3/4 of a day to go... (plus, the painting)

A terrible photo of my latest painting, my first real foray into abstract, wherein I have no idea what I'm doing but just messed around. Am still not sure what I think. Anyway. Here it is. A decent first attempt, perhaps. (or not). I go between thinking it's okay and hating it. Oh well.

Tomorrow starts my week's vacation. No babysitting, petsitting, graphic design or day job, and no worrying or thinking about any of those things either. I can't WAIT. Today, I am still doing two of those four jobs, so it's not exactly a vacation yet.

Giant list of stuff I intend to do over the next week or so:

• Finish the companion painting to the one above
• Study abstract art (I got a ton of library books on the subject as review)
• Go to at least one museum or art gallery
• Go to day spa around the corner for facial and mani/pedi
• Have mid-30s makeover at fancy makeup store (I figure this is a good idea once a decade or so)
• A few chores: wash all bedding, sort closet, etc.
• Watch a bunch of movies
• Work on my cross stitch project
• Finish current TBR stack
• Go to the city for T. medical test and hopefully a bit of city fun
• Maybe a springtime hike in the hills
• Oh yeah, and rest a bunch too

Who knows what I'll manage to do off that list, but mostly I intend to catch up on rest and really do a lot of soul-nourishing stuff so I feel actually rejuvenated. We were *hoping* to have our good news by now so we could celebrate, but alas. Still, can enjoy ourselves in any case.

Driving With Buddy (The Big Boy)

It was a stunningly beautiful day today: mid-60s, sunny, blue skies. Buddy was practically begging to go out for a cruise, so we took him out for a spin.

He wanted to by and see some of his friends at the security office...
Then of course he wanted to see the construction happening a few blocks away. He's such a boy.
Here is a picture of his dash. You know, just because. That's the trunk-pop button in the middle there. Um, and the stereo. And it was actually 3:30... I hadn't figured out how to set the clock yet (but I figured it out later)
Terri drove for awhile, and then I drove while she took pictures (including all of the ones above). We drove around town and then up into the hills to Lake Temescal for a little sitting in the sun by the water.
Now we're home. I was craving something savory and hearty for dinner, so I pulled out an old favorite cookbook, The Supper Book, by Marion Cunningham. I have this one and The Breakfast Book and they are both just about the coziest cookbooks ever invented. If you see them in a thrift store or book sale, grab them.

I made garlic rolls and this pasta-mushroom-brown butter thing, both of which were simple and flavorful and amazing. I also made this very easy coconut pudding/custard thing. You make it in the blender and then pour it into dishes and bake. Couldn't be easier. And, delicious.

Such a nice day today. I started it by sitting out on the porch in the sun, having a nice little cup of coffee and reading the London Review of Books, and cracking up over the ads in the back (which is another post). A great way to start the day.

We were incredibly grateful that Terri was feeling a bit better and was able to get out for a drive. It's been a rough winter for her. It's pretty obvious that the cold is detrimental to her; if we have to stay here another winter, we will be doing serious winterizing. Which is crazy, because this is California... but she can't take 50-degree rooms for months on end. But hopefully next winter we'll be in our cozy new house somewhere. ?? We'll see. We love it here (aside from the cold) but of course we'd love our own house.

Anyway. A nice day, and Buddy continues to be a fantastic car for us. Come on by and we'll take you for a spin. Everyone waves and checks him out (Terri LOVES this aspect). It's pretty fun.

Watch Out, Oakland!

We are now the proud owners of a 1999 Police Interceptor! "Big Boy" joins my little Corolla in our little auto family.

What a kick.

We drove the big guy around this afternoon, and it is an experience driving around an ex-cop-car. People either stared and got out of our way, or smiled and waved (or, apparently yelling obscenities. Interesting). Terri was grinning ear to ear as she waved back. What a hoot!

Her little Honda finally went kaput, so it was time for an upgrade. She doesn't drive a whole lot so she decided to just get whatever she wanted, as long as it was reliable and fit the budget. This is both, and also fulfills (just a wee bit) her fantasy of being a cop. I swear, I haven't seen her that happy in months. She was having the time of her life driving it around.

I think I see some mirrored aviator glasses in her future.

What a relief. I hate car stuff. This car is super safe, very fast, and fun to drive. It still has that big grate on the front, so I'm not going to worry about bumping into *anything*. We were just so tickled as we cruised around. Hee!

(GIANT thank-you to Shea, for driving down to Fremont with me to get the car!! Diet Pepsi six-pack is on me!)

Happiness: Thrifting

Inspired by this lovely post by Tea and Cookies.

There are people who do not go, who do not know how to go, thrifting. Shocking, I know.

Maybe they are squicked out by "other people's stuff." Maybe they don't have time. Maybe it never occurs to them. I don't know. I don't get it.

But thankfully, I am not one of these people. I have the bug. I inherited it from my mother, who I suspect originally learned to go thrifting more out of necessity than desire, but who now joins me on exuberant thrifting adventures when we get together.

Everyone seems to have their own style when it comes to thrifting. There are those who go religiously every week, on a circuit. There are those dedicated garage-sale shoppers. Then there's my own style, which is to go about once a month or so, when I get the undeniable urge for some retail therapy. I don't need anything... but I like to go shopping. And I'm trying to be more creative with my wardrobe. And I'm trying not to spend too much money on things we don't need. And I like treasure-hunting.

My favorite place is the Oakland Chinatown Salvation Army, especially when they are having their half-off sale ("practically free" is my favorite price for anything). This location is a major drop-off point and it's a huge store, so I usually have good luck there. My second favorite place is the Alameda Goodwill, also, I suspect, a major drop-off place for Alameda. I have found some great scores there, although their prices are higher than S.A.

I like to go when I can spend at least two hours (although I can pack a lot into a lunch hour). I try to go through the entire store methodically, because that is how you find the treasures. I don't like to rush. I first go through the clothing, then the linens, then the housewares, and finally the books and/or miscellany. I totally get into the zone when I'm doing this. It's not a very social activity for me. I need to concentrate.

Here are my own personal rules and/or methods for thrifting.

1. Never buy anything irrevocably stained, torn, or damaged. Unless it's something easy like a missing button, I know I won't go the extra mile to salvage it. I look very closely for stains and tears, and I don't hesitate to put back damaged items.

2. Never buy anything that I could buy new for about the same price: i.e., Old Navy clothes (or Mervyn's, or any other crummy off-brand). It's just not worth it; the clothes are not very high quality, and the buck or two I save doesn't make much difference for a crappy piece of clothing. Possible exception: scarves or kitschy themed T-shirts (if I happen to need kitschy themed t-shirts)

3. If it doesn't fit, isn't the right color, or I just don't immediately love it, I don't buy it. This is highly subjective. I make allowances for if I'm trying a new style, or something ethnic/vintage (lately I'm into India/sari-style tops), or things that are slightly too large. Often these things fall into the 'acceptable' category even though I wouldn't spend the money to buy them new, because I want to experiment or I just happen to love the item. However, if it's unflattering or not my color, I don't buy it, even if it's really high-quality.

4. Check the label. I always do a double-check when I find something from a really good catalog label like Sundance or Lands End or something like that. I also slow down for Banana Republic, J.Crew, Ann Taylor or any of the higher-end Macy's-type lines, or for obviously quality clothing from smaller unfamiliar brands. The fabric is the giveaway: if it's a nice fabric, and a nice color, then I check the label. If it's a good label, then I pull it out to inspect more closely. I always check the fabric content. The size is not as important; often the clothes have enlarged or shrunk slightly but are still completely wearable.

5. Be aware of my own danger zones. I have an unfortunate thing for certain types of ugly patterns and dishes. I don't know why, but I will always pull out a garish paisley or a 1970s-era crockery dish. I love them. I try to indulge in small doses. For example, maybe the paisley urge gets satisfied with a silk scarf, and the ugly pottery gets used for a cat food dish or a small planter. I try very hard not to buy "things" unless I absolutely love it. I'm a little more liberal with clothes because I sort through my closet regularly.

6. I only buy books if it's something I know has very little chance of being found at the library, or if it's a reference book (gardening, or art, or something like that). I don't buy novels unless it's something hard-to-find. This has more to do with not wanting to accumulate books than any sort of pickiness. If I could, I would buy bags of books regularly.

7. Save pants and skirts for a whole separate trip, since these are more difficult to sort through and must be tried on.

8. Before checking out, go over every item one more time to make sure they are all acceptable quality, and that I really love each thing. Recently I put back a brilliant green long-sleeve T-shirt from J.Crew which I loved, but the neckline wasn't right, and a really pretty, soft Abercrombie shirt, because the color wasn't anything special. I've also had to talk myself out of any number of silk bathrobes because they weren't exactly right.

Some recent good finds include:

* a brand-new Lands End fleece nightgown, which I've been eyeing all winter in the catalog but haven't ordered. Now mine for only $4!

* a silk thermal turtleneck for Terri, which she's worn all winter long

* a whole slew of ethnic embroidered tops, which I intend to wear during the summer

* high-quality yoga clothing, which are so comfy for at home or walking

* a lovely collectible teapot, to replace an old one which I didn't love

* a Ralph Lauren black winter coat, which has been perfect this year

I have a few things I'm always on the lookout for:

* a beautiful sugar bowl. I had one that I loved, but it got broken a few years ago.

* a classic, high-quality trenchcoat. I'm being very picky about this one.

* lovely old picture frames

* unusual, large vases or glass bowls for terrariums

* holiday items (this year I found a perfect holiday tree skirt)

* pretty, old sheets (I want to make a soft summer quilt from old sheets)

Anyway. Clearly this is a subject I could go on and on about. I love thrifting. I don't usually go garage sale shopping as an activity (I will drop by if I happen to be driving by a good one) because it requires more driving and mapping and so on, but I do love a good thrift shop. I like it better than discount shopping, which is similar, but not quite as exciting. I like the thrill of the hunt, and I like the relatively small impact on my wallet.

Paying more attention to living frugally has had many surprise benefits, but really going back to thrifting has been the one which I am really enjoying. It's so much fun, for so little money, and satisfies that shopping urge without too much damage to the bank account.

Next up for summer: a few garage-sale trips to the tonier areas of town, and a couple ventures into San Francisco thrifting. I'll find that trenchcoat yet...

Shreddin' the Gnar (skiing videos by Sister and Brother)

For your viewing pleasure... what I did today. (I have no idea what "shreddin' the gnar" means but it sounded all good and ski-like and stuff.)

Brittany and Mexico, Close To Home Photo Journey

My friend Vanessa invited me to brunch today over in the Mission District in San Francisco. Since the restaurant she wanted to go to is very close to a BART (subway) station, I said yes. I love taking BART and it would make the trip easy and fast.

I drove to the closest station, at Rockridge (North Oakland). This is a nice station with beautiful views of the Oakland hills from the platform.

I forget how truly beautiful these hills are, especially on a chilly winter morning.
I had already taken a brisk walk in those hills this morning (in my beloved local cemetery) and so I was really hungry. But first, a very homey cup of cafe au lait. I really like this photo.

The restaurant, Ti Couz, is a creperie. But not just any creperie; they do authentic Brittany-style buckwheat crepes. Large and thin and filled with amazing savory or sweet goodness, they are amazing and I wish I had another one right now. I had a mushroom-and-cheese crepe. It had this very delicious sauce on top and I could barely talk, I was so busy eating. Yum.

After a really fun visit and being completely stuffed (too stuffed for Nutella-and-banana crepe, dang!), it was time to stroll back to BART. The Mission district in San Francisco has a strong Hispanic/Mexican history, and is colorful and full of great restaurants, thrifting, little produce stands and tons of hipster bars. It's a fun place to wander around.

Showing colors of one kind (hooray, rainbow flag!):

And of another. I loved this pretty buildings and awnings against the blue sky.

Then it was down to the subway again. I was struck by the colorful, busy street and the quiet dark passageway down to the tunnels.

Standing around waiting for the train.
And then home again, to our house and our Christmas tree. (maybe pics of the tree in daylight, tomorrow)
It was a perfect local adventure. I really wish I had another crepe right now. I wonder if I can learn to make those. It was amazing.

Recipe for Happy Imperfection

Take two little girls, one creative Auntie Daphne, a batch of cookies, some frosting and random candies, and some ingenuity, and you get a perfect lesson in happy imperfection.

Witness: our beautifully decorated holiday cookies:

If I had done these myself, I would have needed to try and make them "perfect." And I would have missed the point completely. These are so exuberant and crazy; I love them.

We had a bunch of frosting leftover, so I made a small "gingerbread" house out of an empty tissue box and a cut-up cookie box, held together with snipped-up bandaids because we couldn't find any tape.
(if you're ever in a pinch for tape, bandaids work pretty good) The girls then got to decorate the house. They did such a good job working together, it was adorable.

I used to love to make gingerbread houses. FYI: cardboard works pretty great. Yes, this is Santa's disembodied head peeking out the window.


We had crazy red, green and white frosting. The house is... um, colorful.

So, if you need some distraction from holiday madness and want to witness pure joy, just grab a couple of cute kids....
...leave your need for perfection and order at the door, and have some fun.

'Tis the season, after all.

Grateful Wednesday

..because anytime is a good time to be grateful!

I'm grateful that...

1. Terri is finally get a ton of overdue lab tests. You would not believe how difficult it is to get simple tests done once you have a diagnosis of something that no one knows anything about. Interestingly (maybe) the new doc 'doesn't believe in CFS' so is going to test for everything else under the sun. I think this is good, because maybe some other smaller things will come up which are treatable, which will all feed into recovery. This, balanced with her other doctor (for whom we pay out-of-pocket), is a good mix, I think. I hope.

2. For Terri's increased stamina, which has allowed us to go to some fun events recently and spend time out at the lake (where the photo above was taken). Don't you love silver hair? I do. She's had silver hair for years and years. I think it's gorgeous. Anyway, we've been able to do fun things lately and are inspired to go see more live music, so that's fun. I can't wait for our next adventure.

3. For my kitty's continued adorableness. She has a big owie under her leg where the tumor is, but she is still super-snuggly and funny and cute and loving, and still eating and doing all that cat stuff... so I am so grateful for happy time spent with her. She is on my lap right now, halfway on the laptop keyboard! I took her to a new vet last week whom I really liked, so I know that at least she will get very good care as she needs it.

4. For donuts. Do I need to say more?

5. For old friends. It has been so fun to reconnect with people on Facebook. My old best friend from WAY back (who now lives in Florida, who I haven't talked to in over 15 years), some middle-and-high school friends who have drifted... it's really fun to be in current conversation with so many of them. Lots of people who I have known literally my whole life. Gotta love small towns.

6. For Buffy DVDs. We are completely hooked (first time for Terri, my second time watching them all). So. Freaking. Good.

7. For all the hidden opportunities and unexpected open doors that happen when I least expect it. I figure as long as I keep stirring stuff up, good stuff is bound to pop up with the bad stuff (at some point...). It's a good reminder to avoid complacency.

8. For my mom teaching me how to sew. I am not very talented at sewing (nor very patient) but I am having fun doing a few small projects. I made very simple curtains for the living room, and am going to make some pillow covers for throw pillows for the couch. I have a few clothing items that need slight alterations, and I'd really like to make a few other projects. The Longs Drug Store near my house is enormous and has lots of cheap fabric (some as low as $3/yard! And it's not all ugly!) so I figure why not? It's fun and I'm not itching to paint at the moment (but I will very soon, I can feel it).

9. For the fact that we moved when we did (from the moldy place). Terri ran into our old neighbor at the doctor's today, who has her own health issues, and Terri said that she looked *awful*. She lives in the apartment right next to our old one and suspects bad mold in her place, too. In addition, she told a very sad story of a couple who moved into our old place... the woman was pregnant when they moved in. Very close to her due date, she lost the baby. We don't know why or how... and these things may not be related AT ALL to the mold, but still. I'm super-grateful that we moved when we did.

So, even though bad things do happen to good people (all too often), good things happen too and I'm especially grateful for a lull in the bad things so that I can notice all the things I'm grateful for. Things are good right now. I'm just going to enjoy it.

Summer Morning

I have got to go take some photos.

It's a beautiful summer morning and I'm waiting for everyone to get up. I'm waiting for a friend to get back to me if she's coming over today. I'm waiting to go to the grocery store because I'm not sure what we are planning on having for dinner this week. I'm waiting to take a shower because... well, because I'm lazy.

I'm feeling a little tired of all this waiting! I think it's time to spring into action. In many ways. I was thinking last night that this autumn it's going to be time to get those gears rolling again. We've been waiting for a long time to do many things, for many reasons. I think it's definitely time to start those balls in motion again. We can't do everything, all the time, but we can do some things. It's hard with CFS because you really can't plan activities -- you never know if the person who has CFS is going to be able to participate or not. However, I can plan for school. I can plan on how we are going to buy a house. I can plan my winter's reading and community involvement. I can plan all of those things. And I can plan to leave plenty of open space for those times when Terri is up and ready to go do stuff.

Some things I'd like to plan, large and small:

* A picnic for today. It's so lovely outside and I think feeding the ducks by lake and reading in the shade sounds really great.
* A new haircut. My hair is growing pretty long and I like it, but I need a change. A new color or something. Not sure what. Maybe I'll go red. Haven't done that in years and years. (I'm mostly joking, although it's tempting...)
* Getting involved in our neighborhood. I love this neighborhood. I'm bummed because there is really no way we can buy here, it's way too expensive. However, it would be fun to go to a community meeting or something. Maybe help plan the Halloween festivities.
* School. Yep, thinking about school again. This time I think I've got a plan. I'm going to do a little more investigation, but I think I know what I'm going to do. It feels quietly right. That's the best sort of 'right' for me. If I'm too excited, chances are that I'm just searching for something and that *this* is the *answer*. However, when it's quietly right, that's when I feel like, "Okay. I can do this. This feels right." It's amazing how long it can take to come to that decision sometimes. Details to come when I've made up my mind for sure.
* House. I've decided that I am done waiting to buy a house. We've been saving and saving, and if a couple of good things happen in the next year, then I think we can really think about buying something soon. Maybe not THE house, but *A* house (or townhouse). The housing market has dropped in many areas here and we're not afraid of rural, nor of fixer-upper, so... I'm crossing fingers and toes here, but I'm planning for action.
* Art show. I'd really like to do this next year. I think I've decided that I paint best 8 x 10 or smaller. With a few exceptions. I'd like to do a woods theme. My owls, and the spooky trees will be a part of it. I'd like to get 10-12 paintings done by next fall, hopefully doing an October show in a coffeeshop or something around here. That's a good goal, right?

I think that's enough to keep me happily busy. There are some other things we'd like to do but they are more flexible and/or spur-of-the-moment. I can safely plan for the things I mentioned above and feel reasonably sure that I can make progress. The house one I'm counting on a bit of luck for, but aren't we due for a bit of luck by now? I think so.

Bad things happen to good people. This is a sad truth. However, lots of good things can happen despite the bad things. I'm going to spend a lot of effort over the next few months making those good things happen.

Thrifting: Veddy Proper

Finding myself in a rare moment of being alone AND having nothing I needed to do, I decided to go drop off some stuff at the thrift store and poke around.

The minute I walked in, I felt better. Some people find thrift shops depressing. I find them exciting and inspiring. You can have a lot of fun for $20 at the thrift store. Heck, you can have a lot of fun for $10 or $5. Which is another reason why I love the thrift store. Cheap, creative fun. And shopping! All in one!

And every once in awhile, you get really lucky. Today was one of those days.

A brief history about me and tea things: my grandma had a large collection of beautiful tea cups, all different. When I would go to visit her, one of our rituals would be that we would wash all the teacups and saucers, and then sit down and have a tea party. I always got to choose my teacup, and what a decision that was! I *loved* doing this. Eventually I inherited the teacups. Sadly, they are in my dad's attic, as I have no place to display them.

So anyway, I kind of have a thing for teacups, teapots, etc. I try *very* hard not to indulge this little passion because, again: no room. However, I did need a teapot. I have had a few teapots over the years and either they weren't quite right, or they met an untimely end when one of my shelves crashed down a few years ago. And so I found myself without a proper teapot.

Until today. Behold:

Oooh, ahhhh. Yes, oohs and ahhs are in order. Isn't it pretty? It's all crackly and creamy with pretty gold-and-teal wild roses. It's a Gibson, which apparently means something (it means nothing to me -- as long as it's pretty and doesn't leak, I'm happy).

It was a little more expensive than I'd usually pay at a thrift store: $16. However, it's perfect. I love it. As soon as I picked it up, I knew it would be coming home with me. And, it goes quite nicely with my set of 'good' china, don't you think?

Of course I had to come home and have a proper cup of tea. Veddy proper. Since I now have a lovely dining room table (and dining room) AND a teapot, I will be having morning and afternoon tea more often. Even if it's just a tea party for myself. Although you are certainly invited.

(I think I may have to attempt making crumpets! I don't believe I have ever had a crumpet. I love experimental baking...)

Much Cuteness

Katie, ever the ballerina, coming out to the dining room to take a peek around.

Tonight I'm babysitting a couple of very cute girls. The little one is probably around six, the older one maybe 8 or 9. Here's how the night has gone:

7 pm: I walk in the door. M, the little one, throws herself at me. "DAPHNE!!!" Immediately they pull at me to head downstairs, because...

7 to 8:15 pm: we watch The Corpse Bride. They tell me all the parts they love. They bury their faces in my sweater during a couple 'scary' parts. They imitate the characters' odd walking patterns. The GIANT dog who also lives here sits on all of us. And farts. We all fall over laughing (and holding our noses). We are trapped by the giant dog. Until he hears a noise and runs upstairs. We are saved.

8:15 to 8:20 pm: snack time. Arguing over yogurt. "I want peach!" "I want raspberry!" "No, I want raspberry!" "No, I want raspberry!" There is only one raspberry. Eventually the older one, E, gives it to her sister. "I'm not hungry anymore" she says. M eats it with delight, as E practices her handwriting on receipts. "M is a funny girl. You are a funny girl, M"

8:20 to 9:25 pm (they get to stay up late because it's Friday): We read books. On the bed. We snuggle. The cat sits on my legs and will not get up. The dog barks incessantly. We read a Scooby Doo book ("her name is Daphne! Just like you! I always get to 'be' her."). There is much discussion about which character we each get to 'be'. I do not get to be Daphne. We read picture books. And mysteries. And scary books. And a book about sharks. "If a shark gets in the way of a feeding frenzy, the other sharks will kill it and eat it too." "The dolphins fight back. They toss the hammerhead shark around over and over until it lies still. It is dead." Ahh... cozy bedtime books. "You girls like shark books before bed?" "YES!!!"

9:30: bedtime. They cuddle in bed together because it's the weekend, and it's very cold. They are adorable. I can't stop snickering over the shark book. "Sharks eat everything. They even eat people."

Now: sitting at the table, giant dog nudging my legs. Cat on counter, sphinx-like. Rain against the windows. Cup of chamomile tea.

I don't mind babysitting.

It's Settled, Then

Today I went out for a walk with a good friend and her four-year-old daughter. Lindsay (the four-year-old) was very into 'making wishes.'

So she wished upon flowers, which we then tossed into the fountain.

Then we wished upon a stick, which we then planted in the ground.

Then we found a dandelion puffball and she closed her eyes tight, made a wish, and then blew the puffs... which promptly blew right into me.

My friend said, "Oh, all over Daphne! Does that mean that she gets to share your wish?"

Lindsay looks at me with huge blue eyes and a big smile and says, "You want to be a princess when you grow up, too?"

Hey, works for me!

Couple of Perfect Days

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and Cupid delivered a special treat for us: Terri felt well enough to go "out" for a few hours. So we took advantage of this and had a lovely day.

We took a cue from this cutie-pie guy sitting in the car across from our house and decided to hop in the car and see where it took us. (don't you love blondes with long floppy ears?)

We headed to Temescal neighborhood nearby us, full of cute little scrappy shops and Oakland hipsters.

Then we headed over to Rockridge, another cute little Oakland neighborhood, and popped into Market Hall, a sort of snooty yuppie fancy food market, just to have a look around and look at pretty displays. It was crowded.

But pretty displays of fancy foods always please me to no end, so we put up with the crowds for a few minutes and browsed. Chocolates were tempting, but we had cookie dough chilling in the fridge at home, so we managed to escape with empty hands (even though this display of salts and spices was quite compelling).

Lots of pretty Valentine flowers out for sale as well.

Then we headed up to the cemetery to enjoy watching the storm roll in.

This little angel looked very forlorn so we chatted with her for a minute.

Lots of corners and interesting gravestones to explore...

I don't know if these are cherry blossoms or what, but they are blooming all over and are so pretty, pink and frothy.

Sort of illustrating the transition from bare winter branches into spring bursting forth.

Remember those cookies I mentioned earlier? They were good. I had no heart-shaped cookie cutter so I just carved these with the tip of a knife. What's not to like about pink sugar cookies?

So yesterday we spent out in the world, and today we spent hunkered down inside against the storm. It's been gray, rainy, cold and very windy -- my favorite sort of weather. We have had a fire in the fireplace all day, and have been watching movies and munching cookies all day long. Warm and cozy. I never *ever* spend all day watching movies, so it's been quite luxurious.

Speaking of movies, we've been on a scary-movie kick. Last night we watched the 1963 version of The Haunting, and the 1979 version of The Amityville Horror (romantic, right?). Neither were particularly scary although they were nice and atmospheric. However, afterwards I got totally spooked out and once in bed, had to send Terri out back into the apartment to get my book, and then to get me a glass of water, and then to shut the closet door. What am I, five? Yes, exactly. I could not get out of bed again -- too scared. It didn't help that the wind was whooshing around our bedroom, rain pounding on the windowsills. Um, it was actually sort of great.

I haven't done any painting or drawing or anything else I'd planned to, but I've had a wonderful, wonderful couple of days. We don't get those too often right now (the Valcyte is no fun for anyone) so they are even more precious and we are enjoying them.

For A Change

I am as content as these two cuties:

What a nice day. They don't get much better than this.

First, I slept in nice and late, in our super-comfy healthy bed, with thick soft flannel sheets. Can I just say that this latex mattress rocks? It totally does. It's not terribly plush per se, but I haven't woken up with a backache once since we've gotten it. It is very... supportive -- not to sound like a mattress commercial, but it's true. I did get a terrible neckache, but that's a combination of having some trouble with my chair at work, and needing to go back to the contoured Tempurpedic pillow. I still love the latex pillow for reading, but I just need a really, really flat pillow when sleeping or else my neck totally freaks out. After a few days back on the contoured pillow, I'm almost back to normal, neck-wise.

(I am haunted by the memory I have of waking up one night in the old bed, waaaay before we ever even thought about mold in our apartment, and smelling mold coming from the mattress. I never smelled it again, but I feel kind of sick about it now.)

Anyway. I had amazing coffee (Stumptown, gift from brother) and thick cinnamon toast for breakfast. Then I did a little bit of housework. Then I took a really long shower. Started a bit of laundry, and then we decided to go to Elephant Pharmacy to use up a gift certificate. We got lots of lovely things we'd been putting off getting. The weather was so nice -- about 67, sunny, cheerful. Everyone was out and it felt like spring. After a quick stop at our little adorable local grocery for snacks and dinner, we headed home, where I have been plopped on the comfy chair, reading my book (The Woman In Black), nibbling on snacks, and enjoying a little fire. Terri made dinner a little bit ago, and then brought me tea and cookies for dessert.

Like I said, just about perfect.

I really can't express just how thankful I am that we're feeling better. I'm feeling almost back to my old self -- I think I'll start jogging again towards the end of this week (give myself a few more days of rest). My ultra-grumpy mood has disappeared, and although my patience is still worn thin, I'm definitely almost back to normal mood-wise too. I still tire easily, but that's also improving slowly.

Terri was rendered almost non-functional after the move, but now she is feeling so much better -- a bit better even than before the move. She's able to do some household chores and go outside for little walks, and accompany me on short local errands. It's sooooo nice to have her 'back'. We're still hoping, of course, that either time or Valcyte will help improve her even further, but just to have her feeling decent is incredible. Times were pretty bleak, back a few weeks ago.

Well, it's back to my book for the remainder of the evening. Tomorrow my friend V is coming over to go thrift-shopping... I can't wait!

Free Pie

We had pie tonight. Some was good. Some was not good. We are trying to find a home for the disappointing pie:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/zip/936523113.html

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Just For Kicks

After my rollerblade debacle I decided to try something a little less... slippery. I got an inexpensive kick scooter! (an adult-size Razor) I rode it to work today and can I just say... I looooove it.

I only live a mile away from work and so I am constantly feeling guilty that I don't walk or ride my bike to work. However, often I have to run all sorts of errands immediately after work so driving makes sense on those days. But on the days when I don't have to run those errands, I really would like to get to work in a little more Earth-friendly way.

I have a great bike, it's all cruiser-friendly, but frankly riding a bike to work is a pain. And I have plenty of bike-commute experience under my belt in all sorts of conditions and weather, so I have all the gear and the mindset. But when you have to dress up for work, it's a pain to deal with greasy chains, seats that rub their black polish off on your pants, dirty tires, etc. Not to mention the heavy lock, etc. So either I have to bring all my clothes with me and wear biking clothes for one mile, or I dress down and feel schlumpy all day. Neither of which are the end of the world, but for just one mile it feels like a lot of effort.

I have walked to work and that's fine, but I have kind of a bad neck/back and hauling all my stuff on my back really didn't feel good. I ended up with a lot of stiffness and pain. Also not so good.

Enter the kick scooter! Not only is it totally lightweight and easy to maneuver, it's so much fun and so much less hassle. It doesn't take much effort so I didn't get all sweaty in my work clothes, but it's enough exercise that I felt good by the time I got to work. I just wore regular flats and regular work clothes (albeit on the casual side), and put my stuff in a messenger bag. Because my back/body is moving and changing angles, it didn't get as fatigued/stiff as it does when I walk while hauling my stuff. And no dirty bike rub-off. Plus, mega fun factor.

You know what it felt like -- it felt like how, in a dream, sometimes you're able to walk really really fast and sort of glide over the ground -- but you're not running or flying. It felt like being on one of those people-mover sidewalks. Just a little faster than walking, but not that much more effort. Plus with a big smile.

So. Obviously I am thrilled with this new toy. I want to try to take it whenever I don't have running-around to do immediately after work. If it goes well, then maybe in the spring I will treat myself to one of these for even more efficiency. It helps that Alameda is ideal scooter terrain -- it's all flat, paved, with low traffic and minimal interruptions. Have to take advantage of the Alameda perks.

Of course, what I really want is one of these (see right). Just for Alameda and the East Bay. Enough to do my errands, get a bag of groceries, get to work... not have to drive the car. I really, really want one. Maybe next year. Maybe. Boy do I want one. Aren't they cute? And so affordable (relatively speaking). Yes. Want.

Kickin' It Old School

There's more than one way to usher in my favorite season: Fall. Some people put up autumn decorations, build fires, display pumpkins, or finish canning the summer's harvest.

Me? I take Fall literally.

I wanted to get a little exercise today, but the thought of going for a walk bored me to pieces and my knee still acts up a little when I try to run (I think I need new shoes), so I thought maybe some sort of exercise involving wheels might be more fun. I have a great bike, but the tires are flat and I don't have a tire pump. We are not far from a gas station but that's a drag to walk a flat-tired bike over to the air pump there. Note to self: get bike pump.

So that left my other alternative: rollerblades. I know, I know, how 1990s. But c'mon, they're fun. And scary. Fun and scary sounded just about right.

So I hauled them out, dusted them off, and put them on. Then I took my first wheeled step in over 5 years... and promptly fell right on my butt. Full-on cartoon-style -- feet flying out from under me, me falling straight down on my rear, legs splayed out in front. What can you do? I laughed, dusted myself off, tried again.

I managed to get steady enough to roll around for a few blocks. To say that the sidewalks in my neighborhood are uneven is putting it kindly. The streets are better. It was actually really really fun. I might keep them out for awhile.

And now, I totally want one of these. I have this idea that I could actually ride it to work some days. Much less wobbly than rollerblades.

Because It's (still) A Free Country

Feeling so worried and scared about the peril our country is in, I found some relief by taking this piece of advice from Salon.com today:

"Some of us are suffering from a recently diagnosed mental disorder called Palin fatigue. What to do about this? Well, here's a solution: Go to the Planned Parenthood Web site and make an honorary donation on Palin's behalf. In recognition of your efforts, Planned Parenthood will send her a card letting her know about your generous gift. "

Here you can find the address to which they will send the thank-you card: http://gov.state.ak.us/govoffices/

Immature? Maybe. But, it's for a good cause and helps me get out some of this incredible anxiety I have about this election. I never do naughty things like this. It was kind of fun.

MONICA!!!

I met Monica in Finland, 15 years ago. She's kind of an all-caps, three-exclamation-points kind of girl. Looooooove that Monica. She was here for a conference and we got together last night for Thai food and catching up.

I picked her up at her hotel in downtown San Francisco and we headed up to the Castro for some excellent Thai, people-watching, and late-summer blooms.

Stopping to check out local real estate prices is always good for shock value.

After dinner we headed back to her hotel because she mentioned it has an incredible view. Which it did. I must file this away in my brain: Downtown Marriott. Incredible view. Check. The following pics were taken at the top-level bar, where we just gawked at the view and didn't order anything. Damn tourists.

This is the view from her room, up on the 29th floor. Pretty darn nice.

We laughed, cried, drove around like madwomen... just a typical night out with Monica. She's one of those people who attract events. As in, her entire life is an EVENT. Things HAPPEN. It's fun to be in her orbit for that reason. And then I get to come home to my nice quiet house with my sweetie, cats, and books. It's allllll about the balance, you know.