who knew?

I didn't take this photo, because I don't really want to be out in this rain.
It's good stay-at-home in front of the new fake fireplace kind of weather.
It's a real rain here in the Bay Area. Did the weather people predict this
back in July? I think not. Because of the four year draught we can't
really complain, but I am soooooo happy not to be driving to and from
those museums anymore. Or taking BART to downtown Borders, for
that matter. Gratitude for the rain and the dry in between. Like maybe
it will be dry and clear today? Too early to tell...

I like this writer

Always have. Ian McEvan writes this from the perspective of an
embryo listening to his mother, father, street sounds, TV, etc.
and it is excellent so far. The baby is in the Nutshell (I'm guessing)
and his parents are a bit nutty, and no, his birth won't make
everything OK.

window shopping

How long have I been collecting money for the SPCA at Macy's windows?
Maybe five years? Anyway, yesterday was the BEST ever because people
were so very generous ~ $20's were the rule rather than the exception.
It was cold and I was not unhappy to leave after two hours, but it was
the shot of hope that I needed this holiday season.

fly-about Monday

Flora at her loom

SF is a very political city

First I did the dog feeding thing in the morning, then I took BART to
Oakland where Flora showed me her weaving looms and fed me lunch
and then I rushed home because Marsha was picking me up to go to the
Scott Wiener political gathering at the Swedish American Hall on
Market Street. Note dear Supervisor Peskin in the foreground. Sigh.
Six hundred people gathered to celebrate the inauguration of our new
California State Senator. Marsha introduced me to him and then we
high-tailed it out of there because it was too noisy and crowded. Please
admire me for changing clothes THREE times yesterday. Whooooosh.

a happy holiday play

Yesterday we ventured downtown to the SF Playhouse to see this
fluffy musical which takes place in Budapest in 1937. So, yes,
it is a little dated and maybe a tad too long, but the cast is so
enthusiastic that She Loves Me a real treat, especially the set
design which is impressive to say the least.  Oh, and a happy
ending which we all need these days...

and more #13 birthday

RR and gifts 

the table and some of the 13 decor

Such a festive celebration in Pumpinville yesterday!

a little history

It's special. I (we) have been coming to John's Grill on Ellis Street since
we moved here 40 or so years ago. It's "old San Francisco" with the dark
wood and white tablecloths, black and white photos of SF people and
international stars too. Friendly service and pretty good food. Patrice
from my museum days met me here last Thursday ~ I still so love going
downtown, checking out the stores and doing some serious people-
watching. We had a delightful catch-up time at John's.

we have resumed

Our writing group (Tiapos) is a little more haphazard since Jane died,
but we did meet again Wednesday night over at Suzy's in Oakland.
It was especially good seeing Chef Sarah ~ it's been too long because
she has to drive down from Napa, not easy. We are all bummed about
the idiot next Potus so bitching together helps us heal and prepare
to fight. It still seems like a bad dream, doesn't it?

a tree falls in Frisco

This occurred on Church Street and backed-up the already unreliable
J street car. Good news? City workers arrived en masse and had it
cleaned up quickly. Sometimes when I go to the gym I park right
there and no people or cars were harmed yesterday. Funny, it was
rainy, but no wind ~ just tree roots gone bad from all the drought
years, I guess. I am not an arborist.

I want Jane back

I want to send her this poem.
Did she know Kim Addonizio?
I want to thank Jane for turning me into a writer.
I want Jane to push me to write again and deeper.
Complex, edgy, caring Jane.
Did she know this poem?

"What Do Women Want?"

I want a red dress. 

I want it flimsy and cheap, 

I want it too tight, I want to wear it 

until someone tears it off me. 

I want it sleeveless and backless, 

this dress, so no one has to guess 

what's underneath. I want to walk down

the street past Thrifty's and the hardware store 

with all those keys glittering in the window, 

past Mr. and Mrs. Wong selling day-old 

donuts in their café, past the Guerra brothers 

slinging pigs from the truck and onto the dolly, 

hoisting the slick snouts over their shoulders. 

I want to walk like I'm the only 

woman on earth and I can have my pick. 

I want that red dress bad.

I want it to confirm 

your worst fears about me, 

to show you how little I care about you 

or anything except what 

I want. When I find it, I'll pull that garment 

from its hanger like I'm choosing a body 

to carry me into this world, through 

the birth-cries and the love-cries too, 

and I'll wear it like bones, like skin, 

it'll be the goddamned 

dress they bury me in. 

Kim Addonizio

getting to know George

Here are three girls from the racetrack day and I will start a new blog category
for George. Of course you know that RR is on the left, right?

off to the races!

Mr. and Mrs. Blogmaid and Claire (above) hosted a lovely day at Golden
Gate Fields for RR's birthday. I neglected to get a good photo of the four
teenage girls, but they had a great time roaming around. And I had just
the BEST time watching the people and horses and only losing $18
on #5 in the 4th race.

calming thought

 The Power We Have 

LODRO RINZLER 

The person we elect has tremendous power. But they have zero power over 

how we show up for others and offer love. 

Zero. 

L O D R O R I N Z L E R ' S most recent book is How to Love Yourself 

and Other People): Spiritual Advice for Modern Relationships. 

my winter walk

death

life

Yesterday I took a long and wonderful walk on Valencia Street, stopping
of course for a latte and a LindaKindle2 along the way. It was busy but
not insane and all the little stores and restaurants were doing good
Black Friday business and I was delighted NOT to be involved this
year. So many memories of retail the day after Thanksgiving and none
of them good, to tell the truth. Consumers can be greedy and very
impatient ~ trust me on this...

more than worthwhile

after doing dishes many times during the day

it was all gravy

Yes, a lot of work. No, not in vain. I had to wrestle with my negative
thoughts about "how can I be thankful this year?" all day as we busied
ourselves with prep and more prep. And then the guests arrived and
the conversations flowed and we felt nothing but gratitude.

trying to be grateful

Yes, we are filled with gratitude for our warm and secure lives, but the
horror of this election stays with us, even on Thanksgiving. There was
a line at the Mission Pie Shoppe yesterday and NO pies on the shelves,
but I had pre-ordered online and it was easy for us. Then I took a slice
of pumpkin to Jennie in her rehab facility and of course those places can
be depressing, but we hope she will be sprung next week. The guests
arrive at 2pm and it will be a nice day, just four of us trying to stay
positive and appreciate each other and life itself. Happy Thanksgiving
to you, dear readers.

she's a teenager now

Happy 13th birthday to Ryan Rose ~ today is the start of another
exciting and delightful chapter in RR's life and for all of those who
love her and Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid and Ryan's sister too. Celebrate!

NOT BANNON

(thank you to the Fevered Brain for letting me know about this on FB)

This was shared with me and I in turn created an event to share with my 

friends that has now gone viral apparently. I have since found out who 

came up with this idea and now we are directing people to the official site. https://www.facebook.com/events/235432800204102/

**IMPORTANT: Please do not send your postcard until NOV 26th**

The original directions are below. 

1. Get a postcard from your state - any picture that represents your state.

2. In the message section, write this simple message: NOT BANNON!

3. Sign your name if you wish

4. Address it as follows:

Donald Trump

c/o The Trump Organization

725 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10022

5. Affix a stamp - you can use a 35 cent postcard stamp, or a normal 

letter stamp.

6. Take a picture of your postcard that you can share on social media 

using the hashtag #stopbannon . PLEASE DO NOT USE A 

REFERENCE TO ANY POLITICIAN OF ANY KIND.

7. Drop it in the mail! 

We are aiming to get these mailed between Saturday, Nov 26th and 

Monday, Nov. 28th to create a concentrated avalanche of postcards. 

But if you can't send yours until later, don't let that stop you.

For further info and answers to common questions, please the the FAQ 

posted at the top of the discussion. Thanks!

• 
  

the 1950s black experience

This play is a mystery that takes place in downtown Washington, DC and
this was a time when Jews and Negros lived side-by-side there. A young
black man returns from the Korean War to discover that his friend was
murdered. Then a Jewish woman dies at his feet in the street. Somehow
the author artfully intertwines the two stories. One solid act at Z Space.

is this polite?

I don't know the protocol here, but I am infatuated with this kitchen in
Gini and Philipp's home, so I whisked my phone out of my purse and
took a photo while no one was looking. We had a really nice dinner over
there last night and discussed our 42 years of friendship. When we
entertain there is "stuff" ALL over, but look how tidy this is. Impressed?

news from the border

(an email from Mary in Bisbee, Arizona)

What a glorious moon!  It was so bright that my varmint cats 

stayed inside, fearing the coyotes who were roaming about in 

the ditch out front, tracking the javalinas.  At 4am the 

hummingbirds were already up (thinking it was dawn?)  

In the light of the setting moon, the neighbor’s little female 

Arctic wolf jumped her fences and was taking a leisurely stroll.   

Later, my best friend Nelson and I went down to Douglas to 

shop at the Border Walmart.  We grabbed some shopping 

carts from the parking lot, because so many of them are 

left at the entrance to Mexico.  The store was filled as usual 

with Anglo’s, Mexicans and a mixture of various other 

ethnicities.  There was no descernable tension because of 

the election.  It was the same as always.  Voices talking in 

both English and Spanish.  As we left, we joined a group 

admiring the a beautiful 2 week old Mexican baby boy.   

We then went to The Border Dennny;s so that Nelson could 

indulge in his favorite pancakes.  This place was also filled 

with a variety of the human species. All this was happening 

a stone’s throw from the big ole double fence where people 

were crossing freely back and forth with no hassle.  

The politicians up North and in Middle America are all 

yammering about the Border "crisis", but nobody comes 

down here to look around or talk with us.  There are so few 

of us right at the Border compared to the rest of the state 

and country – what does it matter what we think?  As one 

man put it,  ‘The bad part is nobody cares what we think.  

The good part is nobody cares what we think.  We pay taxes 

so that they will leave us alone.”  

The Tohono O’odham nation has announced that they will 

not allow a wall to be built on their land at the Border.  

Meanwhile, life goes on in these sparsely populated mountains.  

It’s a mixed bag down here and we are for the most part a 

pretty polite, yet sometimes, guarded, group of high desert 

dwellers.

A bumper sticker I saw recently on a pickup truck is indicative 

of the complexity of life down here:

  ARMED LIBERAL.

I wish peace under that great big ole momentous Moon shining 

blessings on us all, man and beast.

Mary

Benedict and Hamilton

Well, that's far-fetched. But I did have Eggs Benedict down at Breakers in
Pathetica with the Blogmaid who gifted me with this Hamilton CD which
I am thrilled to have. The waves were so ferocious down there that even I
figured I had better tuck my iPhone away and just rely on my memory.
Amazingly there were seven or so surfers out in the waves along with a
small group of us just standing there appreciating the majesty of it all.
As always, deep gratitude to the Blogmaid and the friendship that is ours.

North Beach at night

Last night I went to a reception at Live Worms (?) Gallery on Grant Avenue.
The artist is a friend-of-a-friend and I am glad that I went. It was a gloriously
clear and cool night and I decided to have a latte at Trieste before I called
my Lyft driver. We have a long history with North Beach ~ I've always
wanted to live there, right in the heart of it all. Impossible, of course. It
used to be easy to drive, park, drink and eat cheap and delicious food. But
now? Well, I love taking pix with my iPhone and texting Husbando and
the Textmaid while I look and listen to all the characters in my city. Oh,
yes, I still so appreciate my city. But you already know that...

a step into Europe

lamb over fire ~ not for vegans

Maybe it's the lighting? One of our all-time favorite restaurants is Kokkari
down on Jackson Street. It's (yes) expensive, warm, friendly and always
busy. It is an authentic Greek restaurant and yesterday Ginger met us here
for lunch where we indulged in salad, sun chokes, fried smelt, lamb
burger, artichokes with eggplant and moussaka. Coffee and delicious
banana pudding in cake-like dessert. Lovely day!

a big new Tartine

L

note bags of flour on left

Tartine is a famous bakery and cafe on Guerrero Street. Recently they
opened a much larger space right in my nabe ~ 18th and Alabama.
Yesterday I met Joe here for lunch and it was everything all the critics
are raving about. Expensive? Of course. Delicious? More than. We
had sandwiches and this elegant pear and almond dessert with
our coffee. Oh, yes, the noise level? Wonderful, we could hear so
well ~ maybe the high ceilings and no loud music. Fabulous.

Dancing Jen Day

It was sooooo good to see Jen again after her wonderful trip to
England and Scotland. We had lunch at the Golden Star and then
walked a bit in Chinatown. Grieving about the election with
friends helps so much. She brought me delightful gifts ~ a pen
from each of her museum visits, a bookmark and notebook. I
treasure each one and her friendship most of all.

escape! escape!

Billy Bob Thornton, Maria Bello, William Hurt ~ an enticing legal
drama in eight delectable episodes. We finished Goliath last night
and had a great time. Oh, Molly Parker too ~ who can forget her?
It all takes place in Santa Monica, a beach town mysteriously
devoid of traffic. But still, so nice to get away from politics. Enjoy.

you are safe with me

Yesterday Husbando and I had lunch at Barzotto, a new pasta place on
Valencia and 24th. The two women sitting next to us were wearing safety
pins and I later learned that this started in England as a way to signify
to immigrants, gays and minorities that not every citizen there is a hater
after that dismal Brexit vote. I will wear a safety pin until Trump is
impeached.

I also sent money to ACLU because they will have to defend our constitution.
Today I will donate to Planned Parenthood. Freedom can get expensive,
but the fight has begun.

and more sorrow

And now Leonard Cohen has died. Remember when Dancing Jen and I
went to his concert in Oakland? It was more money than either of us could
afford and I've never told Husbando exactly how much it cost. But now I
would pay double that. Poet, genius, singer, deep and good soul. I will
play his CD soon, after I cry some more. RIP and thank you, Mr. Cohen.

And my gratitude for this dear Dancing Jen:

You think that their
dying is the worst
thing that could happen.

Then they stay dead

--From "Distressed Haiku" by Donald Hall

a day of hope

Tuesday at John's Grill. My friend Marsha in the bottom left hand corner
with a couple of her admirers. Someday Gavin will be President, on
that we can all agree. We were filled with optimism on Tuesday and
many good things did happen in the election. More gun control for one
thing and Big Liquor will suffer when marijuana is legal here in Calif.

Yesterday was a day of grieving and acceptance. I was heartened to see
the spontaneous protests in cities across America last night. We marched
through the Nixon Era and we will fight the bigots with new determination.
Lunch out with Doug and Barb at the Mission Rock Resort helped
us as we found a few other things to talk about out on the beautiful Bay.

shell shocked

President Trump. There I said it. Today we will mourn and try
to get our strength back. I take heart from the Huffington Post
this morning:

If Trump can reverse the economic inequality he decried 
during his campaign, bring back manufacturing jobs, 
find a way to give people better healthcare for less 
money, invest in infrastructure to stimulate the 
economy and otherwise make the country great, 
we’ll cheer him on. We’ll find out.

Nothing will be helped if I remain bitter and angry, 
but it's OK just for today, isn't it?

birds, rabbits and oh, please...

two birds from Linda

two rabbits at the SPCA

The oh, please is for some positive election results tonight. We want an
early landslide for Hillary, but that might not be possible. I'll be meeting
my friend Marsha at John's Grill today where ex-Mayor Willie Brown
is hosting the entire city and since I don't "do" crowds very well, I
won't be staying too long. Let's hope for the HRC red/white/blue logo
in tomorrow's post and for America's future.

book of the week

I am reading Today Will be Different by Maria Semple. We all remember
Maria from the Bernadette book and we all love her humor. So far, so good.
I like when our heroine vows not to swear for an entire day. Good luck
with that in this wacky world.

an East Bay Day

Carlini met us at the Walnut Creek BART station and drove us to the
Lark Creek Inn where he treated us to lavish lunches. Calamari, salad,
mussels, paella, dessert and more, or so it seems. Even though this
was lunch, Husbando and I were NOT interested in dinner last night.
We had a great time catching up with Richard and so appreciate his
generosity and long friendship.

holy, happy lunch

Yesterday Linda (of LindaKindle 1 and 2 fame) treated me to a luscious
and splendid Indian lunch at the Holy Kitchen on 24th Street. She
traveled waaaaaay out of her beachside nabe to meet me and I am
very grateful indeed. We talked of many things and I enjoyed myself
immensely. Thank you, dear Linda.

oh, so very nice

My technical advisor (the Blogmaid) encouraged me to get the larger iPhone6
and I did that very thing on Wednesday. I think of it as a mini-mini-iPad
and yes, I LOVE it. Verizon transferred many of my phone numbers, but
a few key ones were inexplicably left off, so I have been busy making sure
I have those and also downloading apps and appreciating the fact that I
can read everything so much easier now.

up, down, win, lose

Whoosh, that was quite an exciting final World Series game #7 with the Cubs
winning and Cleveland fighting back again and again. And then a rain delay,
of all things. Congratulations to the loyal Chicago fans who will soon get
their parade and the rest of us will start talking about Spring Training.

post-Halloween pix

The top photo is from my SPCA friend Marsi ~ her Lion King dog and
her grandson. Then we have RR, daughter of the Blogmaid, all dressed
up like a jockey and having fun with her school pals.

yesterday afternoon

T.C. Boyle

(here is my daily writing exercise)

T. C. BOYLE

Yesterday I hopped on the #24 Divisadero and walked a few blocks over on California

Street to the Jewish Community Center. There was a seriously crazy 50ish white man

who of course refused to pay and started yelling that he was blind and that the FBI

was harassing him. The driver stood up to him and he got off, but not before causing

fear and anger amongst the other almost-normal passengers. 

T.C. Boyle spoke for an hour and I enjoyed myself immensely. I need to do more of

this mind-expansion business. Get out of my comfort zone in front of my fake fireplace.

I guess walking with latte treats and reading isn’t as beneficial as listening to a REAL

author. T.C. was great. Teacher Karen thinks his “Drop City” is one of the best novels

ever as far as plot goes. I agree and I gobble up all of his short stories in the New Yorker.

So what did I learn? Well, I already knew that he lives in Santa Barbara, but I didn’t

know that his wife calls him Tom and sometimes in a voice that he hates. He has

written 26 novels. Amazingly his first draft is pretty much his final draft. He is a

perfectionist. T.C. just retired from teaching at USC, he taught fiction writing there

for 37 years and enjoyed getting out of his home and his head and being with

other people and he even liked the two hour drive to and fro.

He writes to music (jazz, I think ~ it was his choice for the JCC Library room) 

because he thinks it helps him keep the rhythm to his writing.

T.C. Boyle read from his new novel “The Terranauts” which is about the Biometrics

experiment in Arizona a few decades back. He researches for three months

before he starts writing. He has a lovely sense of humor and funny dyed hair.