The heat and haze keep me indoors where I can breathe, except for the obligatory walk and lap swim. Discovered the Inspector Rutledge series and am up to 38 of my 52 Goodreads book challenge.
July 2
Footless, so it seems,
It skims along the ground, but
Then it starts to bark.
#animatedmop #LOL #morningwalk
puli
It skims along the ground, but
Then it starts to bark.
#animatedmop #LOL #morningwalk
puli
Tutored this am and then went to the farmer's market where I found myself buying Petaluma cheese. Hmmmm. Blogged and swam and read. It was hot. Heard from E that Bob S died. Worried about M.
July 3, 2017
The dog ate my hairstick!
July 4, 2017
The day started with garden berries, ended with classic rock by The Ravelers and fireworks. Love small town celebrations (although, this one is sold out. $8 at Vons, $10 at the gate. 6000 folks. Vancouver had 20K, of course.)
July 5, 2017
Didi was chewing on a small empty plastic thread spool. She wouldn't give it to me, so I brought out the treats and got it that way. I'll have to remember that next time Cookie catches a bird.
"I never want a
PICC line again." Things I don't
Ever think to read.
"I never want a
PICC line again." Things I don't
Ever think to read.
(messaging with PT, who is on the mend)
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| We're recovering From a hot walk. They are like Little mops that bark. |
Went to the 3rd Voice Forum class (my first). Am going to learn to sing and perform! Nice group of Lutherans.
July 6, 2017
Dreamt I had a torrid encounter with David Birney, but he looked more like Bill Bixby. WTF?
I doze through the hours
After my late morning swim.
Then a second walk.
Smooth beige-green wrinkles,
Trunk's flakes littering the ground:
A eucalyptus.
They sit on their porch,
Fan running, ice cream in laps,
And greet passersby.
Long mournful howling,
Coyotes from the foothills.I bring the dogs in.
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| J texted this to his Mom and she passed it along. My nephew loves me. :) |
103 degrees. 'nuff said.
July 8, 2017
It's 90 degrees
At 9 a.m. They pump tires.
I think they're insane.
I'm vocalizing
And notice the dogs staring
In consternation.
#beautifulvoicewarmups #notsomuch #wheresthecat?
Early dinner. Weather cooling off: only 102 degrees now!
Tomorrow I must leave the house for more food. sigh.
July 9, 2017
Early morning walk before singing at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Oddly Unitarian/New Age, possibly because of the combined services. Female pastor.
Trees in the park:
She is harvesting
Prickly pear leaves from the park.
"I make a salad."
A huge model railway garden at the LA County Fairgrounds.
Temps still in the high 90s. Farmers Market folks were giving discounts and folding up their tents.
July 10, 2017
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| I just fed them, but Cookie wants mine too |
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| Certain good moments Don't make good pix or stories, But they are still good! |
Sat on the porch with crossword in the morning, but not for long. Boots
the cat wanders off, but Cookie and Didi stay close. Took walk in the
evening after the swim.
July 11, 2017
This morning's walk: one of my favorite trees plus the dogs' favorite lawn. It's difficult to get them to move along. I think it's the mix of cool and damp, but there's something else too. Don't know what.
July 12, 2017
Waiting for a new cabin filter to be installed in Suby. This after oil change and wiper and light replacement: didn't feel like going the autozone route. Stopped into a local nail spa and got mani-pedi, so now I can't do anything else! Does $75 sound reasonable for a filter? What about $150 to get the discolored plastic removed from two headlamps?Just got back from voice class; waiting for tutees to send a query. Sitting in the cool eve hoping the pets will calm down. One of the dogs had a huge meltdown last night...wouldn't let the other dog near me. I finally figured out I need to stop eating curled up on the couch. The mix of me AND food is just too much for her possessive little doggy brain.
July 13, 2017
They were moppets all day, then went crackerdog.
Phase 2: the dual licking. And we know where those tongues have been! Eeeww.
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| As I wait for them To stop sniffing and barking, I play with old pix. |
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| Didn't get dressed until 3 pm. Only 92 degrees for the belated walk; hoping a later walk will mean a less crazy night. Finished a sleeve and a book, started another of each. Life is good! |
Insomniac, so got up early. Took walk and did some yard work before
heat got bad. These lilies blocked the gate, so now they are vased.
It's cool enough to hang out in the garden. There are good reasons I spend most of my time at home. Late night swims are heavenly!
I'll need to get some wine and have a nice skype session. (Ended up talking with my aunt in PDX)
Birds of paradise,
Foods of the gods, all right here.
Still, it's time to roam.
I just realized I'm within striking distance of the Getty, among other things. Will need to get my slothful self out of here eventually. A month to go, so I've been sussing out transportation to LA: it's too close to not explore a little!
July 18, 2017
Busy day. Got a call from Ghost Ranch. After Norway, I'll have a yearlong volunteer gig there
E calls while I'm at my Japanese language lesson with Sumi Foley, and then when I'm looking for the Wine Cave. We finally talk when I'm at Descanso Gardens.
Third Tuesday at Descanso Gardens is free! And, there's also a concert
to entertain me until the freeways clear: Ballet Folclorico do Brasil.
The food is Brazilian too.
The food is Brazilian too. |
| The best hiding place In the Descanso Gardens. (And yet, I found it) |
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| In the still garden I'm watching the play of light. The mantis' shell falls . |
Upon my return,
They're practically prancing.
Poor abandoned pups.
July 19, 2017
On my way home from Vocal Forum (where I sang Cry Me A River):
A thin grey canid
Passes in front of my car.
Almost camouflaged.
July 20, 2017
(response: are you speaking for yourself or for the one being scratched? reply: myself, but I bet they drag myself out eventually.)
So, tonight's tutoring session was spent helping a library assistant revise her evaluation! c'est drole, n'est ce-pas?
7/21/17
Alive and kickin'. A quiet day.
Spent the day reading, writing, and tutoring. So difficult to get out and about without a companion to galvanize me!
7/22/17
They're practically prancing.
Poor abandoned pups.
July 19, 2017
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| I've been checking these Each night while I watch the dogs. I bet I'll make jam. |
A thin grey canid
Passes in front of my car.
Almost camouflaged.
July 20, 2017
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| I have a headache So today is spent dozing... Just like ev'ry day! |
(response: are you speaking for yourself or for the one being scratched? reply: myself, but I bet they drag myself out eventually.)
So, tonight's tutoring session was spent helping a library assistant revise her evaluation! c'est drole, n'est ce-pas?
7/21/17
Alive and kickin'. A quiet day.
Spent the day reading, writing, and tutoring. So difficult to get out and about without a companion to galvanize me!
7/22/17
They don't make train depots like they used to! The old RR depot is now the Claremont Art Museum. I saw the tree exhibit today and then explored the town, looking for old trees. The art was so-so, but the history was interesting. Apparently they drew up a tree plan before they did any other city planning. This is indeed the City of Trees and PhDs (several colleges).
There's an old theatre near my home, as well as an old rock-built pump house, so I drove around there, too. Saw some major mansions up in the hills, and a development that is landscaped with rock. I thought this might be the Russian Village District, but that is east of Mills street, and I was further east than that. Must go back and look around again, perhaps on foot. As I was looking for the picture of the pump house, I discovered a League of Women voters 36-page report from 2005, regarding water rights. At that time, most of the local artesian wells were inactive, and Claremont was contracted with state entities for water from Mt. Baldy and the Colorado river. I'd like to find out what happened since then, as apparently they were looking at purchasing their own water rights 12 years ago. All these trees must take some major watering. As the pastor has said at the two baptisms I've attended in the last month, California is desert country, and water is a precious commodity.
There's an old theatre near my home, as well as an old rock-built pump house, so I drove around there, too. Saw some major mansions up in the hills, and a development that is landscaped with rock. I thought this might be the Russian Village District, but that is east of Mills street, and I was further east than that. Must go back and look around again, perhaps on foot. As I was looking for the picture of the pump house, I discovered a League of Women voters 36-page report from 2005, regarding water rights. At that time, most of the local artesian wells were inactive, and Claremont was contracted with state entities for water from Mt. Baldy and the Colorado river. I'd like to find out what happened since then, as apparently they were looking at purchasing their own water rights 12 years ago. All these trees must take some major watering. As the pastor has said at the two baptisms I've attended in the last month, California is desert country, and water is a precious commodity.
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| The trains stop here but It's only open for art. Recycled depot. |
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| Strangest green show ever: StaggerLee? Back in the Saddle? Spoons and stand up bass? Before Hamlet?!?! |
As I leash the dogs
I'm smelling smoke. They don't mind.
But I skip the play.
#outdoorplay #asthma #toocloseforcomfort
It rained on our walk, and now it's muggy. So, another quiet day in paradise: I did laundry, wrote a blog, logged in to tutor, canceled my dentist appointment (they don't take Medicaid) and did a photo shoot of Didi as she pestered me while I was on the phone. This is my favorite pic: she looks so demented!
7/24/17
Russian Village National Historic District in Claremont (actually, houses were built by a Pole with no architecture experience out of local rock and scavenging from demolished buildings). I want to live in one of these! Finding these was an example of serendipity: I saw a description in some of the historic materials at the tree exhibit.
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| Contemplating in A chance-met garden chapel: I just had to sing. |
7/25/17
Afternoon at the Getty. I don't know what I loved more: the setting or the art. The setting WAS art! And, despite the haze, the view was spectacular. In late afternoon you could feel the ocean in the breeze.
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| Image for St. Antony, healer and patron saint of pigs |
Made it to the Mark Taper Forum, just in time for the play (Heisenberg, with Mary-Louise Parker and Dennis Arndt), which was
hilarious and moving. It was about the unpredictability of relationships and personal events. Georgie reminded me of Mari, for some reason,
although MUCH more talkative. I drove through Beverly Hills and LA!
Took over an hour: the GPS on the iPhone kept re-evaluating the route
and sent me all over the place. Drove past Paramount Studio and La Brea.7/26/17
I swim lazy laps,
Paced by a red dragonfly.
What's the attraction?
Yesterday wore me out, what with the Getty and the driving in LA and the
play. It was fabulous, but today I'm going to sit and absorb. I had a
nice messenger chat with M, and we talked about slow travel. And
now I'm going to sit with coffee and crossword.
Vocal Forum lasted until 9:45: just made it back in time for the scheduled tutoring session.
7/27/17
relieved that TrumpCare "Skinny" did not pass
Caught up the Good Reads reviews.
7/28/17
Shared this Tshirt saying: I resist this super callous fragile racist sexist nazi potus
Another lazy day. I did make a plum butter cheesecake. There is a piano recital at the church tomorrow and Adan asked us to bring some food for the reception. It's not pretty; I made little tartlets and they stuck to the pan. I found a really simple cheesecake recipe (courtesy of Katie on FB): 3 ingredients. Blend cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk, then with egg yolks, then whip up the egg whites and fold them in and that's it.
In other news, I'm listening to/reading my very first Tony Hillerman book! You'd think after 5 years in NM I would've read something by him before now.
7/29/17
Sent photoshoot to C; she misses her fur babies.
Adan taped me talking about favorite hymns as part of the "Joyful Noise" service tomorrow. Then I attended an excellent piano recital. The white CD represents the music played. The plum butter cheesecakes were a hit. L shared some places to see: I have exactly 3 weeks left to experience this area.
7/30/17
Thinking about PDX's impending trio of triple digit days....
I swim gingerly
To the fluffy floating mass.
It's just a flower.
The church video turned out well.
I don't have scheduled tutoring sessions this week, so I'll be free to explore: I have 3 weeks left. I did float today for an hours' worth of time. Today at church we sang a lilting song, very Renaissance, and an adorable girl danced to it, also to the Prelude (Clair de Lune), with her own ballet choreography. The sermon was a series of interviews with members of the vocal Forum, talking about worshipful music. It was neat the different perspectives everyone brought. I come in at 10:24.
July 31, 2017
At the Huntington: Desert, Subtropical, Lotus Pond, Huge trees, Feet in the Portrait Gallery, Flowers, Chinese and Japanese Gardens, etc. Too many pix to post. Met Elaine, teacher with LA schools, and she gave me some sunscreen: saved my skin!
Knitting? Moi?
Me: I didn't make it to the Library!!!!
He: I hate it when that happens
Me: LOL. At $25 a visit....but they have a Gutenberg bible...just for starters. I'll have to come back. (I end up buying a membership, discounted by today's ticket.)
Vocal Forum lasted until 9:45: just made it back in time for the scheduled tutoring session.
7/27/17
relieved that TrumpCare "Skinny" did not pass
Caught up the Good Reads reviews.
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Now I'm cooking with gas! Plum Butter in process.
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Shared this Tshirt saying: I resist this super callous fragile racist sexist nazi potus
Another lazy day. I did make a plum butter cheesecake. There is a piano recital at the church tomorrow and Adan asked us to bring some food for the reception. It's not pretty; I made little tartlets and they stuck to the pan. I found a really simple cheesecake recipe (courtesy of Katie on FB): 3 ingredients. Blend cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk, then with egg yolks, then whip up the egg whites and fold them in and that's it.
In other news, I'm listening to/reading my very first Tony Hillerman book! You'd think after 5 years in NM I would've read something by him before now.
7/29/17
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| The yapper love fest: Keeping me from my coffee And swapping dog spit. Eewww. Awwww. |
Adan taped me talking about favorite hymns as part of the "Joyful Noise" service tomorrow. Then I attended an excellent piano recital. The white CD represents the music played. The plum butter cheesecakes were a hit. L shared some places to see: I have exactly 3 weeks left to experience this area.7/30/17
Thinking about PDX's impending trio of triple digit days....
I swim gingerly
To the fluffy floating mass.
It's just a flower.
The church video turned out well.
I don't have scheduled tutoring sessions this week, so I'll be free to explore: I have 3 weeks left. I did float today for an hours' worth of time. Today at church we sang a lilting song, very Renaissance, and an adorable girl danced to it, also to the Prelude (Clair de Lune), with her own ballet choreography. The sermon was a series of interviews with members of the vocal Forum, talking about worshipful music. It was neat the different perspectives everyone brought. I come in at 10:24.
July 31, 2017
At the Huntington: Desert, Subtropical, Lotus Pond, Huge trees, Feet in the Portrait Gallery, Flowers, Chinese and Japanese Gardens, etc. Too many pix to post. Met Elaine, teacher with LA schools, and she gave me some sunscreen: saved my skin!
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A $16 lunch at the Chinese garden but you can't beat the view
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| I'm getting sunburned At the Huntington gardens. But I am blissful. |
Knitting? Moi?
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| She looks like Miss Gulch |
Me: I didn't make it to the Library!!!!
He: I hate it when that happens
Me: LOL. At $25 a visit....but they have a Gutenberg bible...just for starters. I'll have to come back. (I end up buying a membership, discounted by today's ticket.)
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| At Orbit |
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| Mmmm. Ice cream. Avoiding heavy traffic home |
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| A lovely end to a lovely day |
