red, white and hot dogs

 It was a perfect day in The Grove with no wind and lots of sunshine and good food yesterday. We patriotically bitched about Trump, of course, how could we not? It was almost 5pm when I returned home after a really lovely 4th of July. Heavy fog this morning and that's OK on the day after. Don't the top two photos remind you of Impressionist paintings?

"cooking" on the 4th

 Behold. I was up extra early constructing Cowboy Caviar for the lunch gathering today up at Pat's home. To serve with tortilla and/or potato chips or just spoon onto a paper plate to enjoy with hot dogs and potato salad and will we be indoors or out? Who knows, but we have blue skies in SF today. Hooray.

and today is the 5th

 We had a pleasant indoor picnic up at Pat's yesterday because a big group had reserved the Grove and god knows we are adaptable. Sort of. Hot dogs, potato salad, etc. The fire works seemed extra loud last night without the billowing fog, but it's over and the house is still standing. Rejoice!

not just for baseball

 The blogmaid and I are bunting aficionados after so many home openers. So she spotted the 4th of July decor in the top photo (in Pumpkinville) and I snapped these two in Noe Valley while visiting Doug and Barb yesterday. Usually we have thick fog for the 4th, but not this year. It is still warm but doable. I am not a fan of noisy, dangerous fireworks, but you guessed that.

tedious tasks and hot dog reward

 I spent the 4th on the never-ending job of cleaning out Bill's office. I try not to be emotional because that holds up the process, but so much sentimental crap. Yes, a bit easier than the first time I did this right after he died, but still, he was a bit of a pack rat. I am too, alas, so I need to lean out my office after I finish with his. Sometimes I'm tempted to move something from his office to mine, but I try to head right to the garbage bin first. Dear Heidi brought me a hot dog dinner and please note the beautiful china ~ she has just finished cleaning out her parents' home on the East Coast. There seems to be a theme emerging. Pare down, dear readers.

I prefer drone displays

 Drones are becoming increasingly popular as fireworks lose popularity. Have a Happy 4th of July, dear readers. Stay safe. 

4th of July

 

red, white, blue, green and sunny

Neti and our hostess, Pat

A lovely 4th of July picnic in Pat's back yard ~ hot dogs, coleslaw,
chilled corn soup from Chef Sarah, watermelon and happy chatter
yesterday. We did all complain about the horrid and loud rogue fire-
works this year. Argh.

LJ Silver and Tom Kha Gai

the Mime Troupe rehearses

celebrate the USA with Thai soup ~ yes!

I had a wonderful 4th yesterday, thanks to the Great Plotniks. Because
Doug is a reviewer we had reserved seats in the second "row" to see the
Mime Troupe in one of their best ever musicals entitled Treasure Island 
down in Dolores Park. We took the J car to/fro ~ all very urban and
fun. The story was a true one, at least to us aging SF liberals. The
pirate developers, led my LJ Silver, are always searching for the gold
in our city ~ pushing out the hard working folks who can't afford the
sky high rents or home prices. Afterwards I was going to rush home
to my neglected (her opinion) cat but Doug was cooking Tom Kha
Gai coconut milk chicken soup and I could not resist the luscious
smell and so I stayed for a fabulous dinner. A great decision, Ms. Stein.
So thankful to our friends for this fine 4th.

it's an OK holiday

I can do without tanks in a parade in Washington, DC, but I do have
some nice memories and plan to meet the Great Plotniks later today
in Dolores Park to see the Mime Troupe. Currently I am sitting in
front of the fireplace because it is always foggy on the 4th and I am
so okay with that. Maybe sunshine later, maybe not. Stay safe, do.

friends on the 4th

the setting

the grill

the luscious steak salad dinner a la Plotnik

Thank you Great Plotniks for such a delicious dinner. Don't be fooled
by the top photo, the fog came rolling in and the fireworks were a
blur. But that's OK, it was a lovely celebration with these dear friends.

our foggy fourth

It was almost impossible to see any fireworks last night, so we watched
Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings for a couple of hours. The Lady in the
Van was better than expected. I so admire Ms. Smith for letting them
film her looking OLD and awful. From the Flix® of course.

happy 4th!

(courtesy of my friend, Joe...)

happy 4th

Here is Sabine, dog of the Blogmaid and RR. She will be in the parade today
unless she flings herself into the ocean forever instead.  Happy 4th to the
rest of you and do be safe and what passes for sane these days.

token flag waving

Here is our 4th of July candle - tradition! It's 7am and the sun is out, sky is
blue, so it portends a crazy day with lots of noise, too much drinking and
the kind of patriotism that sort of gets on my nerves. You know, the kind
where they block busloads of children from South America. Anyway, I'll
steer clear of politics and just be glad that I don't have to listen to pious
speeches about how fabulous America is. It is a wonderful country and a
whole lot better for the white and the rich. Enough, Stein - get to work, an
easy day out at the Legion of Honor with only my favorite fellow workers.

a 4th to remember...

First I had a good solo morning walk, then worked on a piece for Tiapos (an
all-women writing group, as it turned out), then we had a quiet lunch with
book and magazine and then (highlight!) I met Scott, Tanya and Ruby down
at Precita Park for some play-around. That little girl child is getting very
active and honestly, she has no fear of people, objects or animals. The
parents were watchful and busy and I once again wondered how they do it.

Tiapos was a delight with Jane, Linda, Karen (!), Sarah and myself. I was
home in time to watch the legal and illegal fireworks with Husbando
from our back deck. Today I feel refreshed and ready for 3 more work days.

once a leftie, always...

It's such a treat to gather with the other aging hippie commie viva-
la-revolution-all-power-to-the-people folks on July 4th at Dolores
Park. And yesterday was sunny and warm, the hisses and hoorahs
were exquisite ~ it was an added treat because our friend Ginger
from P-town joined The Great Plotniks and their young friend
Molly for the afternoon and later, a delicious dinner by Plottie
and The Great Ducknik. Lots of laughter while Husbando
begged for more cornbread.

The play? Posibilidad or Death of the Worker, a new show
with an old theme ~ greed, capitalism, profit, bah. This was the
first of the 2010 summer season for the Mime Troupe and we
already predicted that next year will be about Big Oil.

Then home to barely see the fireworks because the fog had
rolled in once again for the event. Another very special day
off for this retail worker,

Today was yoga to calm me because (ta dum) the window
guys are here. The report for tomorrow should be interesting...

small town parades

We were talking about these at TGP's BBQ. I tend to make fun
of small towns and their parades because I am a big city sophisticate,
but some day I may just have to go to Pumpkinville and admire
the color and creativity that I've seen in the blogmaid's photos
over the past 5 or so years. Here is our RR with her hat, jewels,
sunglasses and lollipop ~ and I believe there was sunshine, too.
(Of course that was a joke up there, I'm about as sophisticated
as Ms. Sarah Palin, but I don't shoot animals. Oh and I'm
ultra left-wing, but you already knew that.)

a perfect 4th of July

An unusually large crowd for the Mime Troupe this year.

Lots of dogs, children and old radicals. The theme was Greed (corporate and individual) and I just wish I had a photo of the "shark dress". It's great fun to watch the audience.

Then to TGPs ~ here Doug and Ira are gathering raspberries.

BBQ'd wild salmon and potatoes. I wish I also had a photo of the luscious blueberry pie. A truly wonderful evening with our friends. Once again, world problems analyzed and solved.
Back to TutWorld today, I'm feeling happy.