bully pulpit

Last night was the first (maybe only) TV debate. Biden held his own against the most dreadful tRump and please dear god, please let us vote this horrid man out on November 3rd.

 

 

window repair and history

Mr. Singh installed a screen yesterday in the bathroom, depriving Annabelle of any more fun bird-in-the-house experiences. We bought these windows way back when love was new and we were high on home ownership and life. People still gasp when they see these the first time and of course we took them for granted after about three months. Somehow we discovered the artist at the Renaissance Faire back in the seventies, remember those events out in the woods? Dress up, drink up and spend money on stained glass windows for the too tiny only bathroom in Bernal Heights. Regrets? No sireeeeee. 

"It's always hot for Yom Kippur"

The title is a direct quote from Bill Stein, Senior. Uttered every year of his long and good life.  Hot yesterday too and of course wildfires up north. Dirty sky, worry. I love the innovative new street cafes and I stopped for a latte and listened to some jazz in front of Charlie's garage after my Sunday walk. Ready for some cool fog to roll in. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, but you already know that.

big anniversary celebration

This is the way we celebrate now. A huge zoomfest for Doug and Barb's 50th wedding anniversary. It was long and lavish and Annabelle waited patiently for me to return to her yesterday. I enjoyed getting to see people whose names I have heard for years. The happy couple (lower right square) was delighted and then they rushed to the ocean for a sunset walk after it was all over. My readers who have been married for a few years will realize how amazing and special this anniversary is. Now Doug, get your feet off the coffee table, please. 

big mother lake

Ginger and I walked almost seven miles yesterday! Lake Merced and Harding Park ~ the long way. Back in the day when Husbando and I walked (or ran) this it was a lot smaller and easier. I brought coffee and Costco muffins and we sat by the lake and expressed our gratitude once again for this city that has everything and for long friendship and man, did I sleep last night. So did Annabelle. 

Cobb County, Georgia

 Neighbor Nicole wrote and asked me to write more get-out-the-vote postcards and so I selected Georgia because I was there last year. And because Eddie and I do not agree politically. At all. Sister District provided a much easier and better script to follow this time around, leaving room for butterfly and flower stickers on the fifty postcards. I can't use Ms. and when I asked why Nicole said, "It's the deep South" and so Miss it is. Or Mr., of course. 

The Frida exhibit was a delight. I will return in October. Nice seeing old friends at the DY, too.

Book Club meets outdoors

Well, that was very pleasant indeed. Sunshine and laughter and always the worry about the future with this tRump guy. Six women wearing hats and discussing Where the Crawdads Sing and enjoying just being outdoors together. I included a photo of the back of Gini's charming SF home, Connie with an armful of books and then the patriotic sticker on Madeline's back car bumper. 

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

That is the name of this exhibit at the deYoung which features Frida Kahlo's personal items from her lifelong home, La Casa Azul, in Mexico City. I was planning to go to Mexico City this year, but I will certainly settle for a museum visit tomorrow. I need to do a bit of reading to prepare myself. Now we must reserve online and there will be fewer people in the galleries. This does not bother me one bit.

Nancy and the cereal boxes

 Yesterday I started a new puzzle and began listening to a great audio book entitled Pelosi by Molly Ball. The latter is a loan from Libby at the Library and I highly recommend it. It is our October book club pick from Gini and I must say it is fabulous. Ms. Pelosi is a force to be reckoned with and she just makes me so proud to say that she is from SF and this crazy city taught her a lot about politics. 

new puppy for old college friend

Of course you remember Ginger in Santa Barbara. She called yesterday and even though I have zero phone skills, we (she) chatted away for about 45 minutes. It is a good time for her to train this brand new guy named Skylar since she can't travel to faraway places these days. Her other dog, Shally, is adjusting slowly to all this boundless energy. 

when writers zoom

Grrrrrr. It took me 19 minutes to get on yesterday afternoon, so today I have to fix my zoom because I can't bitch about these l-o-n-g sessions if I am part of the problem. But still nice to see old friends and read their words, hear the comments.  

we mourn the Notorious RBG

So much sorrow as we learn that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last night. A small woman, a brilliant giant who fought for women's rights. A horrible loss in this bad year 2020. 

hermit emerges!

Dodger Doug (aka The Great Plotnik) is fixing the BEST grilled cheese sandwiches since Husbando had the audacity to leave this earth. I walked to/fro and then had to rush a bit to make the 4pm dinner deadline at Pat's Grove. Nice to be with nice people and be able to breathe again. Gratitude even though a certain Annabelle Snugglebutt exhibited haughty disdain when I finally returned home. 

now we're talking (and walking)

The air finally cleared yesterday ~ check out that bright blue sky. I walked about 10,000 steps to ooooh and ahhhhh at the world and then stopped for a latte before heading home. How could I have ever taken this simple pleasure for granted? Never again and feel free to remind me of that.

 

dinner for one, please, Caviar

Actually, Caviar has become Door Dash somehow. But still, the best of the delivery services in my most humble. Last night I had pot stickers and garlic noodles from World of Noodles. Another thing I have discovered is to order from nearby restaurants so the food arrives hot enough to eat. The other secret is to overtip, but you already guessed that. This was delicious, but guess what? It's still not really fun to eat alone, although Caviar/Door Dash every few weeks helps with the food boredom thing.

 

now this is very good news

 The deYoung reopens next week and I already reserved to see Frida on Thursday, the 24th. They will take precautions, of course, and I am so ready to see some art. The Legion will reopen in October. A-OK.

what WOULD i do without the Flix®?

I'm still in South Korea with Stranger, but that will soon be over, so I decided to jump over to Denmark and check out Borgen. A woman unexpectedly becomes the Prime Minister. She is a delight. Borgen is extra special, in my most humble opinion. 

my Sunday with poetry

 I sit beside the poetry shelf here in the back room. I set this up after Bill died and these are my current friends during the pandemic. Today: Kim Addonizio, Mary Oliver, Billy Collins and good old e.e. cummings. I have so many favorite poems and they soothe my restless mind. And then, modern poetry, a text from 888-777 ALERT SF. Air Quality-Unhealthy. Avoid outdoor exertion. 

Maybe I'll try T.S. Elliot ~ The Waste Land and Other Poems which is filled with my childish notes from some other life. "He is living in a dream world, desire to and realization that he is unable to find peace in the real world (the waste land). A world without faith."  Oh, please, Ms. Williams. You knew nothing.

And the irony. A friend suggests I check out the Datebook in today's Chron. An article on the poet Robinson Jeffers because we can now tour his Tor House and Hawk Tower on the Carmel coast. If only.

our beloved Ashland

Here is a photo of Carpenter Hall ~ usually the box office in Ashland. Of course I will send $$$ to help during these horrendous fires. My theater friend Bob reports that Phoenix and Talent, two nearby towns, have been practically destroyed. So, so scary. 

so far, so good

 Libby at the Library provided me with Girl, Woman, Other and yes, I am liking it so far on my   LindaKindle4. It was recommended by both Great Plotniks. 

and it just got worse...

The sky just got darker and oranger as the day progressed. A friend awoke in a panic at 10am and couldn't figure out what was happening. Driving gave me the opportunity to look into homes and offices because the lights had to be on to see when we were all inside. No walkers. Today is grey, but better. 

the fires, the fires

Here is the sky this morning. Orange. Dirty. The wildfires have now spread
to Oregon and Washington. Who can deny Climate Crisis? Scary.

if only...

I wish I could describe what a great relief it was to my body and soul
yesterday down in Pumpkinville. Cool ocean air on our walk, a lovely
lunch prepared by Mr. Blogmaid and then an easy (honest) ride home.
And this morning it is back down to around 65º here and I finally had
a good night's rest. Thank you, dear friends, for saving my life again.

outdoors/indoors

Neti and I planned to sit on her back deck yesterday, but it was just too
hot, so we social distanced and had coffee in her living room. All the
gorgeous artwork is by Neti, but you already guessed that.

another heat wave?

Yes. But this is typical for September here. A few hot days and nights.
Not too bad in SF, but still difficult because we are spoiled with natural
air conditioning and that is non-existent now. Dig out that one summer
outfit ~ tank top and shorts.

cool grey city of covid-19

It's been some weeks since Ginger and I went to Crissy Field where the
air felt so good yesterday on our morning walk. Foggy first, then sun
on that famous bridge. Not too many people and never enough dogs.
This Labor Day weekend is supposed to be hot, but not too for those
of us who live so near the coast.

lunch and dinner rescues

Thanks to Doug and Barb for lunch, Pat and Neti for dinner. I was back
to salads and mostly healthy food yesterday and more of the same today.
My, those blueberries look yummy this morning...

breakfast

Because some days I just get tired of fruit, yoga, granola, vitamin pills
and goodwill to all as I do my yoga. With coffee, of course. It works.

why we have insomnia

Kenosha, Wisconsin

letter from my doc

I am more than pleased to be with Kaiser and my doctor is terrific. In
her letter yesterday she sent tips for staying healthy in body and mind.
Kaiser members now get Calm and MyStrength apps for free. Ommmmm.