sound like Humphrey at all. in fact, he’s unsqueakably different.

   Bob                        Greg                           Humphrey

      It’s been hotter than hot here in Southern California, with the temperature edging up close to 100 every day. Before air conditioning, before inflatable wading pools were invented, we had other ways of cooling off. Here I am in the watering can at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. (I am much more modest now.) They lived on Humphrey Street in south St. Louis. That’s right. Humphrey, as in hamster.

Still, the heat hasn’t kept me inside. Yesterday morning, Frank and I went to the home of Lisa Yee (http://lisayee.com) author of Millicent Min, Girl Genius and others including her new American Girl book) for the South Pasadena Festival of Balloons parade. Lisa and husband Scott have a beautiful 100 year-old Craftsman house on the parade route with a large front yard. The food and company was so terrific (and it was so, um, warm) we watched from the shaded front porch and I didn’t take any pictures. Dumb. But I had great chats with fellow LAYAs (Los Angeles Young Adult writers) Sally Nemeth (The Heights, the Depths and Everything in Between), Michael Reisman (Simon Bloom, The Gravity Keeper) and Amy Goldman Koss (The Girls). Amy and I reminisced about our glory days as judges (with Lisa) in this same parade two years ago. And talked extensively also with illustrator extraordinaire, Dan Santat, and family.

Later, granddaughter Remy came over for a cookout (okay she brought her mom and dad, too). We read books and sang at the table (even though Amy Vanderbilt says that’s not polite) and had a rollicking good time. The kids had thought they could see the Studio City fireworks display at CBS Studios from our backyard. Theoretically we should be able to, but the trees are just too tall. I thought of the perfect spot to see them, so Frank drove up with them while I stayed home with Desi (dog) and listened to the fireworks. I couldn’t see a thing but I could hear them quite well! And then I watched Yankee Doodle Dandy - I love corny older films. Unabashedly.

 Tomorrow, Frank and I are going to the Music Center downtown to see A Chorus Line, which I originally saw on Broadway. At first we hadn’t opted for tickets but then I thought even though we’ve seen it before, hearing great music and seeing great dancing is not a bad way to while away a few hours. I hope it is still a singular sensation.