Haru next door

 He lives with delightful Mary who cat sits for Annabelle. Yesterday I gave her a little Happy Lunar New Year cash gift and she responded with this sweet thank you photo of her adorable doggie. 

very mild 49er sadness

 You People on Netflix had some VERY luke warm reviews but I'm glad I watched it after the icky football game. I like Eddie Murphy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus so much that I would put up with a whole lot of cliches just to watch them. Jonah Hill = meh. 

yes, another party!

 A young couple moved into Bernal Heights so Heidi and Rob hosted a party yesterday afternoon so we could all meet them and discuss how difficult it is to find a home in this cool (ahem) SF neighborhood. I'm sure that everyone had a good time, I know I did. We never got around to "must you park in front of MY house all the time?" but of course we will. 

The Afternoon of the Rabbit

 Yesterday the Blogmaid drove (!) us to Chinatown to enjoy all the reds and rabbits and tons of tourists and we had a delightful time. We had lunch at Z & Y because sister Jane and Tanner enjoyed this restaurant when they were here in December. We spoke of those magical days fondly and then we shopped for red stuff. The Blogmaid bought a ton of red rabbit merchandise at one store and the owner's happiness made us both smile. 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit ~ celebrate!

the Beasts of Bryant Street

 Big new housing units on Bryant Street and of course the neighbors in little homes there do not like the influx and call them the Beasts. It's been too long since I took this walk up to Starbucks and it was a lovely sunny day and I enjoyed myself immensely. 9,877 steps.

The Book Club at lunch

 We all fell in love with the Berniedoodle yesterday at the Balboa Cafe and we had a lively discussion about the book and whether Annie, the woman who rode across America on horseback in 1955, was selfish and so what? That kind of thing. The Ride of Her Life was a great choice.

back to Sunday

 This is the beautiful Herbst Theatre where I went to a concert with Amy and Ginger on Sunday afternoon. Here is the SF Civic Symphony ~ all volunteer musicians and the concert was free. They played Bernstein, Still, Barber and Copland pieces and it was a lovely interlude in our lives. A good and enthusiastic crowd of music lovers...lovely, really. 

more gun violence

 Thoughts are with the Blogmaid and family this morning and the usually sleepy little community of Half Moon Bay, aka Pumpkinville. Anger and a gun ~ terrible combination and so America-only. Sick of it.

saying goodbye to Emma

 We met about a year ago picking up trash on Sunday mornings at Manny's. An odd and very rewarding friendship as Emma is 26 or so and is an amazing young woman. She is moving to Portland. Our little foursome is heartbroken and we gathered yesterday to celebrate her with coffee and cake. We did pick up a little trash first and Manny himself gave Emma a disco ball farewell necklace. Sweet. Sadness

belated holiday tamale party

 Of course you remember that I had the WORST cold ever in December and had to cancel the tamale party. The guests selected 1/21 as our celebration date and this was Bill's birthday so I wasn't alone and it was a lovely time indeed. Back to La Palma for eight pork tamales and gravy ~ my early morning walk. Neti brought rice and beans, Jeanine the salad and Pat her fabulous flan. It was late (for me) when the guests left so I am doing dishes this morning and feeling gratitude. 

parklets ~ yay or nay?

 I remain a fan of the parklets and agree that they have changed the face of our city. So cheery at night with the bright lights and sounds of laughter on Valencia Street or in North Beach. These were free to the restaurants during the pandemic but even now that there are fees and restrictions, many have signed up to keep their outdoor spaces. Alas, I think that Covid is here to stay, but so are the colorful parklets.

teach your children well

 I just asked Alexa to play some David Lee Crosby this morning. Another legend died and we mourn again and say RIP and remember his many musical contributions. 

comedy rules

 Some ridiculous laughs with John Lithgow on Trial & Error which you will find on Amazon Prime TV. He is accused of killing his wife but we know he is innocent ~ just look at that face.

duck noodle soup

 This addiction kicked in yesterday so I went exploring out on Geary Street and discovered this cheery hole in the wall Khob Khun where I enjoyed a big bowl of duck soup. I will return. 

a good walk and then zooooom

 Lots of folks out yesterday because there was NO RAIN. I stopped for a late sandwich at Cafe Sticky and then home so Annabelle and I could join the writers' group on Zoom. I didn't read any of my work, just wanted to see folks, especially Karen H. and Anna on the East Coast. And clear weather today too!

his forever impact

 Today is the MLK Holiday and we take stock and realize that we have a long way to go, but at least we are all aware of the inequalities in our democracy. Very slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

in the background

 The Santa Clara 49ers won the Wildcard game yesterday and yes, I did have it on TV, checking the score every now and then. Such a vicious game. When do pitchers and catchers report?

along with great TV

 This is the January book club selection and oh, yes, it is so inspiring. Annie and her dog and horse, Tarzan, travel from Maine to California. Annie is 63 and in bad health. The year is 1954. The Ride of her Life is a wonderful true life story and very well written. 

Yay! a walk by the Bay!

 Ginger and I hit Crissy Field yesterday in the afternoon and of course there were a lot of people and happy dogs and wonderful clean air. The rains return today so I'm glad we got out yesterday. 

atmospheric rivers

 My yesterday. Gloom, but I am fortunate inside a dry home with TV and popcorn and cat. Today we get a break and I will run errands and get OUT of the house. I heard on the news this morning that we are out of the severe drought for now. So there is that. Is it almost Spring?

yikes ~ hail, thunder, heavy rain

 Annabelle and I were startled by the hail storm but we are grateful to be able to stay snug and warm and safe in our little home. I have canceled all plans and so grateful that I don't have to go out and I feel for the workers who have no choice. So far no falling trees or floods in our neighborhood. 

a basic neighborhood walk

 Do you follow Julie Gebhardt on Instagram? She is a fabulous photographer and finds the most unusual homes in the Bay Area. Great talent. So yesterday it stopped raining in the afternoon and I dusted off my walking shoes and had a wonderful time. The air was clean, no trees to trip over and lots of dogs and their owners taking advantage of the dry spell. Above is my poor imitation of Juliegeb.

families are complicated

 Yesterday Neti and I resumed our play going Sundays with As You Like It at the SF Playhouse. It was sold out and that is a very good sign. This was a musical and the cast was terrific, but not my favorite play and I did get a tad restless during the long production. Still, so glad we went between rainstorms.

what kind of man was he?

 

[My grandfather walked through the snow]

Cleo Qian after Cathy Linh Che

My grandfather walked in the snow With his green jacket & plastic bag On the balcony we built a short snowman with a cold carrot My grandfather had a very thick head of hair Long eyebrows…bright eyes He told us stories He made us toast He fought in the war He knew the word “MONSTER” And also “HELLO, EAT” What kind of man was he A short man With a long walk Good at walking He could walk and wait for a long time What kind of man was he He had brown hands A dark mole A deaf ear He fought in the war He wrote stories Smoked cigarettes Played solitaire He had a green jacket What kind of man was he He had a secret family He had a sharp and surreptitious brain What kind of man was he Dead now A gone man What kind of man was he He walked in the street below To fill his plastic bag with snow

steak dinner with friends

 Oh, yum. I'm still full from the absolutely fabulous dinner over at Doug and Barb's last night. I'm so lucky to have these wonderful friends. 

note to self

 Perhaps in 2023 this woman will file stuff during the year instead of tossing everything into a giant cardboard box to deal with later. Later is now. Annabelle and I spent the entire afternoon yesterday sorting and organizing and preparing for Turbo Tax time. Rainy day work. We can do this.

back to Victor

 Exercise class resumed yesterday and just in time. Here is our teacher, Victor, sponsored by San Francisco Park and Rec and free. Zoom. Not easy after those few holiday weeks off. 

future tripping

 I'm very excited about my trip with the Blogmaid family to Savannah, Georgia in April this year. I have always wanted to visit this city and now I have my book and good old fashioned map to study. Today is a completely at home day due to atmospheric river rain storms and we stay snug and safe inside.

I succumbed

 The first episode was very horse and cowboy like, but Yellowstone has gotten so much publicity that I feel I should watch it and I will. Kevin Costner, Gil Birmingham, Jill Hennessy and a few other old film friends. Several times they point out that Montana isn't like California with all our tiresome regulations, etc. I think there are five or so seasons ahead of me. Onward with popcorn.