no real sorrow for football

 We lost to the LA Rams yesterday. That's OK, it's not like BASEBALL, not really that important. I had to watch of course and now to prepare for Super Bowl Sunday in two weeks. Go Bengals!

the widow steps OUT

 Heidi and Rob live two doors down and are very, very good to me. Their all vegetarian dinner party was an occassion so I over-dressed with glee and am so pleased that I did. Everyone was thrice-vaxxed, thank God, but I took the Covid at-home test first just to make sure. Even though I am a bit awkward (understatement) currently, I need to be out and about with PEOPLE every now and then.

I keep meaning...

 Hetty Dorval is Connie's choice for the February book club meeting. The author, Ethel Wilson, lived in Canada and this small novel was published in 1947. I am reading two books now and need to clean my brain before starting this book and I'd like to finish it in one fell swoop. We will see.

The Presidio is huge

 This old army base is filled with hiking trails, converted barracks, offices, homes, art galleries and yes, I always get lost. Oh, museums and restaurants, too. Yesterday I had to run an errand out in that part of the city so I took myself for a walk and you can see that it was a glorious day. I discovered a coffee shop (my latte radar) and appreciated the lovely setting. Just a small "Where am I?" before I re-conncted with Ken, my 22 year old Toyota. One fine day.

The Year of the Tiger

 I'm going to a Chinese New Year dinner next week and the hostess asked me to bring fortune cookies. So I went to the source, the famous fortune cookie factory in Ross Alley, Chinatown (top photo). Not easy to find, but I loved wandering around and soaking in the atmosphere. Store keepers and restaurants are bustling, hoping the tourists will return. So much color and life ~ I had a such a fun adventure.

with fog horns moaning

 We love the sound of fog horns especially down at Crissy Field, so close to the source. When Ginger and I started walking yesterday we couldn't even see the Golden Gate Bridge but then the dense fog burns off quickly and the lovely background music ceases. Birds are comfortable and hungry here in January.

oooooh, just what I needed

 The Gilded Age ~ 1880's in New York City. Way to go, HBO. The costumes, homes, upstairs-downstairs, heart break, romance and always the money. Who has it? Who earned it and when? Some of my favorite actors too including Chrisine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Nathan Lane. Fun!

what a weekend

 I watched too much football this weekend what with the 49ers and my stepson's Buffalo team.  Next Sunday we play down in LA la land and the cheapest seat is $500. It's fun to be in the playoffs even though I will never really LOVE football. Fun to text during the games, though.

The GREAT Highway

 The stretch of road along Ocean Beach is closed to traffic on Saturday and Sunday, hoooray. Even though a lot of people were out enjoying the sea air and the gorgeous sunshine, it didn't seem crowded at all because of the open road. Bikes, trikes, skates, strollers, dogs and a gazillion walkers. Neti and I walked and then had dim sum at Shailai Seasfood on Geary Blvd. A very fine Saturday indeed.

meatball sandwiches al fresco

 Doug, Barb and I celebrated Bill outdoors on West Portal at the new (to us) Little Original Joe's which was so delightful and sunny and pleasant. I seldom eat red meat anymore, but I couldn't resist these meat balls with a fresh romaine salad to start. We found free parking because Husbando wouldn't have it any other way. No more "Tender Days" for a few months, whooosh. 

HIS birthday today

 Yesterday Doug, Barb and I had a pre-celebration with his favorite cake from this tiny bakery in Japantown. It's the famous Blum's crunch cake and man, is it yummy. Today we will go to lunch and revive some old memories and try to find photos on our iPhones. Husbando is sorely missed.

book club at Choquette's (again)

 This wonderful golden doodle dog did not join us officially, alas, but we all fell in love with him/her. We did have to bundle up when the wind blew our way, but otherwise it was a fine gathering. Connie provided a Canadian author/book for the February selection and I will share that with you soon. Fiction, hooray!

hot coffee, cold park

 Yesterday Ginger and I had our walk and talk up in beautiful Lafayette Park near her home. It wss busy with folks doing tai chi, exercising their dogs and then there is a busy playground filled with kids and parents. We enjoyed listening to two amateurs (ahem) in a grove practicing opera. SF, never dull.

product recommendation

 I ordered these new wrist braces yesterday morning (from Amazon, of course) and they arrived during TV time last night. Carpal in both wrists ~ I have been wearing night "gloves" forever. But these are the best ever with a cushion in the palm and not too much velcro to snag on everything. It's the little victories...

why I prefer baseball

 I did watch (sort of) the wild card game yesterday, mainly because I so dislike Texas and they lost and I rejoiced (sort of) because the 49ers won. But such a violent game. Football is easy to mute and I was able to read a lot and cat cuddle too. 

the many parklets of Hayes Street

 Dancing Jen and I had an outdoor lunch at Absinthe yesterday and were able to catch up on each others' lives. (Hers more interesting than mine, needless to say.) Then we walked a bit to catch the flavor of that busy area which has grown and changed so much over the past decade. Many of the blocks were closed to car traffic which enabled music and restaurants to thrive. People are definitely not staying in during this latest phase of the pandemic. We overheard the waiter describe the absinthe drink as "mouthwash and licorice combination taste" ~ not tempted. 

we need a nature poem

 

Morning Crows in a Fresh Mown Field Before Rain

Three in a group, then one coming from a distanceto make four dividing into two scavenging pairs.They waddle like ducks, dibble like robins.This close to the earth they have nothing to say.And yet as they bobble in a hands-behind-backcolloquy of feints and nods they are the ankle bootsof an idea gone missing, their laces threadedthrough eyelets but left untied, accountantsof random expenditures, connoisseursof the worm's catacomb of waste; they limp eastward,toward the mountains, covered in contractor bagcapes, one wiry boot then the other on the ground.If they would stay just where they are all morning,they'd be the monument to the history they're looking for.
Michael Collier

the extent of my travels

 BART is almost empty again and feels very safe during this latest Covid outbreak. So off I went to beautiful San Leandro yesterday to have lunch with Julia and Meriel. We had a nice time, but of course it is a long day for me with the to/fro walk to my BART station and the ride itself. But it beats the hell out of driving, that's for sure. Hermit Day today is my reward.

Long Island, NY ~ 1972

 Thanks to the Fevered Brain for recommending this sweet movie The Tender Bar on Amazon Prime. A boy and his Uncle Charlie who runs Dickens bar full of characters and also full of life's lessons and love.

Seattle ~ 2020 or so

 Gutsy Sandra Bullock stars in The Unforgivable and you might want to keep a Kleenex® nearby while watching this film. Very well done. Netflix.

Montana 1925 ~ incredible

 How did we live happy lives before Netflix? You do not want to miss The Power of the Dog starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons. A beautiful piece of writing and acting.

another animal report

 On Friday I went to tea at Gini's and I got to meet the new kittens who live upstairs with the grandchildren (and their parents) so that was a delight for me. Such a pleasant afternoon.

life on a sheep farm

 This wise looking fellow is only one day old. This week I have had the joy and privilege of writing with Anna, cousin of the Seahorse. She and her family live on a big farm in Tully, New York. Here is her note from last night:

Hi, I'm going to write but a little late. All well here except it is bitter cold and ewes are going into labor so I have to watch nonstop to make sure the babies don't freeze. Kitchen is full of babies just for tonight. By morning they should be able to be back with their mothers. Anyway I'm heading back out to look to make sure no one else is in labor and depending on what I find.... Love you. Hope you enjoyed your hermit day with the snuggliest snugglebutt.  

good watching!

 Alas, only six episodes of Finding Alice on Acorn, but I loved this series so much. I'm pretty sure there will be Season 2. When Alice's husband dies there are a bunch of secrets and surprises. Wowza.

good listening!

 Many thanks to the Fevered Brain for recommending The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot which I have here on audio from Scribd (with a salute to Dancing Jen) and I am so far delighted both with the story by Marianne Cronin and with the readers. Excellence.

one year ago

Democracy can be an iffy thing when a dictator does not want to follow the constitution or any rule of law. Somehow we avoided the chaos last year and now we are prepared to do battle. Great and strong speech this morning from our lawfully elected President Biden. Let's make Jan. 6  a National Holiday.
 

Brrrrrr and breathe

 Yesterday Ginger and I went to the Great Ocean to breathe deeply and hope for a bit of rain-free time. We won! It was cold but we got a good walk in and then had our coffee on a bench overlooking this magnificent ocean. Part of the fun for me is driving down Geary Street which is a hodge podge of small stores and neighborhood restaurants and all seemed to have survived the pandemic. Check out all the birds in the middle photo ~ sturdy little creatures.

all clear on the tutu front?

 Of course you all got the tutu = 22. 2022, Happy New Year. There was a time, not long ago, when RR wore a different color tutu everyday and the Blogmaid would send me delightful photos. When I became aware of the Tutu Stage of Girl Life I quickly noticed how universal this seems to be here in America.

it's a riddle

 Here is my neighbor Nicole's hand made New Year's card. I usually don't GET things as quickly as I did this one, but only beacause I am involved and a bit obsessed with the subject matter. Good luck...

Blogmaid's happy birthday

 It was an honor to join Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid at the Stanford Shopping Mall yesterday. She is an Adult Collector of American Girl dolls and we had a glorious time shopping and poking around. Then lunch and a stop at Macy's for a few essentials like earrings for me and a belt for Mr. B. I have known the Blogmaid for 30 plus years now and she means the world to me. A wonderful day!

New Year's Eve ~ SF style

 We three widows were planning to go to the theater but that was canceled. So Neti and I went to walk at Crissy Field about 3:30pm and it was packed with people and dogs. So, so beautiful. Next to pick up Pat and then to Neti's for fresh crab and all sorts of delightful snacks and drinks. Home before 10pm ~ full of food and gratitude.