home, hearth, cat and memories

 It was warm and beautiful in Santa Barbara and Ginger Two took good care of me, as always. So, from the top:

.Lunch at Elwood in Goleta after I deplane

.Orange tree in Ginger's back yard

.Beach walk with Skylar and Ginger 

.Gorgeous sunset at the beach

.Lunch at Summerland Beach Cafe

We also had a lovely time with G's friend Betsy and we three actually went clothes shopping (me!) at Natasha's in downtown Santa Barbara. 

And a special thanks to Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid for picking me up at SFO yesterday. No easy task.

see you Saturday

 I'm traveling without MsBook Air this trip. I look forward to seeing Ginger Two and Betsy and Santa Barbara and yay, lots of sunshine down there too.  The flight this morning from SFO to SBA is just a little over an hour and always full, or so it seems. Easy Peasy...

pre-packing and some anxiety

 I'm heading to Santa Barbara Tuesday morning to visit Ginger Two and enjoy some good food and beach walks. I love Stern Wharf (top photo) and SB is sort of like a second home in many ways. Emma's Room is once again my staging area for packing which I need and appreciate. I am not looking forward to the airport or plane experience but it will all work out.  I used to be a great traveler but things change...

another goodbye

 My friend, Joan Easton Lentz, died last week at her home in Santa Barbara. I expected the phone call from Ginger Two, but of course it was still unwelcome. Joan was a teacher, birder and a prolific author and nature lover. To me she was just Hoan. RIP.

our Thursday ~ almost non-stop

 Top photo is Ginger Two's home in Summerland. Spacious, comfy and overlooking the ocean. Second photo is Canine Camp where we dropped Skylar off for a haircut. Then we walked out on the wharf for breakfast at Moby Dick's ~ surprisingly good for a tourist place. It was a beautifully warm and sunny day, no coats needed. We shopped for clothes at Natasha's (success!) and then drove around Hope Ranch where Ginger spent her childhood. Home for leftover and TV after we picked up the exhausted doggie. Home today and yes, I am ready.

Nina and Ruth

 One of the reasons I came to Santa Barbara this week was to see the legendary Nina Totenberg, NPR Legal Affairs Correspondent who wrote a book about her life and her friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsberg and several other justices. We had fabulous box seats ~ it was a delightful evening and Nina is such a presence. During the day we visited our old college friend Joan whose health is simply not good. That was rough, but Joan is accepting and I think our visit meant a lot to her. Nina spoke about how important our friends are to us in this life and god knows we agree. Life on life's terms ~ still a good day, all in all. GREAT weather here and we had lunch on the back patio yesterday. And today, I bet.

a three dog Monday

 I'm back in Santa Barbara for a few days, staying with Ginger Two in Summerland. In the middle photo you will meet Echo for the first time with his owner Betsy, one of my favorite people down here where the sky is blue and the ocean is always just a few feet away. The flight from SF is so easy and we are having such fun with the dogs, good food and today a long walk or two. I didn't realize that I needed a vacation from my vacation-like daily life, but I did/do. Oh, and the hot tub ~ great way to start the day.

my dear friend

 I ordered Joan's latest book from Amazon and of course it came in a few days. Oh, Hoan. Despite a serious lung disease, Joan is birding and writing and living life as best she can. Such an inspiration. I will be going to Santa Barbara in February to visit her and Ginger Two. From this book: "My message is that nature is a healer and observing how it works is crucial to every stage of human life." 

we are both purring

 You've never seen Ginger's spacious backyard with hot tub and orange trees ~ we had breakfast out there yesterday morning before the airplane returned me to an annoyed Annabelle. She eventually forgave me and we are once again in front of the fireplace with the Sunday paper to look forward to. A good SF walk this afternoon will do the trick. Happy Mother's Day to all!

museum day and fire pit

 BIG exhibit at the Santa Barbara Art Museum yesterday ~ Van Gogh and his contemporaries (now they would be called influencers, I guess) and not too crowded to my surprise. Then we had coffee and a walk on State Street and picked up some Thai food for dinner. Ginger has a big back deck and we enjoy the fire pit during cocktail hour. Packing for home is always easy, right? Just stuff it all in...

fireplace and fog

 Shally in the expensive leather chair tells the story of yesterday. We did get out to Padaro Beach for a good walk, but mostly we quietly read and relaxed. We both needed that. Today is sunny and we will head for the museum this afternoon, then a walk downtown. I have many happy memories of Santa Barbara and this place never disappoints. Home tomorrow. Ready.

walks, talks, sitting, eating too much

 Well, in no special order: lunch at the Summerland Beach Cafe, walking the dogs in the nabe, Ginger2 napping with her pals, Betsy's living room in her delightful home in Carpenteria. Relaxing day for me and today we jumped (ha!) into the hot tub and the fireplace is going. More tomorrow!

beautiful Santa Barbara

 Top photo is lunch at Padaro Grill ~ one of my favorite places. All things airport and airplane worked smoothly, what was I worried about? Ginger and her two dogs (Shally and Skylar) made me feel right at home and I had a busy and happy yesterday. Ginger is playing tennis now and I will go out on the back deck soon to relax and refresh and do some reading. This is wonderful.

SFO to SBA

 Lordy, I used to be an easy, well-organized traveler. This morning I fly to Santa Barbara to visit Ginger Two and I'm a nervous nellie. (The above is a stock photo.) Mary next door will take care of Annabelle and the cat is not pleased. I know I have over-packed and have forgotten some essential. It's a short flight and Ginger's welcoming home awaits me and I so need this. Off I go!

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. 

rainy movie day

Green Book is a very satisfying movie based on the true story of musician
Don Shirley who toured the deep south with his trio one year and hired a tough
Italian to drive him. Of course they become friends, but these were the 50's
and racism was even uglier and more obvious back then. Leaving for home
this morning, after the hot tub and strong coffee.

my morning

After a lovely hot tub in the rain, we are watching the Bush funeral
with Ginger's two dogs and strong coffee. Yesterday I met a new
friend, John, in Carpinteria and we had seared tuna at Teddy's for
dinner after a beach walk and yet more coffee. I'm glad to be here
and our cat sitter sends photos and videos of Herself. I call this
my second home and it is...

it's been awhile

I used to make this trip to Santa Barbara two or three times a year, but
not lately. So I decided to stop half way and spend the night in King City.
Annabelle's cat sitter next door took the beautiful photo of her and I
snapped the King City monument right before my dinner at Denny's.
It will be good to see my friends again, but it is still strange to travel
and not check in with Husbando, but maybe I still do?

the botanical garden

Margaret and Marsha

Elves need homes too

I had lots of solo ocean-watching time (missed the eclipse, drat) in the
morning and then Marsha and I met her childhood friend Margaret here
at the Botanical Gardens for a great walk in the afternoon. This was
the Children's Maze and the elf house was in the heart of that. The
three dogs enjoyed themselves too. Heading home today. Ready.

a quick look back

This was last Saturday morning. Top: that house that I love from across the
street. Sweet. Bottom: the Farmer's Market where every vendor gives out
a dab or slice of their product and then when you buy something ~ eeeeeek,
very high prices, but that's probably true here too, we just don't shop that
way anymore. Fun though, out in the sun with tons of people to watch and
music, strollers, carts, dogs. Ginger bought fresh and delicious mussels and
I bought bread and garlic cheese ~ all worth the $$$$$. (Time to add again
that I love my iPhone and the ease with which I can take photos.)