a lovely night out

My dear step daughter, Nancy, sent me a generous gift certificate for La
Ciccia, a wonderful Sardinian restaurant in our nabe. Marsha and her god son
Dana joined me and we celebrated his birthday and we cleaned our plates.
The sea bass (middle photo) was luscious and we also had pasta (of course)
and salad with anchovies. Dessert? Panna cotta = oh, yum.

McCovey Cove

It was hardly a ball game if one is a Giants fan, but there were a lot of
us wandering around enjoying the sunshine and the setting yesterday.
I went alone because Ginger had an important appointment, but that
was OK ~ by now I'm used to my own company. Our team had a brief
July winning streak and now we suffer through a long August losing
streak. It's a game of streaks as Husbando used to console me.

our national treasure

RIP Toni Morrison ~ outstanding writer and SO much more. 

Grandma & Brian

Last night four of us women went to the play reading at the SF Playhouse.
Grandma and Me is already totally wonderful and this was Brian Copeland's
first public reading. Bill and I have seen all of his work at the Marsh and
this will be a hit too. Way back when, I arranged a book (Not a Genuine
Black Man) reading event for Brian at Borders, so I feel like I know him.
This one man show tells the story of the early death of his mother and how
his grandmother raised the five children by pinching pennies and being
strong. Interspersed are the vignettes of Brian raising his three children
alone and how tough that road was too. A wonderful evening for sure.

SPCA on Monday

The bridge is nice but she needs a forever home

The room where it happened

Not too many dogs or cats today. I liked the black & white beauty
and my Annabelle was in this blue/grey Victorian when first our
eyes locked more than a year ago. I still enjoy my Monday morning
volunteer gig which is rather surprising.

how many more?

America is a Gun

England is a cup of tea.
France, a wheel of ripened brie.
Greece, a short, squat olive tree.
America is a gun.

Brazil is football on the sand.
Argentina, Maradona's hand.
Germany, an oompah band.
America is a gun.

Holland is a wood shoe.
Hungary, a goulash stew.
Australia, a kangaroo.
America is a gun.

Japan is a thermal spring.
Scotland is a highland fling.
Oh, better to be anything
than America as a gun.

~ Brian Bilston

pioneer women and more

Her Side of the Story

The Mechanics' Institute 

I have heard about the Mechanics' Institute for years and yesterday I finally
arrived for an event and promptly signed up for a membership for a year.
They have a huge library and the oldest operating chess club in the US.
Her Side of the Story from the California Pioneers was fascinating and
I will hit the Presidio again for the exhibit there. Now I need to do a bit of
research to see why this old (founded in 1854) Institute got such an odd
name. It is one of those buildings that when I entered the library I felt so
at home ~ old California, old San Francisco, friendly people. Yes! Oh,
and right downtown. I love downtown. Still.

natural remedy?

Last year my neighbor Heidi was raving about Olbas Oil and I picked up
a teensy tiny bottle at Rainbow Grocery just in case (hahahaha) I get
another cold. So I had a slight sore throat yesterday and I boiled some
water and put in about six drops of this miracle cure and honestly, I love
it, and so far I think it is really working. It smells like a heavy eucalyptus
leaf, but I didn't read the small print because I don't want to break the spell.
You are welcome.

one drawer at a time

I should lighten this photo for you but this is how it looks to me when I
enter Bill's office. This was once my father's desk and it is filled with
small cubby holes and many memories. We all save the damnedest strange
things. I did go through this when Bill first died and he had tucked away
about $400 in cash which I knew nothing about, but for which I was most
grateful, as even going to the bank in the first month seemed overwhelming.
I do a little bit at a time. Yesterday I found the pink slip to our old Toyota.
We had both looked for this about two years ago and ordered a replacement.
"See, I told you so." I muttered to Husbando. I hate this, but you know that.
Thirteen months later and this is still painful.

the new red sofa

We are getting used to this and so far, so good. I found a very old Cats
(the musical) tee shirt for Herself and I am sitting on the new purchase
currently. After all these years I don't really have faith in my taste because
I was used to working with Bill on household stuff. But as the Blogmaid
wisely said, "If you don't like it, get another one." I like it. We like it.

the last lost red sofa in SF

Bill would love this story because he appreciated immigrants and he
was crazy about living in crazy SF. Our ex-sofa ended up in North
Beach near Marsha's home. Not planned. When she went out to check
on it yesterday morning this young man was scrubbing it thoroughly,
even the springs. It was dirty and Annabelle's fur was (ahem) attached.
Marsha said it looked terrific and this hard-working guy was excited
to take it to his SRO at Hyde and Geary. He was going to push this
heavy thing on the dolly up and over the hills to its forever home. The
Blogmaid thinks Linda D. should do a kid book about the red sofa as
it travels throughout our city. I'm just so pleased that someone new will
treat it well for a few years. The red sofa lives!

this agnostic goes to church

my church socks

the two ministers

the music director

Don't worry, it didn't take. Carlini is a Unity minister and he asked that
I go to the 100 year celebration of the SF church and I did and it was
fun and we were introduced to their brand new space at a remodeled
church down on Page Street. Unity is really a fine religion which
believes in and practices people today and not old doctrines. There is
a lot of singing and smiling, little God talk and no Jesus. I did love the
diversity and positive vibes and I might even return.

Presdio, incarceration and shame

SF Presidio - outside

Inside 

Kimono deconstructed

Pack'em all up, they could be spies

Yesterday I met Pat, Neti and Sandy for the Presidio Tour at 11am. Great
history lesson about this unusual outpost first founded by Mexicans. Then
we went to TWO exhibits focusing on the unbelievable fact that the U.S.
Federal government rounded up Japanese (American citizens!) and sent
them to camps during W.W. II. Then They Came For Me is the title. We
all need to be reminded what can happen to innocent people when fear
dominates our lives. Do not miss this powerful exhibit.

the old red sofa

Many memories here. I learned in grief group to take a photo of things we
have trouble parting with. This is an uncomfortable sleeper couch that we
had for years. Bill sat near the window and I parked in the other corner for
about twenty years, maybe more. Now we use the air mattress for overnight
guests and it is better and easier. So this is going away this weekend and
a new beige love seat arrives Tuesday. Mixed emotions, as per usual.

humor from the old orange desk

Bill wasn't a joke teller (thank God), but he loved words and word play.
From a note:
. We can now put Berlin on the back burner of Cold War hot spots.
From a magazine:
. Death is life's answer to the question "Why?"
. Even a doctor can laugh ~ Yiddish
. The dog who bites you may have his reasons.
. Not every first born becomes king.

a day in the sun

Wowza, it was hot yesterday. Our Giants have been on a huge Win streak
but alas, we lost while Ginger and I sweltered at the yard. I sat next to a
delightful young vacationing couple from Scotland who said that L.A.
was a disappointment but the moment they hit SF it was "just like in the
movies" and they loved it here. We have not lost our magic, it appears.

it's a busy day

Of course we are ALL watching Director Mueller today. And then I go
to the Giants game. Plus I'm writing and commenting on my partner
Suzy's piece AND I have a girl cat who needs attention from time to
time. Too busy to attack the stacks of crap from the orange desk. Damn.
I do, however, understand why 1-800-JUNK is so popular.

watts new?

I'm starting to research solar power for my little home in foggy SF.
At this stage I'm getting good advice from friends who already have
their solar panels and I had a great sales pitch from two young women
who represent Solar Union, but there are many options and lots to learn.

still hating this

We both thought we were pretty damn good for going to the Salvation Army
every six months. However we neglected to think about all the papers and
photos and crap we have accumulatd here. I wonder if we had moved in the
last 40 years? Then I hear of folks who just box it up and take it all to the new
home. Lately I've been working on the old orange (bright orange, another
temporary piece of furniture that we bought 2nd or 3rd hand and kept forever)
desk in the foyer. Once in awhile a letter or memory will bring a smile to
my face, other times it's more like "Who the hell is Sandra Johanssen and
why did we save this dumb birthday card?"

I no longer need the solitude of my office since I have the entire house
so I use it as a dumpster now. Someone said that in other cultures (Norway?
Sweden?) the oldsters are expected to get rid of their accumulations once
they reach a certain age. It should be fifty. Here we wait to "downsize"
when we move into "assisted living". I ain't going nowhere but I don't
want to leave this mess for others to paw through. Plus I like tidy.

Is it me? Most of these memories don't really warm my heart. More love
notes from Bill to remind me how funny he was when love was new. Will
I ever finish this tedious project? File this under grrrrrrrrr.

when Tiapos gathers

We had such a nice full day yesterday and I completely neglected my
camera duties. Too busy eating and talking/laughing. Oh, yes, we read
and commented on each others' writing too. Lovely, languid afternoon
in the warmth of a patio in Concord where I basked in this fellowship.
My tribe.