our Sunday with Walt

the Disney Museum in the Presidio ~ go!

orange vests are always in style

old style animation

the beginnings in black and white art

the new technology too

many Mickeys

view from the museum

Disneyland ~ an amazing concept ~ the man was a genius (and I'm not because I can't seem to get the copy block correct correct today, so I'll just keep typing and bitching.) Anyway, we had a terrific time here yesterday, it's really not for kids because the Walt Disney Museum is packed with history. We skipped the separate Snow White exhibit, figuring that the children were probably in there. Really, it's a fascinating place and extremely well done. Part of the First Free Tuesday program so you could go that way. They comped us because of my museum badge and really, we were impressed with everything. Highly recommended ~ the World War II propaganda was especially interesting.

belated birthday wishes

Cody and b.day catnip

Mr. Blogmaid and his pal Cody

I know it's hard to believe, but Cody Cat is already a year old. There was
much birthday fur fan fair down in Pumpkinville and the shiny boycat
couldn't be happier in is forever home, even though he was treated beautifully
at the SPCA in San Francisco. Everyone knows that...

rewards work wonders

Actually it was a grueling time yesterday because the CD wouldn't work on
this computer. I spent more than an hour above the spice shop in New Delhi
(thanks for this line, Great Plottie) and here I thought Turbo Tax® was an
American company. Anyway, finally we could get going and Husbando fixed
us squishy buttery grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and by the end when
we were getting irritable we'd say things like, "they aren't going to check this,
not with so little money, besides we have receipts, etc. etc." and just checked
off a lot of boxes. Sooooo glad that's over. Of course on my s-l-o-w printer
it takes hours to print the returns, so I just left, hoping the printer wouldn't
jam and it didn't.

It was 70º yesterday, so I'm glad I got out for a late walk and the much needed
latte and crumble cake. What a relief, now to type up the notes for next year.
Password, pin, secret offshore phone numbers, update software, etc. My
federal and state governments already texted me (!) that they have accepted
our returns and I do thank them for that. Onward...

Long walk needed at once

We just finished our taxes - about 5 hours and some problems along
the way. Grrrrrrrrr. But small refunds from the Feds and the State, so
all is well and I need to get out of here and MOVE right now.

this speaks to me today

 

A Moment

A measurement of time
in which dogs live
without regret
or desire to enhance
their reputation
and personal worth.
An idea designed
to shelter contentment
and regulate fretfulness.
A request for calm
and further reflection.
A pause or hesitation
used as a defense
against a horrid memory
or fear of the corner.
A stall for time
in order to regain
one's reasonableness
and equilibrium.
An allotment
requested by those
who've used up
their other options.
A plea for calm.
A ubiquitous cave
of sanity. An end
without
a beginning. A room
in which bad news
resides. A wall
behind which
nothing more
waits to happen.
A desperate limitation.
A grain of sand.
A last breath.
A vast opportunity.
A plea to begin over again.
Philip Schultz

The Southern Review
Winter 2013

a tad s-l-o-w

It must be all that tea, things get moving when they pour the whiskey.
We watched two out of six episodes last night and Parade's End is
rather interesting because it's set right before World War I, and those
are the years when some pushy women in England were carrying on about
wanting to vote. I mean really, what next? Since it's a BBC production,
you can count on beautiful homes and scenery, repressed emotion ~ you
know the drill. What we discussed afterwards was the fact that it all
takes place only 100 years ago, so many changes. Incomprehensible.

Sent from my iPad

There is the distinct possibility that I'll be summoned to Rome for this
pope business, so best I learn to use the mini before I go. Oooops,
I forgot how to put photos in and the Great Plotnik showed me on
Sunday last. We'll see...

The iPad is really just a big iPhone with complications, but of course
I do love it and the keyboard is easier to use than I expected. I can tuck
it in my purse or backpack and that makes it so v. convenient.

Here are a couple of cats from yesterday - Carmel and Aimee. I had a
pleasant morning feeding dogs and spending quality time with these
girls. On a related note, happy b.day to Cody, he is one year old and
brings much joy to Blogmaid and family. And beautiful, I'll include his
picture at a later post, from MsMac.

OK, about the pics now.

four friends, five guys

The Great Plotniks treated us to a fabulous burger-and-fries lunch at Five
Guys in Burlingame. We had such a nice time and didn't leave a crumb.
My, that little city has grown since last we've been there ~ and of course
the weather was perfect for an after lunch walk. Plottie fell in love with
an old fashioned cigar store because it reminded him of his grandfather.
One fine Sunday, thank you friends, so glad you're back in town.

morning, noon, night

Early coffee with Neti and Frank (Portola)

Lunch at Buckhorn

Jane and her writers who read

Vested writers

Yesterday was very social and almost a bit of a rush, although I did get some
time to read and write in between. Dancing Jen and Corriander met me for
lunch in the Metreon Center, love those salads topped with fried onion rings.
Nice to catch up and giggle a bit. Jane's first Writing Salon group love-fest
at Progressive Coffee (21st and Bryant) was v. successful and the 6 to 8pm
works nicely with my schedule, so I'll try to hit the next one in March,
especially if Linda will be my seatmate again. The joint was jumping!

crab catch-up

We finally had our Dungeness crab ~ late this year. The season started
with the usual fisherman strike, then the rains and the boats don't go out
to sea and now it's very expensive, but worth every penny. There was
enough left over for Husbando to make a special crab pasta and of course
I've been reeking of garlic for about a week, but that's OK and I don't
mind if some customers back off in the crowded Girl store at the DY.

intense joy

Meet Ms. Minnie iPad, just arrived yesterday. Thanks to Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid
for their help here. Of course the usual "just plug it in" instructions never
seem to work for me, so I had to fuss a bit and I still have lots to learn.
But do I love it so far? Oh, yes. I had to slap my hands a few times to keep
from bringing her to work today. Our house now has soooooo many white
cords it's not even funny. I think I'll ask the Great Plotnik to help me find
out how to set up Facebook, Blogspot, etc., but for now I will just use the
little beauty for emails and search stuff. The idea of traveling without the
laptop worrying me much of the time is so very inviting.

double vested in frisco

Husbando bought me the new orange vest. If we are to be entirely accurate,
and we always are, I took his credit card and went to Uniglo® to buy my
belated Valentine's gift. I wore it yesterday and even the museum goers at
the Legion of Honor oooooohed and ahhhhhhhhhed. There are deep inside
pockets for cell phones and the passport. Outside pockets for Kleenex®
when we go to the movies. Now we can start baseball season, obviously.

a day downtown (in the rain)

Kehinde Wiley in Israel

the art of Ezra Jack Keats

I met Ginger downtown for a long coffee-and-talk, then we marched to a
couple of stores, then to the Jewish Museum where we viewed these two
exhibits. By far we both loved the Keats paintings best, he was a fascinating
man. Wiley paintings are mostly Ethiopian Jews and Arabs living in Israel.
He's telling an all-male power story that doesn't really resonate with this
woman, but the colors are spectacular and worth seeing on Free Tuesday.

goodbye my pretties

For about 10 days our city has been pink-washed with the dainty, decorative
flowering plum tree blossoms and now I wish that I would have taken more
photos because today THE RAIN will pummel the petals away. Drat, such
is nature, even in a congested (yet wonderful) city.

modern military life

Yesterday we went to the 3pm performance of "You Know When the
Men are Gone" at the Z Space on Florida Street. It is some difficult,
touching theater by Word for Word, this time performing from Siobhan
Fallon's collection of stories about army life at Ft. Hood, Texas, during
the War in Iraq. Until Feb. 24th, consider going, with Kleenex®. Two.

morality movie

Richard Gere is the rich/bad guy and Tim Roth is the poor/dishonest
detective. Susan Sarandon wears an ugly black dress to the big charity
event and I'm glad we didn't pay full big screen prices for Arbitrage.
I had to look it up: Arbitrage is the purchase of securities on one market
for resale on another to profit from price discrepancy. Got it? From Flix®.

oh, what a day!

I mean, how could you NOT go down to the ocean on a day like yesterday?
It was not only clear and gorgeous, it was actually warm. After a nice long
walk we headed to 5th and California for some excellent Burmese food.
Such fortunate people and we avoided all meteors and asteroids too.

GWPE at the DY

Well, I finally saw the "Girl" exhibit yesterday at the deYoung and I do want
to recommend it to you. First of all, the painting is truly beautiful and then we
have other treasures from the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague. Right next
to these galleries there are 60 etchings by Rembrandt and these are well worth
seeing too. Plan to spend a few hours at our museum-in-the-park and maybe
have some lunch outside in the sun in between.

Valentine's Day!

Of course we all realize that this day is pushed by women, it really means
nothing to men who are forced to give us SOMETHING. So I bought these
flowers yesterday (at Costco) for me and I thanked Husbando often without
sarcasm, using his credit card, of course. Happy Valentine's Day...

our 4th Guirgis play

We had a fabulous time last night ~ this one act play says so much about
humanity and includes five wonderful characters who live, love and
mess up their lives with the best of them/us. The set is glorious too,
and the acting is excellent. But always we go back to the playwright
and in this case Stephen Adly Guirgis deserves so much praise. Until
March 16 ~ go to the SF Playhouse and enjoy The Mother F**ker with
the Hat, you'll be glad you did.

my "new Roget's Thesaurus"

TOO SHORT (today's Round Robin prompt)

Well, this piece will be short, but probably not too short for the reader. I'm in
a rush to get to work and then we have theater tonight, so no time. It's
Tuesday and I have a new partner (Kate) and I don't want her to think that
I'm a dolt. Mistress Jane already knows that I'm a dolt, so there.

I'm going to check my Thesaurus for a little dolt wordplay here:
    •    dimwit
    •    dullard
    •    dunce
    •    donkey
    •    ass
    •    booby

Booby? How old is this book? Ooooops, copyright 1959. Good God.
There isn't one hi tech(ish) word in here, maybe I should replace it.
And yet, and yet. I've had it since college and it really is my dear
old blue friend. We've been through so much together.

This reminds me of my friend who gave away her childhood dictionary.
In the back it listed Hitler as the President of Germany.

the best soap ever!

Honey and goat milk ~ so very special. My new friend Gina (friend of Linda)
gave this luxurious bar of soap to me and I absolutely love it. Exquisite...

Modern Relics rocks

Joe's art in the black frames

close-ups

Yesterday I visited this delightful store to see Joe's art (he of the peroxide
cold solution) which is displayed perfectly here. Alix Bluh is the store
owner and a jewelry designer and she's extremely nice. The store has
limited hours, best you check it out online before you visit.

Modern Relics

771 Cabrillo (between 8th and 9th Ave.)

www.alixbluh.com

the Bombshell's birthday!

Sing us a song, piano man

birthday candles

the nice fat song book

I had a really nice time last night out at the Bazaar Cafe (21st and California St.)
where we celebrated Karen's birthday. She is very special and so are her
friends ~ singing the old favorites (Billy Joel, John Denver, Elton John, Carly
Simon) is such a perfect way to feel comfortable with people I didn't know
before. Great fun, thanks so much for including me, Karen.

unlocking another mystery

Of course you know that I proudly enjoy all mysteries by Elizabeth George,
some more than others, naturally, but this one is coming along just fine.
I have her on my LindaKindle® and it's good to be back with Lynley,
Barbara and some brand new characters too. Yes, I recommend Believing
the Lie, about a man who mysteriously drowns. Or does he?

from the nabe

I just liked these three doors and if I go into the 

WHY details I will spoil it.

tried, tested, true

My friend Joe at work mentioned that when he starts to get the tickle throat
indicating a cold coming on, he has this effective cure:
1) gargle with very warm salt water (at least three times)
2) then gargle with hydrogen peroxide (also at least three times)
3) do this gargle thing morning, afternoon and night before bed for
    at least two days in a row, take more Vitamin C, etc. The usual.

Husbando caught a cold and then I felt the throat thing last week, which
always pisses me off. I gargled according to Joe's Rules. It tasted awful.
Interesting how the peroxide seems to clear all the sinuses and it does
soothe the throat. Plus we all know that peroxide is a good tooth whitener
and it's excellent for the gums, my dentist taught me that.

I DID NOT GET THE DREADED COLD. HONEST.

oh, sweet movie

They call this an "inspirational comedy" and I agree. Salmon Fishing in
the Yemen stars Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas.
A (handsome) sheik hopes to introduce fly-fishing to the Middle East
and all sorts of impossibilities occur as his dream comes true. It's a
BBC production and I think you'll like this one. We did. From the Flix®.

super bowl sunday

This didn't work

This did

Yesterday we drove over to Point Richmond for the 2 pm show "Expecting
Isabel" at the Masquers Playhouse. My friend Pamela's husband Richard
played five roles and he did a GREAT job. This is his first acting stint and
he's already lined up another role. The play by Lisa Loomer is about a couple
who have trouble conceiving. I might have cut a few scenes, but we were
glad we went, not only to support Richard, but to spend a little time walking
around this small town that is bucolic and fun, but obviously suffered during
George Bush's Recession.

We came home in time to watch too much football. It did get exciting at
the end, but I would have cut a few scenes. Congrats to Baltimore!

stinson memories

Bulletin board ~ we loved the Nostradamus

Bad photo of pretty stained glass on a fenee

it's a whole new world...

Ah, Mr. Spacey, so nice to have you back in my life. Last night we watched
the first episode of House of Cards, produced by Netflix, or The Flix®, as
we hi-tech folk call it. Imagine ~ no recording, no setting our watches and
staying up too late, we can watch this on TV anytime we want. First we
set-up our Roku, then Flix. So easy. No extra charge, no DVD. It's just
streaming to TV, Baby, and it's the future.

And the program? Fabulous. Best political drama since West Wing. All
about the messy world of Washington, D.C. Lots of sex, violence, intrigue
and plain old fun. Kevin Spacey can be a mean as a hissing python, but then
there's that twinkle in his eye as he talks to us through the camera.

Sacramento ~ finally!

Crocker Art Museum

River walk ~ a bit bleak this time of year

Lunch in Old Town

Norman Rockwell exhibit

See our State Capitol down there at the end of the street?

We made it. The Rockwell Exhibit is ending this weekend, so we put this off
waaaaaay too long and it was a ZOO. Actually it was an AARP ZOO and
maybe they weren't letting anyone under 60 inside the museum? So it was
fine, but the best part was the rest of the Crocker Museum which has an
impressive selection of my favorite California artists: Arneson, Joan Brown,
Thiebaud, Dibenkorn, etc. And those rooms were entirely empty, so we
both had a fine time poking around and admiring the art work and the
architecture. Rockwell was excellent ~ you know he was active in the Civil
Rights Movement, but Saturday Evening Post refused to let him paint
minorities in anything but positions of servitude, so he moved on to other
magazines and did an impressive piece for Look.

Lunch was adequate. The drive was fine and we came home pleased with
ourselves for making this trek. Ken had a good time too.