untying the knot

This weekend I rendered immobile by a knot between my shoulder blades. The pain numbs my entire right arm. I got a massage to help on Friday and was surprised at how tense I am. Now it's all I can think about. It's impossible to relax! Just when I think I have, I realize I haven't. This is becoming a full time job.

I'm not going home for Thanksgiving. I don't care what anyone says - being alone is going to be better than being around my dramatic family. Maybe for Christmas I'll make a vacation of it. Not stay with anyone, get a hotel in Carmel or something. And stop in Solvang on the way up there.

I took a trip to Solvang when I was little with my aunt Celsa, uncle Franco and cousin, Caterina, who we called Cricket. We were on our way down to Disneyland but it took us days to get there because we kept stopping at places. One of the places was Solvang were everything is Dutch (I suppose) and the streets are cobbled. Cricket and I were in love with the hand-dipped candles and we each got one as a souvenir. The most impressive part of the vacation was that my aunt brought a cappuccino machine with us. Each morning she would make one for us all and make espresso which she put into large green bottles with attached tops for later. We had a lot of picnics at churches. I think it must be among my fondest memories.