every other thursday night

I borrowed this photo from the Great Plotnik. Here is our Tiapos
Writing Group without Chef Sarah and Susie. From the left: Karen,
Eric, Will, Mistress Jane and Plotnik himself. Check out the new
wallpaper ~ the oh so talented Jane and her Jackie Pie.

Last night I asked for help for some locations for Ellen in her
search for sister Laurel. Just what I needed, a bunch! Of course
the Writing Salon on York will be included. Maybe my mystery
novel will get a jump start after this input. Thanks, Tiaposonians...

back to the Legion of Honor

Both of our museums are unbelievable this summer. I just skimmed
the surface of Impressionist Paris: City of Light on Tuesday, but
of course it is really quite wonderful with more than 100 pieces,
including photographs and documents. When you enter, take the
second door to the right, not the first ~ wowza. There is no extra
charge for this exhibit out at the Legion and if you go early you
will have the place to yourself. Through Sept. 26th, don't miss it!

listing with craig

It's been some time since I've tried to sell anything on Craigslist, but
today I put our old family piano on there. A few more hoops and secret
passwords and phone codes, but it's now officially for sale. I tried to
give it to a friend, but he declined the kind offer. We are asking $650
and that seems reasonable. It's in excellent condition because it
only gets played every 5 years or so, the main reason for this sale.

trip planning again

Our friend Richard is celebrating his 60th birthday in August, and I'm
going to fly to Seattle to join him and some other friends for 4 nights
on Whidbey Island. The above photo (West End on Whidbey) was
included in one of his recent emails. So I just booked a nonstop (oh,
heaven!) flight on Delta for less money (and way less time) than
my recent trip to Santa Barbara. I was expecting the worst and it
ended up being convenient and affordable. Yeah, blog fodder!

something borrowed, something spilled

I don't really "do" Facebook anymore, but this morning I was
able to steal this ironic photo from a friend of a friend. It's
just your basic British Petroleum gas station with a tsk-tsk sign.

feelin' good in memphis

Blind Side is corny and contrived and Ms. Bullock did not really
earn Best Actress, in my opinion. But of course I knew I'd love this
movie despite it all. I'm a sucker for feel-good, let's do the right
thing, love conquers all and hand me another Kleenex®, please
movies ~ even if they involve football and mansions in Memphis.

can you eat that jello?

Life gets down to the real basics in the chemo wing of a cancer
hospital. I'm here to report that things are really looking up and
I was there when the doctor said, "there is a good chance that the
bad cancer cells have been obliterated." Obliterated. Now one of
my new favorite words. Unbelievable. Michael was 3 days away from
death (again from the doctor) when he was admitted to Cottage
Hospital in Santa Barbara on May 21st with Leukemia.

They gave him one massive dose of chemo that almost took out
his liver, but that too is almost back to what passes for normal.
If necessary, he can withstand more chemo, but maybe that won't
be needed. Waiting for more test results. He stays in the hospital
for two more weeks, letting the good blood cells build.
And I was reminded that I need to donate blood as I watched
bag after bag arrive each day.

When I left Wed. morning I needed "a sign" ~ you know how
that is during times of despair. This was in Leah Garchik's col.
in the chronny. From Emily Dickinson:
Hope is the thing with feathers.
That perches in the soul.
That carried me on the Delta flight in and out of Salt Lake
City and down to SB.

Ginger has two new additions: these wonderful bird feeders
and a HOT tub where I soothed my stiff body after sitting/
dozing in the hospital for two days. And bless her for getting
me around and for feeding me Thursday night. The dogs?
Cuddly and soothing, just the way dogs should be.

I can't tell you how pleased I am that I went to see for myself
and to help in any little way I could. Also thanks to dear
Husbando who understands that my friends are my family
and when they need me, I go. And vice versa...

my be-back post...

Thanks for all your good wishes which I am packing up and
taking to Michael tomorrow. Ginger (dogs, platypuses) is
meeting my plane and we'll take it from there. I'm already
indebted to her BIG TIME and to Michael for helping me
find her at the French Bulldog Coffee Place (now defunct)
in Summerland a few years ago.

Today out at the quiet (thank God) Legion of Honor.
Yesterday was ridiculously chaotic at the deYoung, but
hey, it's only retail and we all know that lies in the realm
of necessary, but not the life/death kind of situation.

I'll report back in Saturday morning.

but, but...it's such a short drive

I spent several hours last night trying to book a flight to/fro Santa
Barbara that didn't first take me to Aukland, nor cost more than
$1,000. Thinking back to the days when we'd call either our travel
agent or Cheap Tickets and they did all this work. I'll be leaving
Wednesday morning and returning Friday night. So thankful to have
my friend Ginger (the one with two dogs and several platypus toys)
to stay with. I'm looking forward to seeing my friend Michael who
is in the hospital and the reason for this hurried trip. It's only a
6 hour drive to SB ~ almost that long to fly each way. OK, enough
bitching, today is a work day at the deYoung.

Thank you today to all the men, women and their families who
have served us and given so much to all of us. The longer I live
the more I appreciate them.

tony and bill on HBO

The Relationship is one of those programs that insures we'll be paying
the excessive HBO dues for awhile. Justified. This is mainly told from
Tony Blair's perspective and I'm guessing it's really based on fact. Great
acting. Hope Davis plays Hillary to a tee and these guys above are quite
wonderful too. I read in one review that it is fodder for the right wing
mills, but I didn't find that to be the case. President Clinton's warning
to Blair to be careful of Bush and Cheney was certainly spot on. It will
be out on DVD soon, I'm sure.

not a great time

A friend of mine in Santa Barbara is very sick and I'm trying to
handle it. Failing, mostly it seems. When I wrote a mutual
friend he responded, "I don't know if I'm more afraid of living
or dying anymore."

Work does help. Friends do help. It still sucks big time as
we young 'uns say. More about this as the days progress...

Sunshine outside, at least, today.

kingston is a year old!

We haven't seen enough of Dancing Jen's nephew and she sent
me some wonderful photos today. He loves to read, just like his
mama and his aunt.

the real D' Orsay

Courtesy of the blogmaid (and thanks). Our exhibit at the deYoung
has some beautiful photographs of the old train station in Paris too.

it's out!

The third and final volume of this unusual and enthralling
Swedish mystery by Stieg Larsson. Already about 130 times
better than The Reliable Wife. My friend Ginger sent for
it from the UK, but I think I'm going to need my own copy
of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. (Only a couple
of you might be interested in the fact that the British version
is Hornets' Nest and the American as above. I go British.)

sightseeing (sweet)

Here we have three photos from yesterday. From the top down:
Kensington, Divvying the Spoils and Sausalito.

The details: It was a somewhat late start because the bathroom
sink was plugged up (again) and you'll all be happy to know that
the plumber will be arriving today. We started in SF with the
Castro, the deYoung and Golden Gate Park, the Legion of Honor,
Sutro Baths, Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito.

OK weather, at least it wasn't raining, but there was a little
wind and cold. We found our usual free parking spot in Sausalito
and walked all over, remembering various restaurants and
stores from the past. Ended up at Paradise Bay for a pretty
good lunch and then scurried home for reading and naps.

We females all went crazy at the Salt Water Taffy store. The
original low price of $3.79 for a 1/2 pound quickly turned into
a $25.00 purchase. Turns out there wasn't a single flavor that
one of us didn't absolutely love. Fun times.

Dinner at the middle son's (John the Good) home in the
hills of Berkeley, actually and legally known as Kensington.
BBQ chicken, asparagus and salad. No traffic problems
on the Bay Bridge which really is amazing these days.

A very special day ~ I hope "the girls" enjoyed it as much
as Husbando and I did.

paris on 34th avenue

They are setting up the Impressionist Paris exhibit at the Legion of
Honor. To my amazement a skylight appeared that no one ever
remembered seeing before. Probably because it would damage artwork,
but this little Paris park scene is a delight. The statues are from the
old deYoung outdoor cafe, vaguely familiar to me. Paris opens on
June 5th with more than 180 prints, photographs and posters.

Great dinner last night with The Plotniks, Nancy and the grand girls.
Nombe again ~ 21st and Mission. Off today to go sightseeing.

grand girls at work!

Ceci is drying and Lauren washing the dishes after a sumptuous
roast pork with salad and mashed potatoes dinner. Lauren just
graduated from college. And oh yes, they are fun and just as
nice as they can be. Today they'll do some sightseeing with
Husbando and maybe even drop in to visit me at the Legion
of Honor. Thankfully, the weather is impressing them (and me).

escape to wisconsin

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick has been on the fiction
best seller list for a while now. When I found it 2nd hand, I
succumbed. It takes place in 1907, when the hero finds a
mail order bride who isn't what she appears to be. So far,
so good, and just what a women needs who is a little over-
whelmed by retail and all that entails. Maybe not the very
best writing, but a delightful plot for sure.

heartfelt information

Many of you know that my stepson, Rob, had a heart attack at the
young age of 52. He has stopped smoking, started exercising and
added healthy fruits and veggies to his diet. He emailed this:

There are other symptoms of an heart attack besides the pain on the left
arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as
nausea and lots of sweating, however these symptoms may also occur
less frequently. Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart
attack.. The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during
their sleep, did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may
wake you up from your deep sleep.

If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow
them with a bit of water.
Afterward:
CALL 911
- say "heart attack!"
- say that you have taken 2 aspirins..
- phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by
- take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their
arrival and...
~ DO NOT lie down ~

A Cardiologist has stated that, if each person, after receiving this e-mail,
sends it to 10 people, probably one life can be saved!

I have already shared the information- - What about you?

Do forward this message; it may save lives!

a Degas here, a Renoir there...

Here we have RR two years ago in Paris at the D'Orsay. First,
of course, we notice how she's grown, then I urge you to check
out the pukey beige wall behind this famous Degas painting.
MY museum has done a fabulous job of painting the walls deep,
rich colors so the artwork really pops out. I'm guessing that the
Paris museum will do the same during their renovation.

Yesterday I got to wander through the exhibit almost by myself
with my eyes inches away from the exquisite paintings. I'm
not as wild about the beginning of the show, although some
of my co-workers like angels and babies better than landscapes,
so we did the "to each his own" kind of thing. There are about
100 fabulous paintings and next time I'll rent the audio so
I can keep learning here. How lucky am I?

It officially opens on Saturday, but lots of customers didn't
read that date correctly and so wanted to go in yesterday.
You will love this exhibit, I guarantee.