some red, some green...

We are starting the holiday (errrrrrrrrr) activities here in Chez Cranky with
the wreath that does smell v. wonderful. I just took a page from Linda's
book and walked as the sun was setting and I will treat you all soon to
some photos from the nabe now that people are hanging their lights and
decorating those trees. I almost felt a touch of ye olde xmas spirit, but
not enough to write about, that's for sure. But soon, I'm sure...

East London in the 50's

We saw one of two of these episodes last season on BBC America, but now the
Flix® has the DVDs available. Call the Midwife is the story of women finding
themselves and their place in history after World War II. I can do without the
actual birthin' of the babies, but I love all the other elements and watching the
four midwives biking about London doing good is just great fun. This is really
a heartwarming series, but you might need the Kleenex® box by your side.

I had to trash/delete The Secret Keeper from my LindaKindle® ~ very boring
and the Blogmaid agrees. With all the great books available, I can't spend time
reading garbage.

five best fiction books?

The year’s best books, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review.

FICTION

BRING UP THE BODIES
By Hilary Mantel.
A John Macrae Book/ Henry Holt & Company, $28.

Taking up where her previous novel, “Wolf Hall,” left off, Mantel makes the 

seemingly worn-out story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn newly fascinating

and suspenseful. Seen from the perspective of Henry’s chief minister, Thomas 

Cromwell, the ruthless maneuverings of the court move swiftly to the inevitable

executions. Both this novel and its predecessor were awarded the Man Booker 

Prize. Might the trilogy’s forthcoming conclusion, in which Cromwell will 

meet his demise, score Mantel a hat trick?

BUILDING STORIES
By Chris Ware.
Pantheon Books, $50.

Ware’s innovative graphic novel deepens and enriches the form by breaking it 

apart. Packaged in a large box like a board game, the project contains 14 “easily 

misplaced elements” — pamphlets, books, foldout pages — that together follow

the residents of a Chicago triplex (and one anthropomorphized bee) through 

their ordinary lives. In doing so, it tackles universal themes including art, sex, 

 family and existential loneliness in a way that’s simultaneously playful and profound.

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING
By Dave Eggers.
McSweeney’s Books, $25.

In an empty city in Saudi Arabia, a ­middle-aged American businessman waits 

day after day to close the deal he hopes will redeem his forlorn life. Eggers,

continuing the worldly outlook that informed his recent books “Zeitoun” and

 “What Is the What,” spins this spare story — a globalized “Death of a Salesman” 

— into a tightly controlled parable of America’s international standing and a 

riff on middle-class decline that approaches Beckett in its absurdist despair.

NW
By Zadie Smith.
The Penguin Press, $26.95.

Smith’s piercing new novel, her first in seven years, traces the friendship of 

two women who grew up in a housing project in northwest London, their 

lives disrupted by fateful choices and the brutal efficiency of chance. The 

narrative edges forward in fragments, uncovering truths about identity 

and money and sex with incandescent language that, for all of its formal 

experimentation, is intimate and searingly direct.

THE YELLOW BIRDS
By Kevin Powers.
Little, Brown & Company, $24.99.

A veteran of the Iraq war, Powers places that conflict at the center of his 

impressionistic first novel, about the connected but diverging fates of two 

young soldiers and the trouble one of them has readjusting to life at home. 

Reflecting the chaos of war, the fractured narrative jumps around in time 

and location, but Powers anchors it with crystalline prose and a driving 

mystery: How did the narrator’s friend die?

lest we forget this season...

any city

Triumph

I saw him as I drove by—
I don't have to tell you what he looked like—
spreading out a plastic sheet
as for a picnic
except he wasn't picnicking;
he was lying down to sleep
in the middle of the sidewalk
in the middle of the day
on a busy street,
the spoils of him lying there
for everyone to gawk at
or step around.
And when I drove by later
the same day, and then again still later
late that night,
he was still there, sleeping,
and maybe I slowed down
to check on him or got him at least a blanket,
or called an ambulance,
but whatever I did or didn't do
I did it to forget that
either way
he was the one asleep on the sidewalk,
I was the one borne along in the car
that might as well have been a chariot
of empathy, a chariot
the crowd cheers
even as it weeps
for the captured elephant too wide
to squeeze through
the triumphal arch
and draw home
to bed my sweet
sensitive Caesar of a soul.
Alan Shapiro

Night of the Republic

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

old Havana, ageless music

We both enjoyed Chico & Rita last night from Roku®, which we use more and
more lately. It's amazing how "adult cartoons" can reflect a certain time, place,
age and mood. The sound track is delightful and who could resist this love story
about a piano player and a singer? They travel (together and separately) from
Havana, to New York, Las Vegas and back to Cuba. Well done, enjoy...

partner perfection

For seven whole days I get to write to my friend Linda in the Round Robin
class. The Writing Salon Mistress and I go round-and-round about the
issue of partners, because some of them are flakes and duds and they (like)
write from their iPhones. Or they don't respond to my pieces and they
forget to send me anything and it's just so frustrating and it ruins my
Robin experience. Mistress Jane thinks it shouldn't matter and if I
commit to write for 10 minutes a day, I needn't worry about who I
partner with. There are special people that I LOVE writing to/for and
Linda is one of them. Of course today I have writer's block ~ ah,
the irony. What's the topic? A storm. The storm? Storm center? But
a good partner cures lack of inspiration, at least I hope so. We'll see...

peace and hominy

Yesterday, after the great rains, we walked over to Mission Street to test some
pozole at Chava's. Husbando makes a mean pozole, but he wanted to see
and taste how others do it before committing himself to this undertaking
again. This was not as good as his, a little too much broth, but sill, for
$4.50 for a HUGE bowl, it was really quite good. Plus I just love going
to Mission Street on a Sunday because all the families are out and truly,
we are about the only ones speaking English. Well, the hipsters, of course,
but we avoid them as best we can (and they us).

I really, really love having Sundays off ~ still such a treat.

a little bizarre works for us

The Flix® provided us with 2 Days in New York last night and we both enjoyed
the story of the visit of Julie's French family and how it upsets her peaceful
and almost-perfect relationship with Chris Rock. It's very New York and very
French, so right there I can recommend it. Julie Delpy is one of my favorites
and Chris Rock is always Chris Rock and that's OK.

Saturday itself was mostly rain, but there was an afternoon break and I
could walk and walk and I needed that, as everyone knows by now.

le swamp de frisco

Lots of rain these past few days and it is not easy leaving the house, even
though we have a few depressing leaks again. A couple of new ones this year and
Husbando announced that in the Spring we MUST get a new roof.  No more
patch/patch. So we hunker down inside most of the time, it's just too dreary to
go walking and driving is a pain because of downed trees, floods and careless
drivers who insist on going too fast and somehow forget to use their turn signals,
but not their horns. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

I'm going to do some inside projects: Avery labels for holiday cards, pick up
some of the office mess, toss files from 1980-1987 and then have a bagel
and creme cheese while we ignore the fact that it is already Dec. 1st. Yikes...

a rainy day read

The Secret Keeper ~ a little English mystery about a family, a nice big
farmhouse and a secret. It's Lindakindle® material because one doesn't
have to spend too much time looking for complicated plots or sub plots.
Three sisters, a brother and a dying mother who needs to answer a
few questions before she goes to the lush manor house in the sky. DEAR!

Plottie's belated b.day lunch

elegant, no?

elegant? yes!

a man and his pasta

Manny Torres Giminez, the chef/proprietor of Mr. Pollo, is now doing  a pop-up
down the street at Roxy's Cafe on Mission between 24th and 25th. It's a bit more
comfortable than Mr. Pollo and the 4-course meal for $20 was impressive.
The Great Plotnik's b.day was in October, but he and the Great Ducknik
were traveling in Spain, so we celebrated yesterday. Chef Manny spent some
time with us, discussing the beet soup, salad, pasta bolognaise and pumpkin
pasta that followed. Roxy's just opened, but if they get some coffee and
dessert, we'll be back. A very nice time without rain or rancor.

he lives!

When Day of the Dead and the World Series collide ~ Tim Lyncecum inside a store
window. I had to stop and get this photo before his startled sugar head melts.

stockton and o'farrell

can you spare a dime?

mostly they sleep

I named him Mischief

a late lunch

a little impulse shopping

Yesterday was my first two hour shift at Macy's and it was just fine. The SPCA
provides everything we need and there were six of us talking to animal lovers
and accepting donations. I was amazed by the number of people who drop
$20 bills in the plastic box. This was after my dog feeding shift, so it was
all animals yesterday.

I do want to tell you about Mischief (not his real name). A handler took him
for a long walk because puppies don't really do well in windows. The moment
he returned, he peed and pooped inside his window home. He was not
adopted during my shift, but he is adorable when he isn't making a statement.

And thanks to the woman who warned me that "certain cultures" eat dogs
and cats and we should be careful. Oh, my.......

the Range is the rage

sweet tender cod for me

pork shoulder for Husbando

Daughter Nancy sent us a generous gift certificate for Range, so beware this foodie
post. We had not been there before and she found it somehow online and it was
indeed a great choice and close to home. It was a huge hit with our friends Neti
and Frank too, and sometimes the four of us don't always agree on restaurants.
The Range is smack-dab in the heart of Valencia Street, between 19th and 20th,
but we found decent parking and had a terrific evening together. Range was
very, very busy and that seemed somewhat strange to us on a Sunday evening.
It's fun being a foodie in Frisco!

back in the groove (cove)

When does baseball begin again? Dancing Jen gave us the very cool sign
above the TV and I'm so ready. Anyway, stay in the present, Msmas.

The drive home was l-o-n-g yesterday, mostly because of construction
down around Monterey to Salinas. Tedious. But no marital sniping and
we listened to the radio and relived the very pleasant four days away
from the home that we love. Unpacked and Husbando is planning a full
day of laundry today ~ I've never learned either the machines or how to
separate lights and darks, so I'm exempt. Drat.

But I do have to write because I am the featured reader at Tiapos next
Thursday night. Grab that Thesaurus and the elusive thinking cap...

every death is different

Pam visits Michael

He would love this spot in SB

 

 

After the Seahorse died I would go out of my way in SF and SB to avoid the
places we used to visit. Just too painful. But time does heal and I have had time
to reflect on everything that he gave me. First, my friends Ginger (and by
extension Hoan, Boise, Joey, Adriana), Pam and Kris in Southern California.
He taught me how to handle illness and death ~ basically you drop everything
and go to the one who needs you. Don't over think, don't yammer or make
excuses. Go. And lastly, slow down, for God's sake. Take a walk, stare at
the ocean, appreciate your friends and your life. Laugh and love. OK, lesson
learned the hard way. Two years later, Seahorse, less pain but still sorely missed.

Lunch and just a few tears at Cafe del Sol and then I dropped Pam off at the
train station and headed to Hoan's to finally meet her daughter who looks
exactly like her. Nice tea time with Ginger and Husbando and Hoan's family.
Her real name is Joan, by the way, but in college we called her Hoan and
why would we change that? 

Of course you remember that when Michael and I went to coffee years ago
in Summerland we ran into Ginger. I hadn't seen her in maybe 40 years ~ hence
the gratitude to him and the universe for that little/giant miracle of time and place.

Husbando and I enjoyed a fine dinner at Siam Elephant (Thai) in Carp
last night and we will be taking off into the sunshine (!) this morning. I'm
ready for my own little home and please hand me that ToDo List!

scenes from Santa Barbara

notthat on my mind

reunited ~ my Italian fellow travelers

Wednesday night Boise's noodle & pot roast dinner

Relaxing

Thursday wharf walk

front row seat at the East Beach Grill

right on the beach reminding us of the Mediterranean

Thanksgiving table

pre-dinner

hostess Ginger on the end with Bliss the dog

happy together

This has been quite wonderful with lots of time for walking, reading and enjoying
the sunshine. Excellent Thanksgiving dinner last night with a few extra dollops
of laughter and joy. Ginger and her staff have provided us with GREAT food
and the feeling that we belong here. Italian memories were tossed about with
true abandon and some enhancement. That trip was five (5) years ago!

Today is RR's 9th birthday ~ very special wishes today and photos tomorrow.
We know she will have a glorious day and we send our love. Photos soon...

I'm meeting the Amtrak train this morning and Pam and I will visit Michael's
memorial site because tomorrow is the 2nd anniversary of his death.There
will be some shared "I remember when" stories and we both still feel the loss.
Damn you for leaving us, Seahorse.

this was a GREAT idea

We are having such a fine time here ~ big pot roast and noodle dinner last
night after beach walking in the sun yesterday. So wonderful seeing Ginger,
Boise, Joey, David, Lennie and (of course) Husbando around the pre-holiday
table. Today is more walking and relaxing and tomorrow I'll include some
fun photos of our friends and the beach. And of course the dogs ~ life is
never dull with three dogs. Not quite as much sunshine this morning, but
still more summer than winter. Oh, I'm thankful to my readers!

we heart the HIX

101 South

Pismo Beach from 101 South

The fabulous Holiday Inn Express here in Carpinteria features cinnamon
rolls and fresh bananas for breakfast. It isn't that expensive and so very
convenient to beaches and to Summerland where our friend Ginger lives.

So today will be a beach walk and some socializing and then Husbando and
I will scamper back to our little room to relax some more. It is gorgeous
here ~ warm and sunny and it's only 9am! The trip down was easy, no
traffic, no CHP, no trucks. Of course Santa Barbara is always clogged,
especially during commute hours, but we made it and then walked to some
average Chinese food, but we were ravenous after being squished inside
Ken the car for 6 or so hours.

The big news is that there is now a Subway in King City, so we could have
a salad before hitting the always-busy Starbux there. Life is good...

four days from today or yesterday?

I received this via email twice yesterday, so I will post it today

and assure you that there are no guarantees. It is interesting

though, isn't it? 

This year, December has 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays and 5 Mondays.

Dec-12
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
31					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

This only happens once every 824 years. The Chinese call it 

the Money Bag. Send this to all your friends and enemies as 

well. According to the legend, you will receive money in 4 days. 

According to Feng Shui, if you do not send it you will stay poor. 

I in particular, will not let this opportunity pass by. So I send 

it to you with my best wishes. (Just in case it is true!)

walking solves...

Dandelion store ~ 55 Potrero

note sliver of traditional home next to this beautify

Carbonnara at Cafe Cozolino

...everything. Again, still. I was feeling "off" yesterday and decided to take
a good two hour plus walk up to the Dandelion store at 14th and Potrero.
They were celebrating their 44th anniversary! This gift store (two floors)
is in the most unlikely location and yet it was busy and I must say that
the books, gifts and art objects were some of the best I've ever seen. For
some reason I'd never been there even though I've driven and bused by
many, many times in the past. One of our customers at the Legion of
Honor was telling me about it, so it became the perfect destination. I
didn't buy anything, but I will at some point.

By the time I returned home I was myself (is that the good news?) and I
accomplished a few house chores and then Husbando and walked down to
Cozolino's for our favorite pasta.

Now I want to share this fine quote, courtesy of the Wordsmith:

The sense of wishing to be known only for what one really is is like 
putting on an old, easy, comfortable garment. You are no longer afraid 
of anybody or anything. You say to yourself, 'Here I am --- just so 
ugly, dull, poor, beautiful, rich, interesting, amusing, ridiculous -- 
take me or leave me.' And how absolutely beautiful it is to be doing 
only what lies within your own capabilities and is part of your own 
nature. It is like a great burden rolled off a man's back when he comes 
to want to appear nothing that he is not, to take out of life only what
is truly his own. -David Grayson, journalist and author (1870-1946)

back to the animals

I flew through the Louvre exhibit yesterday, but I did spend some quality
time in Artful Animals, one small room across from our exhibit store. A
few dogs, cats and other domestic animals. The above is by an anonymous
Indian artist, but there are a few well known modern painters and really,
I recommend this if you are out at the Legion of Honor. Maybe it's the
subject matter, I so love creatures more than golden goblets encrusted
with assorted valuable (I guess) jewels.

not my cup of snuff

There's a brand new exhibit out at the Legion of Honor and I will zip through
it when I work there today. It's official title is Royal Treasures from the
Louvre: Louis XIV to Marie Antoinette. The local critic calls it "eye candy"
and writes that it's for people who like higher window shopping ~ he was
obviously less than impressed.

There are quite a few people who question the role of museums and although
these decorative objects have never left France before, some wonder if this
exhibit is worth the time, money and valuable museum space. I'll sneak in
my camera on my visit this morning and check it out. In the meantime, it's
raining here and our garden is happy, blah blah.

a DEAR day

I don't like a lot of hoopla on my b.day, but I do love to spoil myself and
of course I had a bunch of wonderful cards and messages and a great
lunch (Ginger's treat) at American Chow on Church Street. I received
some very special presents and indeed I am grateful. It was a truly
fine birthday, thank you all!

RR is almost 9 (eeeeeeek) and her current teacher uses the DEAR command:
Drop
Everything
And
Read
So that's what I did yesterday in between doing nothing and appreciating
my life. Turn of Mind is a novel about a doctor who has severe dementia
and is accused of murdering her best friend. I know, good b.day reading, no?
In truth it is fascinating because the doctor, her caregiver, best friend and two
children write in her daily journal so we watch the story develop this way.

yet another museum?

The Jewish Contemporary Museum

Last Sunday Husbando and I spent an hour or so at this exhibit of black and white photos from the NYC group of artists, many of whom ended up on McCarthy's black list for being Communists. Their goal was to show a side of life that had not been highlighted before and there are some truly outstanding photographs. If you are a photography buff, you will appreciate this show.

liver lovers unite

Especially topped with grilled onions and the thickest bacon known to
womankind. Yesterday Husbando and I had a Muni adventure. You might
remember that it has been an entire year already since I started working
part-time. No, it was not an easy adjustment for me, but then I could
never go back to full-time ever again, in fact two (not three) days of
work a week is becoming more and more enticing. 

But I digress. One of my goals was to drive less and take more Muni.
North Beach is especially difficult for parking and always has been.
Behold the #12 Folsom ~ it's a few blocks from our house and we
hopped off about a block from Columbus Avenue, the heart of North Beach.
A glorious lunch at Original Joe's,  I can't seem to order anything but
this liver while Husbando had short ribs and mashed potatoes. An
espresso and a walk around one of our favorite parts of the city and
back on the bus Gus for a smooth ride home.

May I recommend the free application Routesy for those of you taking SF
transportation? I have it on my iPhone and so far it's about 99% accurate.

you know it's Monday when...

Midnight and Montclaire

Roommates often match in size and/or breed

After my shift yesterday, I reached my personal goal of 100 volunteer
hours at the SPCA. Three to four hours a week (since April) works for me.
Lots of people give so much more, but I like starting my week with an
assigned shift and definite duties. And there's enough variety (Isadora is
back on Venison ~ wet and dry?) to keep me from getting bored. Once in
a great while a dog dish will be returned with half the food still in it
and I do feel a bit hurt, truth be told. I even wash and dry the dog bowls
without a complaint. Later this month I will do a stint at Macy's windows
because that's a big money maker for the animals ~ I know that I used
to drop a lot of $$$$ in the jar, even when I didn't have much to share.

catch-up post

Last week Husbando and I had a reasonable and d-licious lunch on the
patio of T-licious (Taco-licious) on Valencia Street across from Paxton
Gate. I can't believe it was that warm only a week ago. Note the
glorious Paul Madonna wall mural of Mission High School and beyond.
It was election day and people were wearing their "I have voted" stickers
and we were both very nervous about the outcome. Honestly, after
post-season baseball and such an important election we all just need to
exhale for a week or so before the holidays. And yes, we are thankful
indeed. As one Facebook website says, "I like waking up every morning
knowing that Obama is President." True.

hearth and...

It's always good to be back because if we lived in Philadelphia Ginger and
I would have to buy those ugly puffy quilted coats and jackets. They must
work, because every woman there wears one. But hey, let's not be shallow
here, it's a very beautiful city and we had a terrific time. G. has created a
list of people and things that are an exception to the City of Brotherly Love,
but honestly, the rude folk were few and the WTF? incidents will fade as
time goes by. And sheeeeeeeesh, so much art and all in one convenient
location over by the river that no one can pronounce. Ben Franklin
Parkway should be your GPS goal, but we also enjoyed the shopping area,
Old City and Starbucks. Our next trip is either NYC or Washington, DC,
depending on our friends at Virgin Airlines with the great, cheap fares
and very comfortable airplanes. Smooth trip home to recover from mini
jet lag and head into MY city today.