Egads! I Forgot About The Krampas!

"The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches."

~E.E. Cummings

Wow... this month is moving along! We are busy with the new kitten, Joey, and this weekend we are putting up the Christmas tree. That's going to be fun! Just when we got to the point that we could leave the kids home alone... with a fully decorated Christmas tree... what happens? Along comes an unexpected bundle of joy! LOL. We could have sent little Joey to a shelter, or tried to pretend we didn't see him at all, but can you imagine that Karma? Turning away a little one with no place to stay! No, there was no other way to go, but it's working out wonderfully, we are all falling in love with him a little more every minute. Even Hendrix and Dylan have been cordial... so far! A year from now I will be wondering, what was I so worried about? Or... I will remember why it was a good idea to be worried! LOL.

By the way, YIKES, I have been so busy I completely forgot to post my annual warning about Krampas Day, or actually Krampas night! Apparently I have been a good enough girl, as no Krampas has jumped from the shadows to spank me!  LOL. But snow is predicted for the lower hills and peaks around the bay tonight, and who knows, he might be lurking somewhere! So, I am taking no chances, I am in for the night, but come morning, if there is snow on the ground, I will be out in the soft cold snow, doing my best to pretend it doesn't hurt my ancient old bones! LOL. Anyway, here is a pretty nifty podcast I found on YouTube that tells the history of Krampas. Seriously, if you are already tired of all the early Christmas overload, the story of Krampas is a festive, and fun alternative!

 Go Watch It! Then visit their website!



:)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

One Paw At A Time

"The only thing a cat worries about is what's happening right now. As we tell the kittens, you can only wash one paw at a time."

~Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat

Yesterday, Alan and I discovered a sore on our new house guest, Foster, that we hadn't noticed before. We have had him since last Saturday, and we both thought we had checked him over pretty good, but somehow a gash under his front left leg had gone unnoticed. Foster doesn't complain much, in fact, the only real sound he makes is a heavy purrrrrrr. He is an amazingly beautiful, gentle cat. Anyway, we decided that if we were going to do right by him, a trip to see Dr. Barrett would be the thing to do. So, off to see Dr. B. we went!

Dr. Barrett confirmed a lot for us. The gash could have been done by the large crows Alan had seen circling Foster, when he first found him last Saturday. He also confirmed for me that Foster probably wasn't a feral cat at all! That kitten is way too gentle and agreeable to be a kitten that has had to hunt and care for himself for most of his young life. I can't be sure, but I think someone owned Foster, but when it became too inconvenient for them, they dropped him on the freeway, or nearby, and Foster couldn't care for himself as an outside, wild one.

We will never know what happened. And to be honest, I don't think I want to know. I know there are well meaning people in this world that sometimes make bone-headed decisions. And sometimes there are people who don't understand the difference between a domesticated kitty and a feral one, assuming Foster would have all the instinct and skills to survive on his own. But I also know that there is an ASSHOLE born every minute! W.C. Fields used to say... "There is a sucker born ever minute." He was right. But he forgot to mention that there are a lot of different people born every minute, and among them are the, ASSHOLES.

It doesn't matter. 

Little by little over the past week, Alan and I have both fallen completely in love with that little cat, but we were still sitting on the fence about whether keeping him would be the right thing to do. We live in a small place, that is completely filled with love already. Dylan and Hendrix are larger than life characters, and they have settled in nicely to their routines, but after a good long talk with Dr. Barrett, we decided to keep the kitten. So, we are now a slightly larger family of a Dad, Mom and three little boys. Honestly, I am not sure how it's going to work. Who will get super jealous? Who will be completely welcoming? Will Foster be able to blend in? Will Hendrix or Dylan get hurt feelings?

Am I too old to even try this? God, I feel so old. My Fibromyalgia exhausts me. All valid considerations I think. But somehow, keeping the little boy... well... just all feels so right! The only thing that didn't feel right is his name. Foster? Banana's Foster? Foster Brooks? Foster Freeze? Foster Child? Nope. That would never do! So, after some consideration, Alan and I chose a name in keeping with our love of music and musicians.

So, let me introduce to you...

Joey (Ramone)

We are all going to be fine! We are a family! And like everything else, we are going to take life one paw at a time!

And Now, My Favorite Ramone's Song...
"Sheena Is A Punk Rocker"
 

Joey And Me
December 5th, 2013
Joey's Official Birth Date
October 13th, 2013

Mood: Happy! Thank You, Dr. Barrett! :)

~Me :)

Serendipity

"It's hard to believe in coincidence, but its's even harder to believe in anything else."

~John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson

It's really cold tonight, so cold in fact that the local weather forecasters are predicting snow as low as 1,000 ft, which pretty much means, that Mt. Diablo, Mt. Hamilton and the Santa Cruz summit will definitely be getting a dusting of snow... and so will Grizzly Peak Blvd here in the Berkeley Hills. That probably won't be until Friday, but our little house guest, Foster, who I told you about in yesterday's post, had to come in tonight. I am not sure Dylan and Hendrix are ready to have company over, especially someone so wee, but ready or not, we are all going to have to make it work! 

Sometimes people come into our lives quite unexpectedly. Sometimes people leave our lives quite unexpectedly. We don't have much choice in these matters. All we can do is... our best! When I think about all the human friends I have lost, for one reason or another, I get so sad. I remember the day I drew a personal line in the sand and said... ENOUGH. When Mr. November, ran screaming from my life, I decided I would never put myself in that position ever again. NEVER. And then one day, you find yourself making a friend, and you forget why you decided to shut yourself off so completely? It's funny how some of the best things in life, are so rarely convenient. I still love Mr. November, but I don't think about him much anymore. A fact that occurred to me just the other day, when I was thinking about the fact that I rarely think about him anymore. LOL!

"Of course, that's how life is. A turn of events may seem very small at the time it's happening, but you never really know, do you? How can you."

~Tom Xavier, Dark Curses and Faerie Dreams

Although I do smile when I remember how he used to make me laugh! And how everything was okay when we were around each other, and in the last little bit of time he was around, before he moved away, we were... well... understanding each other a lot better. I know, what I am saying doesn't make much sense, but it does to me. It's all good. But I really don't think of it much anymore, time passes, and feelings fade, and light replaces sad feelings.

Right now I have a feline house guest who needs me. His name is Foster, and he is already my friend. He was put on the same path Alan and I are on, and maybe he will stay with us forever, or maybe one day he will move on to a new family, and it's what's meant to be. Life is sometimes not convenient. Sometimes it hurts like HELL. Sometimes it's the work we have to put into things, that pays off the most. Time moves us along to each new adventure, whether we want to go or not, but moving forward with an open heart, makes any adventure more exciting!

Serendipity: noun; the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable things not sought for; also: an instance of this.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Carousel Animals

"The ornaments of your house will be the guests that frequent it."

~Unknown



Meet Foster!

Foster is a silver tabby that Alan found on a freeway off-ramp this past weekend. Despite how big he appears in this photo, Foster is quite tiny. He is about 5 to 6 weeks old, and about as lost a soul as  could possibly be! He is also quite lovely... and cuddly... and every single day, I fall more and more in love! The trouble is, I already have 2 little boys. Dylan and Hendrix, who turned 5 years old this past September, and they have settled into their own routines. Hendrix would probably be happy to welcome Foster into our family, Dylan... not so much! He has always been insecure, and at times, jealous of Hendrix! Over time Dylan has come to realize that I am not cheating on him, by also loving Hendrix, and we all have an understanding, but it took a long time to get to this point, and I am not sure how it would work to officially blend Foster in.

All I know is, it was out of the question to leave that tiny tabby on the side of the road! Period! Alan spotted him, saw some angry, hungry crows, chasing Foster down, and couldn't bear the thought of doing nothing! So, he and I gathered up a butterfly net, and captured him as gently as we could, and brought him home, where he has been staying in a box in our shed. We bought him two brand new blankets, a big catnip pillow, some kitten chow, and a couple small toys from IKEA. And there he is, with plenty of room to move, and sleep, and do his business, while he decompresses from all the stress of being a tiny kitten, in a big scary world.

I don't know if we will keep him.

I am not sure if this is meant to be.

All I know is my broom kept falling down all last Saturday... and you know what that means!

 

Company is coming before the end of the day!

And it did!

Mood: Uncertain

~Me :)

December Nights

"For the happiest life, rigorously plan your days, leave your nights open to chance."

~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

I thought it would be fun to do some night photography, so I grabbed my camera and headed down Grizzly Peak to one of the pullouts overlooking the bay. This angle faces the Bay Bridge, and the South Beach and Mission Bay areas of San Francisco, and that is Oakland in the forefront. December is one of my favorite months for this kind of photography! It's usually windy, and cold, but well worth the effort.This photos features a rather ominous looking cloud over the bay, and some wispy ones above it. The photo came out with more noise than I would have liked. I need a lot more practice, so I will be posting more nighttime photos as we inch closer to the New Year!

Stay Tuned!

~Mood: Happy

~Me :)

What To Say?

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!"

~Dave Barry

Talk about taking the focus off of the true meaning of the holidays! How about stirring up a falsehood about the fictional war on Christmas? Every year since that particular bee flew into Bill O'Reilly's bonnet, we have the conservative right claiming to anyone who would listen, all 4 of them, that there is an all out war on Christmas! And now, because she can't seem to come up with an original idea or observation of her own, Sarah Palin has joined the pack of rabid elephants, sounding the warning cry, just like Paul Revere did before her, "by ringing them bells and firing those warning shots" and proclaiming, you'll never take our Red Ryder BB Gun! In fact, here is an excerpt from Sarah Palin's book, regarding guns, and her present to husband Todd on Christmas 2012...

*"Last year, however, I think I was able to pull off a good one for him. To combat the anti-gun chatter coming from Washington, I surprised him with a nice, needed, powerful gun. I then asked him for a metal gun holder for my four-wheeler. Not only was this small act of civil disobedience fun, it allowed me to finally live out one of my favorite lines from a county song: "he's got the rifle, I got the rack."

~Sarah Palin, from her book, Good Tidings and Great Joy 

Doesn't that just about say  Merry Christmas in the most joyous of ways? She didn't pick out a gift that said, I love you. She didn't choose a gift that reminded Todd of their lives together, or their many blessings. She didn't even consider a gift that reminded him of the simple joys we all have in our lives, most of which can be found just be looking around us. No, she bought Todd a gift that said, FUCK YOU CHILDREN OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY, I FIND MY JOYS IN PANDERING TO THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF THE NRA! 

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Don't ya know?

I don't know about you, but after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, I didn't really feel in the Christmas spirit. I didn't feel in the holiday spirit... or New Year's spirit for that matter! I did do a lot of crying, and signing of petitions, to hopefully put an end to the gun craziness. I prayed that our president and vice president, would finally do something about the Assault Weapons ban. Both men promised to try, both men failed. And relatively speaking, I have heard very little, at least less than I would like, about it since the middle of the year. Poor President Obama... he can't get anything done! At least that's his traditional cop-out. There... I said it!

Look, I am feeling better this year, and this week Alan and I are going to put up the Christmas tree and the yard decorations, life goes on. But for GOD'S sake, and that of the baby Jesus, while we are on the subject, can someone please shut Sarah Palin up for another 27 days or so? Nothing violent of course, just maybe the media could stop covering ever stupid syllable that falls randomly from her uneducated sour mouth. Maybe someone could explain to her that writing a book, about the joys of the holidays, and then fixating on everything that's wrong with people who embrace peace, is nothing more than shameless self promotion and commercialism at it's most vile.

I don't actually believe that there is an accurate word for anyone who would put a FALSE IDOL like a gun, before the safety of a child, but if you can't think of one, feel free to share in this comment thread. All I ask is that it's a real word, and you back up why you believe it to be accurate. It's not enough to know how you feel, you must know why you feel it. Think it through... don't be a Sarah Palin! And whatever you do, embrace this time of year, in your own way, but please consider all the free and simple blessings available every day. 

There is NO war on Christmas. There is however people who will use the season to garner attention, and a buck, for themselves. And by the way, commercialism is exactly as commercial as you make it! You, and only you, have the power to control that! If you feel Sarah's book is the niftiest thing since the Bible, then by all means buy it, and give it to anyone and everyone. But, if buying presents annoys you, make gifts! Think for yourself!

 Now... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

NOTE: As of today, Sarah Palin's book is #615 and has 2 1/2 Stars from Amazon reviews. 

Mood: Weary

~Me :)

Almost The Last Sunset Of November

"It seems there is more interest in sunsets than the sunrises. Perhaps because we innately fear the dark."

~Richelle E. Goodrich, Eena, The Two Sisters

This isn't the last sunset of November, it was almost the last sunset of November. It was taken on November 27th, Thanksgiving Eve, but it was so beautiful, and I was so happy and thankful just to be watching it, that I couldn't help but try and capture it's beauty forever! Unfortunately, this photo doesn't do it justice. It doesn't come close. But trust me, it was beautiful! I love November sunsets, I should really put them on my list of photography goals for 2014! I like sunrises also, and I am hoping to do one this week, with a little luck! I want to try and capture a photo of the Comet ISON. I have seen some photos of it, posted on Spaceweather.com, and it's amazing! ISON is an early riser, and I am not... lol... so we will have to wait and see!

UPDATE: Jeepers, before I even hit the publish button, came the alert that Comet ISON will not be visible to the naked eye as previously speculated. How sad. Well, that settles that! I guess I will just have to settle for the sunsets, and the next full moon on December 17th. December's full moon is called the Cold Moon, which makes perfect sense I think. So tell me, do you enjoy photographing the full moon, or other heavenly bodies? How about Comet ISON, did you manage to photograph it before it had it's close encounter with the Sun? 

There's more to come, so, STAY TUNED! 

Mood: Hopeful

~Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: Family

Dylan And Hendrix (Brothers)
Home
November, 2005


"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts!"

~Unknown

RRC: Family

I like this theme very much, and I wanted to capture some new photos that represent "family" but it has been a really hectic time, with the computer crash, and getting ready for Thanksgiving, so here are some long archived photos plus  one brand new never before posted photo. I think the archived ones were posted back far enough that they may be new to some! I promise... ALL BRAND NEW photos for the next RRC! I really do~ :)

Family...

A Family Of Zombie Apocalypse Scarecrows...
November 26th, 2013

A Swan Family
Palace Of Fine Arts
San Francisco, Ca
2005


A New Family
Legion Of Honor
San Francisco, Ca
2005


Okay, that's my post! Be sure to go see what the other Round Robin Challenge participants posted! Just click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the official Round Robin Challenges blog!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

A Look Back At November 2013: Thankfulness

"No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds... November!"

~Thomas Hood

Another beautiful November has come and gone. I loved this past month! I found inspiration everywhere! I feel happy inside, and I have found my inner peace again! November... I love you!

And Now, The November Gallery...

November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing, 
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.

~Elizabeth Coatsworth 

It was a beautiful month... but I am ready for December! 

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

It's Black Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

"Shopping Tip: You can get shoes for 85 cents at the bowling alley."

~Unknown

CHARGE IT! LOL. Well, okay, sure, why not? I am kidding... kinda. I did a little shopping last night, after our turkey dinner. It actually felt good to walk off dinner, and get some fresh air, and besides, I recently upgraded my Old Navy credit card, so I had some points to use! And, then, quite by accident mind you, I was approved for a brand, spanking new, MACY*S and Bloomingdales card! How was I approved accidentally? 

Funny story! You see, last year I thought it would be fun to apply for a MACY*S card, after years of not having one. I got rid of most of my department store cards a while back, when I realized I didn't really use them after I got my Visa card. Alan and I make most of our purchases together, so carrying around all those cards just seemed risky. But last year, in a fit of nostalgia, MACY*S was my first credit card, I decided to get one.

Unfortunately... I wasn't good enough for them!

I don't understand why... my credit is perfect. I pay my bills and live within my means, yet somehow, I wasn't their kind of shopper! Maybe that was the problem... I live within my means? Oh, who knows, maybe the stars simply weren't aligned just right. Shrug. But yesterday, while the turkey was cooking, I got a little bored and applied just for the rejection. How come you never get rejected when you want to? LOL. As soon as the website said, Congratulations... you are now a MACY*S cardholder, I looked for the, Hey wait I changed my mind," button but there wasn't one! Imagine that! I only got the Bloomingdales card, to see if the MACY*S card had been a lark! But apparently not, they like me now too... they really like me!

So, later today, after Alan gets off work, we are going to Union Square in San Francisco and watch other people spend money... oh and the ice skaters... oh and the lighting of the Christmas tree... oh and the menorah... Happy 3rd Night of Hanukkah! 

Tis the season!

Black Friday isn't a day anymore, it's a season! So, how about you, it's Black Friday, do you know where your bargains are?

Mood: Silly

Note: The silly girl in the graphic is clip art from a nifty photo editing site called Ribbet. But the bags she is carrying, and the VISA card are courtesy of Alan, he is so good at drawing stuff for me! I love that guy!

~Me :)

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

"Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment that causes peace."

~Todd Stocker

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays! I love all the cooking and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and in recent years, the football games! The best part is all the fun Alan and I have together! He loves to cook as much as I do, so he usually joins me in the kitchen. He and I always laugh our asses off, either from some memory of Thanksgivings past or from some new incident in the current year! Either way, we have fun together, and we just let the day happen!

He has to work this Thanksgiving, but he will be home by 2:30, and we will spend the rest of the day together! Dinner this year is a bit laid back, due to a stubborn 18lb turkey that refused to thaw in the refrigerator! No problem... we are substituting a perfectly lovely Turkey Roll in it's place! We will simply make the currently frozen bird for either Christmas, or New Year's dinner! It's all good!

"Be thankful for what you have. Your life, no matter how bad you think it is, is someone else's fairytale."

~Wale Ayeni

After dinner we will be putting the yard inflatables up. We have an 8ft inflatable Santa Claus flying an airplane filled with toys, a very jolly Christmas moose, and the cutest Christmas elephant you have ever seen! LOL. The yard is going to be very pleasant and joyful methinks! I was lucky to have found the inflatables last year, just after Christmas, on Groupon! You could say I am very thankful for Groupon! :)

Mostly, I am just happy, and thankful, that after all these years Alan and I still cuddle at night. We still know how to make lemonade out of the occasional bag of lemons, and we have two cute little fuzzy faces, Dylan and Hendrix, to cuddle with on cold, late autumn nights. I am thankful for the love that fills my little home, and the peace and quiet we have this year. Sometimes, late at night, I can hear Dylan snoring, and that makes me happier than I ever thought I could be!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."

~Melody Beattie

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mood: Grateful

~Me :)

In The Words Of Ernest Hemingway...

"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."

~Ernest Hemingway

 A cat does not hide their feelings! For the most part it is quite wonderful. On the other hand, once in a while they will not hold their feelings back, but they expect you to know, psychically I think, just how deep their feelings go. In an almost childish way of... well, if you don't know... kind of way!

The other night, very late, I got up to check on a noise I heard, and as I walked through the living room, I caught a glimpse of Dylan, sitting on a TV tray, with this look on his face. Now, if you had to guess, what do you think he was trying to communicate to me? Kinda difficult to tell, isn't it?

In The Words Of Paula Poundstone...

"The problem with cats is that they get the same exact look whether they see a moth or an ax-murderer."

And I'll be darned if she isn't right! Especially when it comes to Dylan! Hendrix kind of wears his heart on his sleeve, Dylan expects me to know what he is thinking at all times! This particular look caught me off guard! Now, I know Dylan loves me completely... but... love of owner has never stopped a cat from attempting to smother someone in their sleep! The one thing that all cats communicate well, is that, they don't have to love you! 

LOL.

Dylan and I stood staring at each other for what felt like 10 minutes, but was more than likely, 20 seconds. I wasn't afraid of my little tiger, or anything, but that look was giving me pause. No pun intended! At the point of 21 seconds of staring, he mewed and motioned to his favorite Zhu Zhu pet, Pinkie, and mewed again!

You see, he was asking me to repair Pinkie for him! Poor Pinkie met with a terrible end, one day last spring, when Dylan decided to give him the WHAT FOR and tossed him across the floor, separating him from his insides. Now Pinkie is but a pink fuzzy shell. He doesn't run, or back-up, roll across the floor, or speak, but Dylan loves him all the same. 

There is no way to explain that Pinkie is dead, and a replacement Pinkie would cost nearly $30.00. 

Besides... it wouldn't be the real Pinkie. 

Life is hard sometimes. But a little bit of love makes all the difference. So, after 20 minutes or so of brushing, and petting and cooing, Dylan seemed to feel better, and I always get so much joy out of spending quiet one on one time with him. He is my kitty, and I am his mama. The 4 of us are a family, and sometimes words aren't necessary. 

Just love.

Mood: Thankful

~Me :)

He Makes Our House A Home

"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become it's visible soul."

~Jean Cocteau

Oh boy, here we go again! I like to make the bed when I get up in the morning. I like it when everything looks comfortable, and in it's place! I don't always succeed in keeping things perfect, God knows that is true, but I try. My mother-in-law once told me that it is more difficult living in a small place than a big one because a small place is harder to clean! That bit of advice made no sense to me at the time, but I certainly get it now! Alan and I have always lived in relatively small places since we got married. We had a house for a couple years, but that didn't work out. Oddly enough it was in the bigger place we began to drift apart a bit. But after the house we moved into this cottage in the hills, and with the exception of a nasty neighbor or two, things have been lovely.

This cottage is our home. It's where we were when 9/11 happened, and nothing felt better than feeling safe in our home on that awful day! We still have the ethereal musician dropping by with notes on his saxophone drifting along the cool breeze that comes from the bay. We have owned the best cats ever in this place, first Elvis, then our current two children, Hendrix and Dylan. We have made some four legged friends here. Opossums that clean up the back yard when the last of the fruits have fallen in the autumn. Cats that belong to other tenants that drop by to say hello, like any good neighbor would. And sometimes you might even see a tree frog or two hop by. It's nice here. And lately, it's been quite calm as well!

So, when Hendrix climbed under the purple IKEA duvet cover, and snuggled himself in, what could I do? I let me sleep as long as he wanted to. It wasn't that much to ask for! Hendrix never complains... about anything! He takes care of his baby... Dylan. He takes care of us, all of us! He even worries about the little animals that make they're way through the yard sometimes. And look at him! He looks so comfortable, so safe, so content! Oh, who cares if the bed didn't get made today? Right? Hendrix is way more important making the bed! He's my little boy! He tells me he loves me, every single day, with kisses and snuggles, and hugs! I am so lucky! He, and is brother, make this house a home!

I love him so much, and I am so thankful he came to live with us after we lost Elvis!

Mood: Thankful

~Me :)

The Black Friday Season

"If I had a necklace made out of tiny suns, I'd only wear it at night when you could really see it. Sadly, I don't have a necklace like that. The closest thing I have is a necklace made out of those glow in the dark stars you stick to bedroom ceilings. But I only wear that on special occasions, like bedtime."

~Jarod Kintz, This Is The Best Book I've Ever Written, And It Still Sucks

The time has passes so fast between the end of our vacation, on November 7th and now. So, I guess that pretty much means, I am having more fun now, then I did on vacation, or... no wait... YES... I am having more fun now then I did on vacation! LOL. It's not that every minute of our vacation was lousy, but when you go out for a day and come home to a crappy neighbor, well, it can knock the wind out of one's sails. You know? And now, since Donny and Nina have moved, even the stormy, windy days are amazingly beautiful again! But then again, I always did enjoy a nice, dark, gloomy day, with rain pattering on the roof, and some insistent cuddling by my cats!

Thanksgiving is coming up this week, and Alan is doing a major amount of overtime! That means lots of time to myself, time to do things like cooking, and photography, and looking up juicy dirt on wacky celebrities on the Internet! Oh, and politics... one of my very favorite pursuits! And I will more than likely be doing all those things, plus scoping out the best Black Friday sales, being held on Thanksgiving this year! I don't usually partake of the sales on Black Friday, Alan and I like to go to Union Square, in San Francisco, order something delicious like Hot Chocolate and Cappuccino, and watch other people go crazy spending money! But this year, in that we won't get to have Thanksgiving morning, or Black Friday the way we traditionally do, I think I might join the Black Friday crazies, if the price is right!

A change of pace is a good thing once in a while!

And to make it all a little more special.... rain is predicted for later in the week, just in time for the holiday and the aftermath! I love putting on my Jersey Housewife coat (it's faux leopard don't worry) and my wool mittens, my warmer than warm scarf, and my suede boots and hitting a good sale! Gosh, how I miss my Jersey Housewife coat in the summer. :( But the real joy comes when I finally get home, and the house is quiet, except for the rain outside and the heater warming the house, and the cats chattering to the birds in the tree outside the window. And oh how dark the clouds make the day perfect! Sunshine is so common, the dark is where everything looks new, and different. You can think in the quiet. I love a dark rainy day!

:) Black Friday has become a season all it's own!

See those leaves, they are actually more of a pastel pink, and a subtle mauve. But at night, they transform into the earthy brown color you see. Funny how different things look in the dark.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Talking Turkey, I am No Henry Walden

Costco
San Ramon, California
November, 2013

"I still believe in the Holy Trinity, except now it's Target, Trader Joe's and IKEA."

~Jen Lancaster

To "Talk Turkey" means to talk serious about something. It's a straightforward approach to whatever is on one's mind, and is in need of being dealt with. Okay, let's talk turkey about some things. Oh don't worry, it's not the end of the world or anything, in fact, it's merely my opinion, but it's how I really feel, even if I come off a little less serious, and a little bit more... sardonic, or possibly... humorously sarcastic. If you have known me any amount of time, then you know I would much rather take the humor road to make a point, rather than punching someone between the eyes, but I am not above punching (metaphorically) speaking. Or physically if one needs it!

Just Kidding!

Shopping For Thanksgiving Dinner...

First of all, I love shopping for Thanksgiving dinner... LOVE IT! It was such a relief a few years back to finally embrace all things turkey, after a long bout of turkey wiggins, brought on by an encounter with a tainted turkey, prepared by the mother of a guy I had been dating! Ladies... talking turkey ... NEVER accept a dinner invitation to a "Thanksgiving Dinner" in June! Especially if said dinner is being hosted by your boyfriend's mother! It's a trick! She is just trying to see how fast you can forgive mistakes, and how strong your constitution is! Or maybe how well you will hold up under diversity, but one thing is for sure, Thanksgiving in June is just wrong! And so is losing your giblets from both ends for a week! Yep... a week!

Anyway, with all that unpleasantness behind me, no pun intended, I am now over it, and even making my very own roasted turkey dinner on the big holiday, in fact, I can't imagine not doing it now. It's actually a joy! A lot of work, but a joy all the same! My husband Alan enjoys cooking as well, and he is usually right there helping out any way he can. This year he has to work on Thanksgiving, which means a bit more work for me than usual, so Alan even offered to maybe give me a year off, and opt for a nice turkey roll, but I would have none of it, it was a full, bone in, frozen 18 lb. turkey in all it's plucked glory for me! I got mine at Costco.

Done And Done. The line was hideous, and I always seem to get behind someone with 2 items, but either can't find their Costco card, or is writing a check, or for whatever reason has to know every last detail about how long the frozen turkey has been in their store... and if it was in their freezer since Thanksgiving... 2007, because the saw a report on 20/20 about big box stores that store food too long! I could have used a diversion from the entertaining crazy that was happening that day, but like I said... Done And Done.

Murphy's Law And Henry Walden...

Costco was fun, but it wasn't the only store I visited last week. I was getting my shop on at IKEA as well! It seems it has finally become necessary for us to round up all those DVD cases, and get them organized in a cabinet. And Alan and I found the exact one we needed at IKEA, which just happened to be in the range of dimensions and $ we had decided on. Now I ask you, what could go wrong?

Well, as it turns out, with all the items IKEA carries, couches, chairs, tables, end tables, utility carts, flower shaped lamps, sewing machines, stuffed animals, fabric, clocks, wall hooks, entertainment centers, cutting boards, and Swedish Meatballs, what do you think was the one item that had to be specially ordered, and delivered to a warehouse in Hayward, California, for pick-up by me? Yep, the very DVD tower we picked out! So, in 5 to 25 days it will arrive, complete with instructions for assembly. Talking Turkey Mr. Murphy, wherever you are, you are a bit of a creep! And you are NO Henry Walden!

Sigh.

I Am No Henry Walden...

Waiting in line at stores is never a fun activity. Waiting in traffic is never fun. Waiting period is never much fun, but it seems like when doing either at certain stores, like... oh... say... Walmart, IKEA, Bed Bath And Beyond, it's even worse! Especially during the holiday season, when other people, not necessarily me mind you, might be a tad on the grumpy side. But fortunately, this past week I discovered a wonderful tool, right in my phone, which I had not previously thought of as a coping mechanism. My subscription to Netflix Mobile!

So, while those around me were hanging a puss, or yelling at their feral children, or considering setting their own hair on fire and running from the store, I was blissfully enjoying Season 2, Episode 26, of the Dick Van Dyke Show, "I'm No Henry Walden." Talking Turkey, easily one of the very best episodes of the series! But there were so many, who can narrow down a favorite? Although as the season, the holiday season that is, moves along, I expect I will have a lot of time waiting in line at various stores, and therefore more than enough time to decide which episode is my very favorite!

Or maybe I will just spend my time watching Rosemary's Baby!

Who Knows?

Mood: Pretty Darn Happy

~Me :)

It Was A Bit Windy Last Night!

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."

~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

 Did I mention it was a bit windy last night? Yeah, it was! Here you see the aftermath of the high winds, that followed the rainstorm, as it makes it's way down to Los Angeles! We were lucky, no trees fell on or around us. We didn't lose power, well, unless you count that less than 10 seconds of electrical blip we experienced around 6:00 P.M. Thursday night! We did however lose a beloved member of the family... my garden swing that my mother-in-law gave me for my 40th birthday!

Goodness, I loved that swing! Alan and I enjoyed many a warm autumn afternoon reading, while relaxing in the rose garden, on the swing. When I saw it's damage yesterday morning, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad, as I thought about all the memories of sitting on the swing with Elvis, both as he was a young cat, and in his final days. That simple garden swing meant a lot to me, but at the same time, I can't help but marvel at the irony, that while the swing was absolutely shredded, and twisted and pulled apart, the scarecrow only managed to lose her paper braids and hat! And looky there... Minnie Mouse, and my white lamb are still standing! :)

Who says Mother Nature doesn't have a sense of humor?

LOL.

But to make up for her wrath, she did manage to leave exactly two fully blooming roses left on the vines. One from my dark red rose Beloved, and one from the gorgeous, Red/Gold rose! I lost roses off of all the other rose bushes, so seeing those two roses, full with petals, made me very happy! And hey, even Paul, the Japanese Maple, is doing okay! As situations go... the windstorm, and it's aftermath, could have been much, much worse!




I really do have a GRATEFUL heart!

Mood: Happy, Grateful

~Me :)

The Fall

"Enchantment and fulfillment were on the gold and garnet horizon... autumn's breath, a dormant dream reawakened, a yearning nearly satiated, a tender thank you with a brush of the lips, and a connection as fingers touch and go hand in hand."

~Donna Lynn Hope

 As I write this, the wind is blowing wildly outside! I am afraid that when I get out of bed in the morning, and open my window, I will find that all of the leaves on the trees in the yard have fallen to the ground overnight! The wind is fierce enough tonight that I can tell some damage has been done to the rose garden. My garden swing is turned over, and the top is shredded, but what makes my heart sink is that it has apparently landed on top of my Apricot Nectar rose bush.

Sigh.

It's possible that the garden swing is simply resting over the top of the roses... I am keeping a good thought. Hey, if that is all that happens to me I will be lucky! I am watching the news, and they are reporting trees toppling over all over the East Bay, and as you might imagine... some deaths from debris flying about! Believe me, as much as I am worried about my roses, I am thankful... and grateful... we are safe and warm in our little cottage! 

   It's Fall. 

One reason I prefer to call this season Autumn.

It's like Fall is treacherous, but Autumn is serenity.


The news just reported that the winds are blowing at between 45 and 70 mph, and the weather warning is in place until 10:00 a.m today! What's disconcerting is that sometimes tonight, I have been hearing a rather ghostly moan. I know it's just the wind. It's just the wind. Still, the weather seems angry tonight! It's a difficult emotion to miss! And relatively speaking... the night is still young!

Stay Tuned. Pictures To Follow!

Mood: Jittery

~Me :)

Update: Winds in the Oakland Hills are at 65mph but at Alpine Meadows, in Placer County, they are currently at 120mph at 2:18 am EST! Check out my Twitter feed on the sidebar to see the weather graphic I just retweeted from @LiveDoppler7HD



 

Rain, Mud, Thankfulness

"On Thanksgiving Day, all over America, families sit down to dinner at the same time... half time."

~Unknown

                                       :)



 The last couple days it's been wet! Really wet! Pouring rain! Lovely, cold, festive, pouring rain! God how I love the smell of rain! The wet leaves, even the mud, makes me smile. It's not always ideal for taking photos, especially with all the extra traffic moving about, but still, I got a few acceptable photos that show how gorgeous the rain has made everything! I am hoping for rain next week for Thanksgiving, and so far it's looking really promising! It's going to be a nice, cozy holiday! What more could a girl ask for?

Mood: Thankful!




~Me :)

Art About Town: Oakland "Oakland Super Heroes" (A Mural Project)

"Oakland Super Heroes"
San Pablo Avenue
West Oakland, California
November 19th, 2013

"What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which terrible disease of loneliness can be cured."

~Kurt Vonnegut


This amazing mural, part of the, Oakland Superheroes Mural Project, so colorful, and certainly profound, can be found on an underpass of the 580 freeway, on San Pablo avenue, on the Oakland/Emeryville border. It was commissioned by the Attitudinal Healing Connection, Inc., whose mission is to build healthy communities, by breaking the cycle of violence by encouraging healthy communication through artistic expression. This mural in the series, was painted by several artists, one being Colin David Harris. You can read about his participation in the project by clicking the link below. It makes for inspiring reading!

 It does my heart so much good to see art in neighborhoods that need a little extra love. It has long been my feeling that art can save a person, like no other coping mechanism. I know it has been a big part of my personal healing over the years. Well, communities are made up of individuals, and we can all use a way to express ourselves sometimes, when mere words fail us. Communities on a whole are not much different than the individual in that respect! Lives are saved, by taking one small inspiring step at a time. I applaud this project, and look forward to seeing more murals as they are added along San Pablo avenue.

The mural on it's own is amazing, but the other day while I was admiring it, I happened to see this chair sitting to the far left of it. To me, it brought the whole scene to another level. There was just something touching about that beautiful, lonely, lost chair, seeming out of place at first glance, but upon deeper reflection, is really right where it should be. An art piece unto itself! Someone designed that chair, someone bought it, and alas, someone discarded it. But the inner beauty lives on. It has character, you can see it in it's imperfection, in it's weariness. I don't know... it just fits the scene somehow. Some will look at it as an old piece of unwanted furniture, but when I look at it, I see a story, a life, a spirit...

Thoughts?

Feel free to tell me what you think. You are more than welcome to leave me your comments, in the thread for this post. I would like to know what your thoughts are on art being used to find common ground, and healing in communities. 



 Artist Interview: Colin David Harris (Oaktown Art)

Attitudinal Healing Connection

Oakland Superheroes Mural Project

Mood: Inspired

~Me :)