Halloween 2015

Yes, this is creepy - a virtual gift from my friend Joe. Today I work at
the DY, wearing a BOO! tee shirt and forbidden jeans with comfy shoes.

the croak talk

Nancy is the executor of our vast estate, so she is here to ask the
uncomfortable questions. We did cover fun stuff like memorial
services and I kept pointing to stuff and saying "call 1/800-Junk"
just like the radio spots. Nancy lives in Illinois and any time she
can come to California is just fine with her. Important details:
Husbando wants his ashes tossed from The Ramp and I want mine
from Crissy Field. We will meet in the SF Bay at some point, right?
I'm so glad that Nancy will be in charge, partnering with our Blogmaid.

pumpkin pooch

I borrowed this from the Blogmaid's Facebook page - how does one write
a daily blog post without her? This is Sabine's first Halloween and of
course she loves her costume. What dog wouldn't?

quinceanera!

Sort of like a mini wedding without the groom. This was a wonderful
celebration of the girl's fifteenth birthday and I was lucky enough to
be able to snap some photos last Saturday when I worked at the deYoung.
I checked online and there are special websites just for quinceanera
dresses, invitations and party favors. I felt privileged just to observe.

birthday!

How fortunate are we? Last night we celebrated a Big Birthday with Doug
and Barb. We were headed for Wise Brothers but ended up at our default
restaurant, Limon (on Van Ness) - delicious chicken and Peruvian paella.
Happy birthday to dear friend Doug and thank you both for a very
special evening.

medals matter

I just had to share this great photo of Mr. Blogmaid and RR updating her room.
It answers the question that no one asked, "can one receive too many awards?"
A hearty NO! Such a beautiful photo too, thanks, Blogmaid...

city life?

From the Pier 24 photographer, I needed a few days to think about this
before I posted it. It inspires me for those times when I just want to
stay at home and watch "Person of Interest" on the Flix®. But, hey, I
can do both!

silly hall with ghosts?

My novel writing partner (Joanne) uses a few ghost characters and she
asked me to accompany her on the annual Ghost Walk at City Hall
last night. I found nearby FREE parking and we met at 6:30 along with
about 600 people. The "walk" took about 40 minutes and we all just
shuffled from south to north court and into the rotunda where scary
speakers and a very poor microphone system told us stories that might
or might not be true. I vote for the latter. Anyway, it was all in good fun
and our City Hall is one of the prettiest buildings anywhere, so that
helped and I had never been in there at night. Worthwhile? Yes.

Pier 24 photography

This exhibit is entitled The Whiteness of the Whale and the photographer is
Paul Graham. It has to do with Moby Dick and time and white and other
things too esoteric for me. But we met Ginger there and wandered about,
then a Vietnamese pork sandwich out in the sun at Ferry Plaza. A fine
half day with a rush home to watch our next President conduct herself
with grace and strength in front of the GOP witch hunt.

the Filipino experience

Yesterday we saw Monstress at the new ACT theatre on Market Street.
It's a really nice setting and we had lunch beforehand at the Cadillac
Bar and Grill on 9th Street - yum. Two separate plays and neither of
them really terrific, so I can't recommend them to my vast reading
audience. But, we had a nice time and we probably learned a thing or
two along the way, so that is always beneficial.

work assignment

I have been reading this little hardcover when I work out at the
Legion of Honor. Twenty short fiction pieces by assorted authors
and I try to only read when there are no customers in the store,
but then I get too involved in the book and oooooops.

public and personal health

Yes, I got my flu shot yesterday. Kaiser makes it free, easy and convenient.
We have a busy week ahead, so I relaxed most of the rest of the day, after
the SPCA, of course. Now I head out to the Legion of Honor for a little
peace and quiet, rest and relaxation - all the action is at the deYoung.

more altars, more memories

Ruth Asawa by her grand daughter - all in origami

Yesterday I met Joe and Pamela at the Oakland Museum. First we had
lunch outside on the cafe patio, then we toured the Rituals + Remembrance
special exhibit which celebrates memorials in different cultures. Again,
I highly recommend this and you can visit it through January 3rd.

old house on hillside

We are undergoing a major foundation mess here and the blogger
does not operate well when gobs of money are being spent on things
that can't be seen. Husbando, however, is intent on propping up
our home before the great rains. I guess we need to do this every
90 years or so. The cement in those wooden box things was poured
yesterday and soon everything will be hunky dory. Grrrrrrrrr.

Jewel City arrives

This a fabulous new exhibit opening at the deYoung today. It celebrates the
100 year anniversary of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition and
features more than 200 works - paintings, sculptures, photographs and
prints. I only got my first look-see yesterday, I need about thirty more visits.
We have until January 10th to get our fill...

writing group

Here we have Randy and Dexter commenting on someone's writing at
Tiapos last night. It was a small group as the Great Plottie was watching
his Dodgers lose and Chef Sarah was stuck in horrid traffic. But it was
good to be with my friends and read some wonderful words - not mine,
theirs. And always a laugh or too and lots of love and compassion.

SOMarts on Brannan Street

the entrance - go through the black curtain

Monique's piece - beautiful (I work with her)

I also loved this one

I have long admired Day of the Dead traditions and had heard about

this little museum at the city cultural center behind Trader Joe's.

So after household tasks and chores I hopped on a bus and went

to take a look - it's open all day, not crowded and free. Many colorful

memories and well worth an hour of your time. Truly.

missing Mr. Updike

Tools

Tell me, how do the manufacturers of tools
turn a profit? I have used the same clawed hammer
for forty years. The screwdriver misted with rust
once slipped into my young hand, a new householder's.
Obliviously, tools wait to be used: the pliers,
notched mouth agape like a cartoon shark's; the wrench
with its jaws on a screw; the plane still sharp enough
to take its fragrant, curling bite; the brace and bit
still fit to chew a hole in pine like a patient thought;
the tape rule, its inches unaltered though I have shrunk;
the carpenter's angle, still absolutely right though I
have strayed; the wooden bubble level from my father's
meagre horde. Their stubborn shapes pervade the cellar,
enduring with a thrift that shames our wastrel lives.
John Updike

Selected Poems

check the fire hydrants

One of the sad things for staff and volunteers at the SPCA is when a dog
has been thoroughly house broken in their almost-forever first home. So
these well behaved doggies have been spotlighted and will get at least
three walks a day. Their good behavior will be rewarded until they reach
their REAL forever homes.

six marines in the 60's

Yesterday we went to the SF Playhouse to see Dogfight, a musical and
an unusual love story. We can't escape Vietnam, nor should we, but
this brings up those bad memories and I found myself near tears
several times. Imagine, me! But this is really well done and we both
recommend this play.

remember Paul Reiser...

...from "Mad About You" (1992)? Well here he is with grey hair in
this terrific new series on Amazon Prime. Red Oaks is a New Jersey
country club and the kid on the right (played by Craig Roberts) is
earning summer money as an assistant tennis pro and learning all
about how the wealthy live, work and play. We are both enjoying
this, in between the baseball games. 

rooting for the enemy

Here is a photo of the dejected Kate Capshaw (Kershaw) who walked
three in a row last night in the Dodgers first game with the Mets. If the
Giants aren't in the playoffs (a relief, frankly), we do want a West Coast
team to win, even if we usually hate the boys in blue. Anyway, it
was not easy to watch and our hearts are with those Dodger fans because
we know the feeling. But, there are four more games to go - take heart.

civic center calls

A new coffee spot (for me) down by City Hall. It's part of the Public
Utilities Department and it's named ACRE and yesterday I met my
friend Pamela there at Polk and Golden Gate. Good latte and even
better conversation - spacious and quiet, my kind of place.

a little fuzzy...

...but you get the idea. This is in the women's bathroom at the Legion of
Honor. It's always a bit of a shock to see beautiful fresh flowers and then
I think back to the horrid days at Borders (and Barnes & Noble) when we
management folk were responsible for the upkeep of the bathrooms. So
many horror stories, I clearly remember one Sunday afternoon when I
cried in my office after a particularly disgusting clean-up. I do appreciate
the museums, I truly do.

love walked in

Oodles

Katara

My three orange cats had been adopted, but check out these two. Oodles
is a poodle who was a mess when she came to us, but they just gave her a
cut and shampoo and she was feeling great on Monday. Katara is a big
love with a minor tummy ailment currently, but I think these two will
soon be in their forever homes. It's hello/goodbye at the SPCA.

the family gathers

Rob and John

G. dot Ceci returns

Rob and Sarah are here for just a couple of days, on their way up to golf
in Oregon. We met with John and Ceci last night at the North Beach
Restaurant - not the greatest food, but a fine table overlooking the busy
Stockton Street. The place was packed, North Beach was crowded with
regulars and tourists and a fine time was had by all. Next visitors will
be g.dot Lauren (sister to Ceci) and Nancy (mother of Ceci and Lauren)
with her husband Scott.  Separate visits, never equal...

are you watching?

Last night was the second episode of Indian Summers on PBS. It
is so physically beautiful. Even if we don't get all the sub-plots, it
is such a pleasure to watch. This all takes place when the British are
about to leave India, they just haven't realized it yet. Highly recommended!

I'll take three, please

I neglected to post this photo from last Monday. There is another
little orange head hidden up there in the Transamerica window.
We know I love the orange kitties and, in fact, Ellen has two: Salmon
and Roughy. Tomorrow is SPCA day already - I'll check these guys
out, but I have a feeling they are already in their forever homes...

car bnb

Everyone knows that there is no place to live in SF. Too many people
want to live in a too small city. Yesterday "the guy from Argentina"
(who is married to one of the women next door in the House of
International Women) told Husbando that someone had slept in his
beat-up old car the night before. The guest left him a thank you note
and $6.00. I'm sympathetic, but so glad that we have a garage.

the bride wore orange

 I worked with Kristin and Kevin at Borders about ten years ago and last night
we all gathered at Original Joe's in North Beach to celebrate their City Hall
marriage yesterday. It was a truly nice evening with a few tears and a lot of
laughter. The groom's name is Kevin McCarthy, so he is trending on social
media because of the conservative jerk who is running for Speaker of the House.
I felt honored to be part of the joyful party last night ~ the happy couple
will be off to Italy on Saturday.

what is this?

I actually used this yesterday on a couple of long walks. How wonderful.
I met our friend Richard at BART and then we walked down to the
Noeteca where we met Husbando and had a long and delicious lunch
filled with lots of chatter and memory gathering. A little more rain is
expected today and all we can say is more/more/more.