hermit widow socializes

My lovely neighbors invited me for dinner last night, saying that
everyone had been tested. I had a really fine time and so nice to
walk a few feet to get home to Annabelle before our 9pm bed time.
Today I need to recover and I will stay quiet and solo and grateful.

what's a K-drama?

Stranger 

So little we learn so late. Korean mysteries on Netflix. VERY well done
and I love learning about other countries. I am semi-bingeing on this
one: Stranger with a tough female policewoman and an unusual male
prosecutor. Jigsaw puzzles, household tasks and Korea on TV. Not
a bad way to spend a mostly foggy, smokey-air Saturday.

a monumental day

We went into a restaurant. The first time in 25 weeks! To the back patio of
Starbelly's to celebrate Ginger's birthday. Tons of safety rules, but still
and all, the pleasure of eating hot food served by someone else was/is
not to be under-emphasized. Mussels for me, veggie burger for G. Oh,
what we took for granted for so long, forever...

using her time wisely

My college friend, Hoan, wrote this fascinating memoir while she has
been locked in during the pandemic. It is beautiful and extremely well-
written and available on Amazon. (Of course Hoan is our nickname
for this loving and talented woman.) Great photos in this book too.

bugs and insects

Marsha is recovering from a fractured ankle and I visited her yesterday.
I'm glad that Pat and I pushed her into an Apple watch because she used
it when she fell to call her neighbor for help. Above is one segment of
her art-filled wall space, I prefer insects under glass although I do love
to watch the butterflies who have recently returned to our gardens. In
any event, I was able to help Marsha with a few tasks as she heals.

this is quite amazing

Two pieces of good news this morning. The wildfires are getting under
control and the Giants have won seven games in a row.   Now what?
Did I jinx it? And I think we have more cardboard fans than any
other MLB team. I might have made that up.

the GRAND Old Party

Why was Kimberley yelling in an empty room? The Republican National
Convention last night was worse than I expected. My parents were Republicans
and I bet even they would be horrified by tRump. I hope so anyway.

support your national post office

Thanks to dear Linda in Albuquerque (I still stumble over that location
thing) I discovered these glorious Ruth Asawa stamps which I ordered
by (ahem) mail. Ruth Asawa's wire sculptures were my friends when
I worked at the deYoung. Beautiful.

out of storage finally

I put this quilt on my bed yesterday. It was on my parents' bed and it is
old and imperfect now and I was going to have it repaired and then I thought,
"What the hell? I have quite a few flaws too." It feels just right ~ the
perfect weight for SF. Not everything has to be perfect. I have learned
so much about myself since living on my own. Some good, some not so...

Dirty John and filthy air

I stayed in all day to avoid the horrible air yesterday. These awful
fires rage on. I'm so glad to live in the safe city where concrete
doesn't burn. So I worked on the jigsaw and watched Dirty John,
a series on Netflix. And yes, I recommend this based-on-truth
drama about a con man in Southern California.

back-to-school (sort of)

then

yesterday

RR started school yesterday, from home, of course. She is an A+
student at Mercy, but you already guessed that. Kids these days
have to be so resilient, as do their parents. Tough times. Oh and
congrats to RR for passsing her test ~ now she has a driving
license. Way to go and good job Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid and RR.

breaking the law

Ginger hasn't had a haircut since March, so I arranged for Liz to come
over and we wore our masks and stayed as safe as possible. Such an
unreal time we are living in ~ but yesterday was a happy, if illegal, success.

Democratic National Online Convention

This was the backdrop last night ~ the beauty caused by smoke from
nearby fires sparked by lightning last week, alas. I'm enjoying the Dems
and the short speeches, including Republicans who have had enough
of that asshole tRump. Oh, please, give us a decent president in Nov.

preserve the USPS

Good god ~ what next? Yesterday I bought stamps online (convenient)
and then I mailed two postcards. Easy, I just wrote how much I depend
on good, efficient postal service. Always have.

1) Senator Mitch McConnell
    317 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
    Washington, DC   20510

2) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy
    475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
    Washington, DC   20510

weather weirdness

Thunder, lightning and just a bit of rain. Yesterday was hot and muggy ~
today is better. Obviously I did not take this beautiful photo, but it is
all very strange and untypical. Back to a nice 60º this morning. Oh,
yes, predictions of rolling electrical blackouts from our enemies at PG&E.

mid-day movie time

My neighbor Heidi rented Enchanted April yesterday and we were
delighted to see how well it followed the book. I loved this 1991 movie
and, yes, I will see it again. Glorious setting and actors. Fun script.

Paris is a puzzle

Dear Dancing Jen sent me this jigsaw and we are excited to get started
today. As you well remember, Jen and I "did" Paris six years ago.
Thank you are the puzzle and the memories. Travel while you can
makes even more sense these days, no?

el buen birthday

Barb has a happy birthday

Doug plays this thing

this blogger basks

Yesterday I picked up lunch at El Buen Comer because we celebrated
Barb's birthday ~ chile relleño, chiliquitas, chips and guac. Then
a small birthday cake with coffee and some bad singing under the
beautiful blue SF sky. Quite wonderful.

a blooming surprise

How long have I lived here? I had never been to the Dahlia Grove until
last Tuesday with Pat, who insisted we go there. It's behind the Conservatory
of Flowers and yes, it is overwhelming and impressive.

local girl does good

Kamala Harris began her political career here in SF as our District Attorney
and from there she did not stop. Strong, vibrant, very smart ~ I so admire
Joe Biden for selecting her because some men have problems with really
tough and brilliant women. But Joe knows...

puzzle pride ~ 1000 pieces worth

We finished this (number 8?) yesterday. Do NOT ask what else we did.
So satisfying. Doug suggested a series of jigsaws of cats sitting on pretty
puzzles. We can get behind that, and on top too.

another colorful nabe walk

masked mariachi band

don't call it an "old folks home"

life blood = latte

artists have been busy lately

I needed those 11,000 steps yesterday ~ so happy to live within walking
distance of such vibrant sounds, colors and people. And to sit outside with
a latte was almost as delightful as being back in Paris. Almost...

down the drain(s)

I am still cleaning and tossing the treasures in Bill's office. One such
gem was an old newspaper clipping of How to Clean Drains using
baking soda and white vinegar followed by hot water. So every single
month, with the blessing of Husbando, I become Ms. Handyperson.
Once again I apologized to Himself for wailing "Why the Hell do we
have so much white vinegar?" after I began the clean-up, clean-out
process two years ago. OK, I get it.

and another Leo birthday

Carlini dropped in for coffee yesterday on his way to a doc appointment
and we haven't seen each other in months, so it was great to social
distance in the SF sunshine. He has a birthday next week and it ends
in zero and those always shock the system, but he is handling it well,
very well, as you can clearly see.

back to Pat's Grove

Last night we celebrated Neti's birthday over at Pat's condo garden area.
It is somewhat secluded, away from the wind and fog. A fire pit would be
nice, however.

as promised ~ an early walk

I did my 11,000 steps yesterday to Valencia Street ~ change is the only
thing we can count on these days. Soon cars will be banned here and the
restaurants are prepping for outdoor dining. Artists are making the
boarded up store fronts better and more colorful, but I sure miss our
old way of life. Duh.

summer in the city

Thick potato soup fog this morning, but I am determined to get out early
and walk. It is too easy to stay in with cat and jigsaw puzzle and a good
book.  Fireplace in the summer? Oh, yes.

local sports radio hero dies

...the best Ralph Barbieri obituary I've read is from our Blogmaid: 

Every once in a while I’d google Ralph Barbieri to see what he was doing, and it was only a 

couple of weeks ago that I found a recent article in The Athletic (I had to subscribe and then 

cancel my membership to read it). I was saddened to read that he was wheelchair bound, but 

wasn’t prepared for the news today.

I replied to a few people on Twitter with a cat story. Ralph had a beloved cat, Sunshine, and 

my ex-husband Lee was Sunshine’s vet. Once when Sunshine was sick and had to stay at 

the pet hospital, Ralph asked us to put a radio next to his cage so he could listen to Ralph’s 

show, and Ralph would talk to him during the broadcast.

No one else on Twitter mentioned Sunshine, but Scott Ostler retweeted my story, and I’ve 

gotten a lot of likes.

I also remember that he coined the term “The Jewel” for what is now Oracle Park. In fact, 

I think he took credit for it being built at all.  

Sunshine was near the end of his life when Ralph was trying to figure out how to have a baby, 

and Lee and I went to his baby shower when he was expecting Tayte. (Scott Ostler was there,

 too.) I think Tayte was barely 10 before Ralph was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and now he’s

 just turned 20. There were so many objectionable things that came out of Ralph's mouth (and 

Tom Tolbert’s) on their show, but Ralph really wanted a child, and it’s so sad that his experiences

 — and Tayte’s -- were shadowed by his illness and now his early death. 

Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.

RIP Ralph.

puzzle and podcast

1000 pieces await

dinner with a view

an excellent podcast

Nancy and CC came by for breakfast and then headed out, back to Placerville
where the grand daughter farms. Annabelle and I started a new jigsaw and
listened to this interesting podcast which makes me want to watch The
Office series again. I wasn't a thorough follower before, but I did enjoy it.
Then of course the beauty of the spectacular SF sunset.

our busy, happy Saturday

a walk at Stow Lake

delicious CC chili dinner

we three

outdoor decorating ~ we need color!

And we also had coffee over at Doug and Barb's. Non-stop. CC made
veggie chili and I now have overstock.com in my freezer for the long
winter months ahead. A lovely day indeed.

endless excitement

From my morning email to the Blogmaid:

 yes, thank god CC and Nancy were here to help

with the wild life invasion last night. The poor little bird came into

the bathroom window (why?) and it was chirping loudly and more

loudly and then Annabelle dashed in there and then and then...

all was quiet. We thought the bird had escaped, the cat was gone

but then I found my gentle house feline coming up the stairs with this huge

vulture in her mouth. CC and Nance gave chase and the two creatures

hid under the car in the garage. Nancy closed off our offices and we

waited. Annabelle brought her catch back upstairs to the bathroom and

my nature-loving step and grand daughter rescued the bird and it was

still alive. They took the poor thing outside and it is gone this morning.

It lives! Annabelle is still in a state of shock as is her city-woman owner.

Nature, red of tooth and claw ~ but no blood or feathers. Whooosh. 

A very exciting evening with pizza, salad and wild life galore.