Z space celebration

I met Pat Snyder last night and we enjoyed two Word for Word plays at
the Z Space up on Florida Street. First "dinner" at Starbucks and then
a nice 7pm curtain so I wasn't home too late for Annabelle. The best
production was Victory Lap by George Saunders although Deep Kiss
by Tobias Wolff was very good too.

talkin' bout my girl

It's nice to always have a blog-filler named Annabelle. Here she was
yesterday hoping (as always) for food. I reminded her that the vet
warned me about feeding her too much but she is always hungry.
What's a woman to do?

life is a puzzle

Very satisfying. Yesterday I hit the Opera Plaza for two hours of afternoon
enjoyment. I like jigsaw puzzles and have happy memories of when the
Blogmaid and I would work one on Thanksgivings here. Kelly MacDonald
is the suburban housewife who finds a genius partner in NYC for unusual
(to me) competitions. Puzzle is a very good film, in my opinion.

my current reading project

This is my assignment for book club in September and I am enjoying
it way more than I expected to. Thomas Jefferson's oldest girl ~
based on letters and writings of the time, but fiction. My, those
were turbulent times back then.

a lovely send off

Suzy Parker's mother, Edna, was in assisted living for too long (in my opinion)
and we gathered yesterday to celebrate her long life. I drove to/fro Oakland
because of the damn BART business and Husbando sat in the passenger
seat to keep me calm. Smooth. There was a ton of delicious food and many,
many lovely guests. Some great old photos of Edna who was a beautiful
woman and so fortunate to have Suzy to help her through these rough years.

once is enough

The BART bus bridge

Bart is repairing tracks on the weekend so we all piled out at the West
Oakland Station and took buses to the 19th Street Station and that was
a drag, even though I was prepared for it. "How well organized," I thought
at first, trying to stay positive. "How icky and crowded and awful," I
came to realize vowing never to try this again. It added about 30 to 45
minutes to the usual smooth trip.

But once I got to Walnut Creek, Carlini took me for a delicious Bento Box
Japanese lunch and then we walked to this delightful coffee shop with all
these lovely sayings about KINDNESS. The name of the coffee place is
Bondadoso which means kindness, as you might have guessed. So I was
feeling mellow for my trip home until the young man in the bus bonked
me 13 times with his back pack. Grrrrrrr.

my new movie life

A whole new life now. Yesterday Neti and I went to see this Crazy Rich
Asians in West Portal in a movie theater. Pizza dinner afterwards and
a nice break for me. The movie? Good, but I'm sure if I were a young
Asian person I would LOVE all the romance and fashions, etc. I did
enjoy the scenes of Shanghai because I will never get there and this
seems like the best way to appreciate that glitzy culture.

lunch with Evie

Evie lost her partner Shelia a few years ago. She has been a huge help to
me during this process. She sent me this lovely quote last night and asked
me to share it with the Blogmaid. Lovely, no?

books and veggie burger

I had a lovely Book Club meeting yesterday out at the Legion of Honor
Cafe. The selection was Big Alma which I had read many times while
working (ahem) so I could carry my own. This might be the best veggie
burger in town, perhaps because of all the cheese. Then once more
through the delightful exhibit there and home to tell Annabelle all
about it. I did scatter a few of Husbando's ashes out there so he can
see the Golden Gate Bridge through the fog.

yesterday ~ news and more news

My stepson Rob texted me this photo. We anti-Trump folks were glued to our
fake news TV channels last night and it was exciting indeed. Husbando is
smiling this morning too.

ALL I NEED

That is today's writing prompt. It sets me thinking, as it should. Right
now, in my grief, I only need a few things which I will list here as
best I can. This is not my daily write, but it feels important to me
to list these things for you and for me:

1. quiet morning time to reflect and write and cry a bit if necessary
2. friends and their loving emails
3. Annabelle
4. a good book
5. TV ~ to binge on The Americans which Husbando never liked
6. step children checking in and preparing for the memorial
7. this heavy fog
8. my daily To Do list
9. salads from Trader Joe's
10. daily walks and coffee shops with strangers on their computers
11. this warm and wonderful little house that I know so well
12. friendly (but not too) neighbors who I can text when I need help

This is all I need. For now.

it was Tayto time

Yesterday afternoon I had a good walk over to have tea and cat talk
with Frances and Donna and their monster cat Tayto. She rules the
roost, just the way Annabelle would like to here.

the Saturday non-news

AM work

PM walk ~ Bryant and 24th Streets

Yesterday I FINALLY got out to the garden and collected this huge bag
of weeds and other clean-up crap. The last time I did this (April?)
Husbando applauded me from our back deck above. I miss that.
After a shower and cat nap (hahahaha) I walked up Bryant for an
elegant dinner at Starbucks. It was a warm and delightful evening
and I slept nicely last night with only a hint of cannabis to help me.

The Embarcadero

Yesterday I met John and Mary for lunch at the Slanted Door, but first I had
a lovely latte on a wobbly red table and watched the tourists enjoying the
sunshine. Husbando loved this area, but who doesn't? Our lunch was better
than any of us expected and we talked about everything and it was just
as pleasant as could be. Friends make everything so much better.

oh wonderful book!

I always/always pay attention to Dancing Jen's book recommendations
and this is so wise on my part. Meet Me at the Museum is simply
enchanting and just what I need right now. Thank you Jen and author
Anne Youngson.

restaurant redux

I know, I know ~ I was just here with Carlini two weeks ago. But it is
such an unusual restaurant so yesterday I met Ginger and her daughter
Jayne here and we had a delightful time at E&O. Husbando loved
anything corn (karn) including these corn fritters and then we had
chicken in a lettuce cup, spring rolls, papaya salad and ginger (!)
cookies with coffee.

we need some cuteness

The Blogmaid Family adopted Eleven and Hopper and life is very merry
indeed down in Pumpkinville.  Eleven has more orange than her brother,
in case you want to know which is which. And of course you do.

On a personal note I am branching out ~ went to TJ's and Costco and did
not need my ever present Kleenex® in either store. Of course I avoided
certain sections where Husbando-memories would overwhelm me. But
still and all ~ progress.

if, in our garden

I went out to water our garden yesterday and this beautiful butterfly stayed
very near to me the entire time. I thought of this poem:

Mistica

If, in your garden, when I die
when I die, a flower appears;
if in a cloud-rumpled sky you see a star,
you see a star no one has ever seen;
and a bird comes close and murmurs to you,
murmurs to you with a sweet sound
opening his beak along your lips
saying the things I have said to you;
that broken sky, and that flower -
they will be my life: changed,
all changed, according to god's law.

They will be my substance under
another face ---
wing and corolla, coal and mist;
they will be my thoughts transformed -
odor and air, song and sun.
I am a body - when will they bury me?
I m a traveller - when do I go?
I am a larva, transmuting itself -
when will god's law come to pass
and I become sky and bird,
flower and star?

Salvador Diaz Miron
(1853 - 1928)

and we WON

Carlini's birthday present from me yesterday ~ a fine baseball game with
our new ace pitcher Dereck Rodriguez (son of Pudge) in charge. We won.
Richard is from Pittsburgh and was texting his cousin Pasquale during
the game so that was extra fun as Carlini is now a proud Giants' fan.
It was a good day because, as I've mentioned before, Sundays can be
difficult during this phase of my life.

celebrating #25

The Blogmaid bought the BEST seats ever for the Barry Bonds ceremony
last night and I thank her sincerely. Barry's #25 was retired and the Giants
know how to do these things up right and we had a great time and then
of course the game started. I was seated next to a very loud man with a
whistle and the home team was losing and we left early, but the whole
point really was to offer Barry our love and gratitude which we did.
I had a delightful time!

the life of Cecil

Last night Neti, Pat, Janine and I went to see this new movie about
Cecil Beaton the photographer, designer, man-about-town. Very
interesting indeed. He kept diaries, scrapbooks and there was a
lot to think about and admire, yet he was never a truly happy man.
We then had a light dinner outside (!) on Hayes Street and home
early to bond with Annabelle some more. Giants today!

morning becomes Annabelle

Yesterday I had professionals come and wash all the windows in this
house, inside and out. Expensive and well worth it. Husbando would
frown until he saw the results. Annabelle was thrilled. Today I am
expecting a shipment of 24 real fur mice from Amazon because this
cat hides and/or destroys her mouse assortment. My girl.

the tradition continues

Husbando loved this restaurant, as do we. Barb has a birthday coming up
in a few days and we always celebrated and Bill would choose the restaurant
but I did this time and Red Hill Station was perfect with clams and mussels
and a burger for me. Bill would raise an eyebrow about me having meat
in a seafood restaurant, but it was just what I wanted. So nice being with
Doug and Barb to talk of many things and eat too much great food.

grey day, green gardens

The Giants sure do know how to garden. Ginger and I finally wound our
way down to this oh-so-San Francisco part of the Jewel yesterday and
my, impressive. Now if only the bullpen and the batters could work as
expertly as our gardeners.

my current project

Forty plus years of photos. I dreaded this project of making montages for
the memorial celebration, but once I got started I found that it was a good
thing for me because I could see how happy we both were. The first week
after Husbando died I was filled with so much sorrow and so many regrets
and now I can see that except for a few human glitches, it was a good
partnership and we loved and were loved.

a favorite artist

Paul Madonna 

The joint was jumping 

By now you know that Paul Madonna is one of my heroes. So yesterday
I asked Marsha if she would be interested in attending this brand new
exhibit at Studio Gallery on Pacific Avenue. The Written Word is
the theme and of course Marsha knew about 50 people there and I
finally was introduced to Paul Madonna. Thrill. This art is inspired
by books and writing and is on through August 27th. Go.

a walk in the park

I have learned that I need to get out of the house everyday, or else.
Jeff is a writer friend who has been very generous to me. He lives
up the street but I know him from way-back Tiapos and he was
a close friend to Jane Underwood. I texted and asked for a walk with
him and Zola yesterday and off we went to Holly Park. Jeff has
volunteered with hospice for eight years and is comfortable talking
about death (and life) and I so appreciate him.

Civic Center report

Black and Blue ~ graphite and resin statues

Major marriage location for obvious reasons

Above we have a bad photo of the Zak Ove installation in front of City
Hall. The mask of invisibility for so many black people. Impressive and
sad ~ see it. Then I always like the wedding activity in our beautiful
City Hall. All sexes, colors and ages ~ so SF. Downstairs they have a
wonderful photo exhibit ~ all by women behind their cameras.

Thursday with variety

Annabelle and I went to the SPCA Vet Hospital to be told that WE
need to eat less as her belly is bulbous. NOT my word. So even
though she is always hungry, I will measure and be strong. Otherwise
she is healthy and (god knows) happy. Then I sped downtown for
lunch with Carlini at E&O on Sutter. A trip to the 212 Cannabis
store on California Street for his back pain completed my busy day.

do NOT miss this movie

Not only is Ruth Bader Ginsberg a delightful inspiration to us all, but
the movie is extremely well made, in my opinion. Thanks to the Great
Plotniks for going with me and then for pizza dinner afterwards. A
really pleasant time out and about in SF with three (!) free good
parking spots ~ Husbando taking care of us.

the Rob visit

Rob and Sarah's wedding ~ funny light triangle not on original

Step mother is freezing in cool convertible

I recently found Rob's wedding photos from 1993. Husbando and I had a
great time in Chicago and it was so nice of Rob to make a special stopover
yesterday to visit and take me to dinner. He had rented a VW convertible
because his father would love that. We had a great dinner at Barzotto on
Valencia Street, one of Bill's favorite spots for pasta and a salad. I just
cried a little when we talked about this special father/son relationship. Rob
is much like Bill in so many ways, and yet so different too.