not all that taxing

 A salute to the simple life. Yesterday I buckled down and did my taxes. Every year Turbo Tax gets easier and easier, or maybe I just know which corners to cut? In any event, a great relief. Of course I needed a walk after hunching over the computer and all those papers and DONE might be one of the sweetest words in our language this time of year. 

simple pleasures

 The neighborhood cafe filled with people on a Saturday. A January New Yorker magazine. One delicious latte served just the way it should be. All this after a brisk walk in the sunshine. I have so much to be thankful for and yes, I am. 

dinner with friends

 We gathered for a warm and wonderful time at Pat's condo last night. She served Thai soup, salad and a yummy cheese cake dessert. We are all traveling this year so that is not only a very good thing, yet not easy to make plans for our next get together which will probably be St. Pat's. 

I'm heading to Naples on Netflix

 Thanks to Linda in Albuquerque I started watching The Lying Life of Adults based on the book by Elena Ferrante who also gave us My Brilliant Friend. I actually like this one better. It's the story of a sheltered teenager and her eccentric Aunt Vittoria and it's all in Italian with subtitles. Check it out!

beautiful city, meh movie

I did love the book, however, and was happy to relive Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in preparation for our April trip to Savannah. Lady Chablis remains my favorite character but some piss poor acting by John Cusack, in my humble opinion. Still, worth it? For sure.

looks like Spring to me

 Early and dramatic due to all the rain. Ginger One and I went to the Botanical Gardens yesterday and enjoyed the magnolias, bright fresh green grass and the daffodils. Splendid, all in all. 

LOVE on Valentine's Day

 Yesterday Pamela and I celebrated Joe's belated birthday at SF Moma and I devoured the Joan Brown exhibit again, and with pleasure. I have received quite a few lovely Valentines from friends and I am grateful indeed. Today is Tuesday with Ginger One and I hope for the Botanical Gardens.

Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon

 Heidi and I picked up trash without Emma for the first time, but we were assigned the street where she used to live and I pretended to find something on her stairs. Then we had lattes and chatted and I prepared for the Super Bowl by cooking and yes, I hate the whole thing. It was an exciting game and I do not care for football. I do enjoy the ads, of course. Today = culture at SF Moma.

unbelievable earthquake horror

It's impossible to comprehend the number of deaths from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Yesterday I sent $$$ to Direct Relief, based in Santa Barbara, and today I will give to the Red Cross. I try NOT to turn away from the TV news, but this is just too horrible. I complain when my gas fireplace breaks down or because I have low water pressure. Oh, yes, and the traffic and what? No parking! Sheeeeeesh.

back to my little life

 You know the feeling: my bed, my sister coffee mug, my pesky cat.  Mail to go through and laundry to do and the routines resume, but with just an extra bit of appreciation. Home. Such a sweet word. 

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.

Harbor Seals napping

 The Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary is a protected stretch of beach where volunteers sit up on the cliff counting seals and talking to visitors. Harbor seals are different than other seals and much loved by the locals. The top bad photo is a pup who was rescued because if the mother abandons a new born, it dies. This one will end up in Sausalito if it lives for the next 48 hours. The rescue team are all volunteers too and this was all quite impressive yesterday. That pier belongs to Big Oil and they are all over this area with the occasional dreadful "spill". There was nasty oil on the seal pup, btw.

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.

fascinating theatre

 To my knowledge there aren't many plays about American Indians and Cashed Out was quite an experience yesterday at the SF Playhouse. The playwright benefitted from the Casino as his education and subsequent work life made it possible for him to achieve success. The other side of the coin is gambling and other addictions. One interesting theme was the art of basket weaving, handed down from generation to generation. And we all can relate to family ups and downs and that drama which is universal.

my used book source

 My friend Barb told me about ABE books a few years ago and since then I have relied on them for hard cover and paperback books often. Even though I read on Kindle and listen to audio through Libby at the Library, I do often want a book in hand, especially for book club selections. I miss maps and photographs, so I spend under $10 (usually) for a book, always in fine condition. Yesterday I ordered a book and it is coming from Goodwill Industries, so that made me feel extra good. AbeBooks.com ~ give them a try.

sopa de pollo

 More soup and a bad photo (mine, all mine) of last night's dinner courtesy of my next door neighbor, Lynn, who is Puerto Rican and adds all sorts of goodies like fresh corn cob hunks, squash, potato, etc. to her luscious chicken soup. More rain yesterday and today ~ definitely soup weather, especially if my friends continue to do all the work. Yay!

sopa de albondigas

 I guess that means meatball soup. Last night Doug and Barb invited me to dinner with a couple (Barbara and Michael) of their interesting friends. The NYTimes had a gorgeous section devoted to various soups and these four people were all trying different recipes. Of course I'm not interested except in the end product which was delicious last night. Plus salad and TWO desserts ~ hooray!

the guest brings lunch

 I provided the kitchen table (and carrots and tea with dessert) and Nicole cleaned out her refrigerator and we had a big and delicious lunch yesterday. She lives about four blocks away and this was a lovely interlude since I am house bound with all the trucks and noise and dirt outside. I am impressed with the number of people I know who actually LIKE to cook. Lucky me!

my front yard

 This should be the final, awful no-drive, too much dirt and noise day. Maybe. I am everso thankful for our trusty Muni bus service and was able to visit and walk with Ginger in the sun yesterday after an (ahem) interesting ride on the 49 Van Ness. So many people do their grocery shopping with big carts which tend to bunch together on the bus making it difficult for the folks trying to find a seat. Then we add a wheel chair or two and it's time to sing "I love my city," and get off a few blocks earlier than planned.