tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39359962011-12-29T22:10:15.578-08:00Come back to peer; sometimes I spout!annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.comBlogger3561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-34915592936526735392011-12-29T22:10:00.001-08:002011-12-29T22:10:15.585-08:00

Geocaching is a sport that has been around for quite some time. Someone hides a container with a logbook and a trinket or two inside, publishes the latitude/longitude coordinates on the geocaching web site and waits for someone to find and log the discovery. I discovered geocaching a couple years ago and made some tentative - and unsuccessful - attempts to find nearby caches. It was humiliating

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-66483591587639394532011-12-16T18:18:00.001-08:002011-12-16T18:18:42.213-08:00

At first I thought a Sunday Christmas was a good thing. now, I'm not so sure. I grew complacent, thinking we had LOTS of time, Now, it's nine days to Christmas, and we have yet to:Get our tree,Write the annual Christmas letter,Bake cookies and more cranberry bread,Mail cards.Instead, I've been playing DragonVale and obsessing over breeding a Reindeer dragon, a Blue Fire dragon, and a Crystal

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-81640038185780975322011-12-07T22:34:00.001-08:002011-12-07T23:47:05.627-08:00

It's been a few years since I've needed to monitor homework assignments, attend Back to School Night, solicit co-workers for school fund-raisers. Now that Daughter spends most of her time with friends and eats at home only occasionally, we've had to adjust the portions we cook, as well. You'd think I'd be at a loose end or have an immaculate house, but actually, I'm enjoying a new opportunity

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-34470151756050577272011-11-22T12:44:00.001-08:002011-11-22T12:44:01.910-08:00

I've been asked for this recipe three times in the last 24 hours, so I'm publishing it here. Once you try it, you may never be completely happy with ordinary cranberry sauce again! I got the recipe from my mother; although there are many cranberry chutney recipes on the web, none that I found even came close to this one. Note: Since cranberries seem to come in 12 oz. bags now, instead of 1 lb.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-87257020967879802162011-10-30T14:26:00.000-07:002011-11-04T23:43:33.147-07:00

Spent the last week of June in New Orleans attending the American Library Association's annual conference. My hotel, the Intercontinental, was about a mile from the Morial convention center. The convention center is just over a mile long. I did a LOT of walking! I blogged my conference sessions at Annot8tions. This post is about the other things I did on the trip. The first day, I walked to the

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-37741347410043590402011-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:002011-10-30T14:23:26.454-07:00

It should be easy. But it's not. All I want to do is add a photo to the library's online calendar listing announcing a digital photography class I'm facilitating. The calendar's image handling ability is frustrating! I can't upload to the directory where the calendar resides, as directed; nor can the calendar apparently pull a photo from Picasa or Flickr. So now I'm placing the photo here,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-47333950938080482282011-05-28T15:50:00.000-07:002011-05-28T16:04:26.086-07:00

On Saturday, May 21, all the Hawaii cousins and those visiting from California and Texas came for lunch at Mom's house in Kailua. Here's a slide show of photos that Jojo took of that occasion, and also some photos I took on the Arizona Memorial tour. These photos are also posted on Shutterfly, which offers a few more options.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-6918008905087284002011-04-16T22:30:00.000-07:002011-04-16T23:39:56.170-07:00

Daughter is chaperoning Kennedy High School's Marine Corps JROTC class on a field trip to Twentynine Palms next week. Although she's almost never here anyway, that means Husband and I will temporarily be empty-nesters from Sunday through Friday with no one to worry about except ourselves. I anticipate peace and quiet and a lot fewer dishes in the sink!I'll also be using this week to tidy up

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-21301934053633692952011-02-24T22:28:00.000-08:002011-02-24T23:12:53.969-08:00

I missed my Fall heating benchmark last November: it got cold early, and we had to turn the heat on before Thanksgiving. I missed my Spring benchmark this month: it is remaining cold, and I wasn't able to turn the heat off on Valentine's Day. Anything blooming outside will get creamed this weekend!How cold is it? It's so cold, the National Weather Service has issued a Severe Weather - Hard

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-50897901917472836342011-02-06T16:21:00.000-08:002011-02-06T16:40:27.520-08:00

It's my turn this month to host our book discussion group, which has no name. We are reading Geraldine Brooks's "The Year of Wonders: a novel of the plague."Coincidental with my reading of this uncomfortably graphic account of a year in a 17th century English village plagued with the Plague, was the introduction into our household of a nasty, vicious rhinovirus which has progressively felled us,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-5174982329064255552010-12-16T23:48:00.000-08:002010-12-19T16:12:01.588-08:00

I finished the Bernat Mystery Afghan I began in September in time to send it to Father-in-Law for Christmas. The beginning of my project doesn't give any clues as to the finished afghan AT ALL! And, like all the other crocheters, I had a problem with the corner squares - because they didn't work up square. Bernat invited us to submit photos of our completed projects, and you can see mine here

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-65021891457294356312010-12-03T17:47:00.000-08:002010-12-03T17:58:30.491-08:00

When I was about 3 or 4 years old, my Gramma would take me "Downtown Honolulu" on the bus, and we would walk up and down the sidewalk looking at the animated Christmas displays in the store windows. It was so amazing to me to see Santa waving, elves ice-skating, reindeer noses blinking, Mrs. Santa baking cookies and Christmas tree lights twinkling.This year, in Sacramento, some antique animated

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-91119096916593906282010-11-24T20:56:00.000-08:002010-11-24T22:48:00.955-08:00

We are employed at work we love, and we have enough to eat.We have a comfortable place to live.Our family is healthy. Mostly.Our extended families still talk to us.Next month, the car is paid for.The hummingbirds like the sugar-water we provide.We have thoughtful and supportive friends.We live in the United States.The weather is cold enough to warrant a crackling fire and fleece booties.I have a

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-43945543700949686202010-11-14T09:32:00.000-08:002010-11-14T22:19:52.843-08:00

Toward the end of our stay in Copenhagen, the wind came up. Sometimes, it rained. While waiting for the airport shuttle, I saw this banner blowing about, and used the Fuji Finepix to capture a few seconds of the action.I'm so glad I bought that coat in London! It was perfect for the weather!

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-59301099525993887092010-10-21T00:22:00.000-07:002010-10-21T01:06:14.937-07:00

Copenhagen in October is dicey. The first two days were overcast and breezy. Daytime highs: upper 40s; nights: upper 30s. But today, it is beautiful! Blue skies, white clouds, and sunshine - lots of sunshine!On my first day here, I took the Metro (light rail) to Kongens Nytorv station in the city of Copenhagen, and did the canal tour. Our guide pointed out the different islands, the important

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-82682432860773235232010-10-19T09:37:00.000-07:002010-10-19T09:58:30.063-07:00

In my imagination, the Tower of London was the British version of Kilmainham Gaol. When I finally visited it for the first time, I was stunned to see it is a little medieval village on the Thames. It has a moat, a wall - several, in fact - residences, a surgeon's office, and, wait for it, several towers.Our timing was good, and we found the beginning of a tour and tagged along. The tour guide

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-22109739424025003502010-10-19T08:44:00.000-07:002010-10-19T09:56:35.375-07:00

Marty and I are traveling through London on our way to Copenhagen for the iGaming conference. Marty wanted me to see some of the things he enjoys most about London, and I wanted to touch bases again with Carol, a distant cousin descended from my great grandfather. By coincidence, another cousin, Peter, was also in town on his way home to Jamaica, so the four of us met at The Audley, a

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-59496234257879665812010-10-10T13:33:00.000-07:002010-10-10T14:23:58.023-07:00

Bernat, the yarn company is in week 3 of its first "crochet-along". The final product is a sampler "Mystery Afghan", and Bernat is releasing a clue a week for 12 weeks, from September 22 through December 7. The ultimate design of the afghan won't be revealed until the very end.I'm finding it very doable - the squares work up really fast, and I can usually complete 2 during the nightly TV news. I

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-16720574333073289032010-08-25T11:16:00.001-07:002010-08-25T11:55:33.651-07:00

I bit the bullet. I took the plunge. I screwed up my courage to the sticking-point. I joined Toastmasters. I've been toying with the idea for a couple of years, and felt that now is a good time to participate. I'm giving a presentation at the next Internet Librarian conference, and wanted to learn to feel more comfortable speaking before people who know more than I do about lots of things.The

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-56793460972277629622010-07-12T14:05:00.000-07:002010-07-12T15:19:14.194-07:00

On July 12, in the mid-80s, Husband and I tied the knot. Got hitched. We were lucky to be able to have the ceremony in the most beautiful place in the world, Kalua'aha, Molokai, in a tiny church built by Fr. Damien - now St. Damien - in 1874.Ten years before the wedding, on my very first visit to Molokai with my friend Louise, we drove by the church on our way to the East End. I knew at that

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-61330780010860152042010-05-31T17:12:00.001-07:002010-05-31T17:28:06.326-07:00

Husband's hands hurt when he types. They hurt so much, he has to apply liniment and wrap them in bandages. Yet he needs to write articles, opinions, letters, book chapters, studies, ... as part of his work. Enter the Dragon, Naturally Speaking.Dragon is software that transcribes into text what you say into a microphone. It makes it immeasurably easier for Husband to get those documents out,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-15062150436049291952010-05-15T23:46:00.000-07:002010-05-15T23:59:09.614-07:00

This afternoon, my library put on a Modern Warfare 2 tournament. A woman saw the flyers a couple of weeks ago and felt morally obligated to object, because she was personally opposed to all warfare. When the library justified its position, she got the Veterans for Peace involved, and they organized a phone and e-mail campaign trying to get the library to cancel the program. Our library

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-7368348582516618152010-05-10T22:25:00.000-07:002010-05-11T00:02:00.040-07:00

It rained and stormed today! Gusty winds from Alaska and drenching downpours this afternoon made it the perfect day to stay indoors with a hot drink and a good movie. My friend and I, having missed it on the big screen, had planned to watch "The Time Traveler's Wife" anyway, since Monday is my day off, and we couldn't have timed it better! The meteorologist on the 10pm news said today had the "

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-44249204333757228792010-04-22T20:42:00.000-07:002010-04-22T20:55:35.439-07:00

Well, when you take it a step, a day, at a time, eventually you get to the mileposts. Our most recent milepost marks the 18th birthday of our youngest Daughter. She's taking full advantage of her majority by staying out late every night. She will be graduating from high school in June, and then I think we'll be in for a wild summer ride!Although it feels good to be free of the responsibility

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-28982673625229217432010-04-16T22:28:00.000-07:002010-04-16T23:32:15.303-07:00

Many, many years ago, I burned a bunch of midnight oil learning to code web pages by hand. The result was the Owens' Outpost, which started on Netcom, migrated to Earthlink, and now resides on Comcast. Since then, blogs mushroomed and I created this blog and Ancestories essentially to supersede the Outpost. However, the last Outpost still lives on the Comcast site, and I guess it's time to

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-3692467825880956112010-04-04T10:18:00.000-07:002010-04-04T10:56:19.104-07:00

This has been a longer winter than usual - I failed to meet my Thanksgiving benchmark for turning the heat on, and I failed to meet my Valentine's Day benchmark for turning it off. The weather warmed up for a bit, and I turned off the heat during the third week of March; but I turned it back on two days ago because we're in the midst of another cold spell and rainstorms. (Outside high yesterday

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-32198212772448792782009-12-28T16:33:00.000-08:002009-12-28T16:49:50.595-08:00

C25k - What the heck? It means, "Couch to 5k" and is a 10-week training program that helps participants get fit enough to run their first 5k race. I've walked three official 5k races now, and it's time to up the ante. Rather than go for a longer walking race (though that's still not completely off the radar), I decided to work on jogging a shorter race.So - my goal is to run the Sacramento Zoo

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-53255223357028919982009-12-23T21:06:00.000-08:002009-12-23T22:23:05.300-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,I'm finding it surprisingly difficult to write this letter. In my electronic playgrounds of Facebook, Twitter, Skype, blogs and e-mail, I've been in touch with friends and family more than ever, so there's very little "news" that hasn't already been shared. But for those who are not online, here's a short recap of our year.Despite California's worsening economy, we've

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-85517275947770050622009-12-18T23:13:00.000-08:002009-12-18T23:38:05.248-08:00

The tree is all decorated, there's a crackling fire going in the fireplace, and Husband is asleep in the La-z-boy. It's cold enough outside that we can really enjoy the warmth of the fire, and we keep it cool enough inside to require fleece booties and a sweater.I finished my first cabled scarf, and now I'm looking for a new project for a toasty greyish tweed yarn I bought. But I may put that on

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-32187203060076375032009-12-08T23:21:00.001-08:002009-12-08T23:34:20.384-08:00

This morning, the temperature was 23 degrees, breaking a previous low for the date. I brought in the tropical plants that are still portable, and covered the ti, which is not portable, with a fleece blanket we got from some "save the wolves" organization. Tonight, the weather man said we will experience another night of "hard freeze", so Daughter and I hung a bed-sheet from the bolts in the

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-58880555539669362172009-12-07T14:23:00.000-08:002009-12-07T14:40:30.824-08:00

Marty and I drove up to Shingle Springs this morning to see the snow. There was still a trace on the ground in El Dorado Hills at about 11 a.m., and in Cameron Park, there were several inches on the ground, the rooftops, the guardrails and road signs, the trees ... We went one stop farther, to Shingle Springs, before we decided the conditions were getting a little dicey for us, since we have no

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-19806120006300097822009-12-06T22:23:00.000-08:002009-12-06T22:32:17.594-08:00

The excitement is building, whipped by the animated storm maps of the meteorologists on every television channel. A very cold storm arrived today, dumping enough snow in the foothills to warrant closure of Highway 80, one of the busiest trans-sierra routes. There have been over 45 storm-related accidents in the last 4 hours up there!But why the excitement? Because the storm is so cold, there is

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-78743995459182062682009-11-27T16:18:00.000-08:002009-11-27T16:36:56.820-08:00

Grumble, grumble ... I filled the crock pot with good home-made turkey broth, vegetables, seasonings and a handful of barley, turned the dial to "high", and went out with Husband to the gym and my favorite yarn shop, Rumpelstiltskin. I was SO looking forward to the aroma of dinner upon our return, but ... the darn pot wasn't plugged in! Dang! So, now it has to go on the stove instead, in order

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-8407899402338295252009-11-26T21:58:00.000-08:002009-11-26T21:59:01.640-08:00

I received an invitation to Google Wave last week. It's like trying to play checkers with yourself - more fun when you're "waving" with friends. I send out a couple of my own invitations - be interesting to see if either invitee responds.Wave is a way to communicate in groups in real time by chat, file and photo sharing. The total communication experience is called a wave. Waves can be

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-37583886071608923572009-11-26T21:42:00.000-08:002009-11-26T22:20:12.406-08:00

Thanksgiving Day, 2009There were only three of us this year, because Pat went to Seattle to visit friends. We didn't take pictures, just this short video of Laurel unstuffing the turkey. In fact, next year, we may not even do a turkey, but may go out - there's more cleanup when there's the same amount of food and not enough people to make a dent in it! I took the video clip with my new Flip

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-38591082465946100032009-11-22T12:52:00.000-08:002009-11-22T13:19:46.344-08:00

Just looked at the sidebar of this blog, and discovered I've been spouting for seven years, since November 2002. That's actually quite a long time! I'm proud of myself for keeping it going for so long.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-59800469224103256962009-11-13T22:21:00.000-08:002009-11-13T22:35:56.186-08:00

I've seen this - or another similar video - before, but decided to blog it this time, because I can never remember how to do it after I shut down the laptop. When I think of all the folding I had to do when the kids were growing up, I wish I had known this trick - it would have made laundry day so much quicker! And now that the weather is getting colder, I wonder if it works as well with

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-51197546736845682672009-11-01T21:59:00.000-08:002009-11-01T22:20:10.542-08:00

I came home with eyestrain and brainstrain this year! The eyestrain was from staring at computer screens and presentations for five days, and the brainstrain was from all the good stuff presented and discussed. It was really fun to have a buddy at the conference, but it was almost like experiencing it for two - it was Debbie's first library conference and there was a LOT going on! I am blogging

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-16229622035534434032009-10-25T07:17:00.000-07:002009-10-25T07:31:09.064-07:00

We've take over Monterey! Thousands of Internet Librarians are gathered this week for the Internet Librarian conference. This year's theme is "Net initiatives for tough times." I try to attend every year, and due to the aforesaid tough times, I'm attending on my own dime. Three other librarians from Sacramento Public Library are also attending. I got in yesterday at noon via Amtrak, and expect

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-594508471588561222009-10-18T17:27:00.000-07:002009-10-18T18:07:24.824-07:00

A couple of years ago on my way to Hawaii, I met Dierdre on the plane - we shared a row and discovered similar interests. We returned to Sacramento on the same flight, as well, and we've kept in touch.She invited me and Marty to last night's pre-release screening of the 2009 Reel Rock Tour at the Pipeworks climbing gym, featuring a National Geographic Society video about her son, Alex Honnold,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-57318084503861058692009-10-15T22:29:00.000-07:002009-10-15T22:51:53.557-07:00

I spotted it in Staples a couple of weeks ago and couldn't resist the low price - very deeply discounted from its original list because a newer edition is on the market now. It gets rave reviews from librarians, teachers, and Computer World magazine for its ease of use, so I decided to get one for myself: the Flip Video Camera. I've been taking it everywhere with me, and have a dozen 20-second

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-31818545819414115302009-09-27T22:11:00.000-07:002009-09-27T23:03:11.708-07:00

Marty and I have been going exploring on Sundays to places near Sacramento that a) we've never visited, and b) are scenic enough to inspire him to sketch the landscape. Today we found a most scenic spot.We planned to drive out near Fairfield to see the hills, all golden in this late summer, and along about Davis, took a detour up through Winters on a whim, looking for Buckhorn's. We discovered

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-23469536141371477272009-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:002009-09-01T21:31:12.476-07:00

The process was cheap and easy, but the reams of agreements, policies, privacy statements, were costly in terms of paper and ink. Yes, I finally succumbed to the lure of a personal domain name and set one up this evening. I'm now the proud owner of www.annot8tions.com! In a few days, after the bots have a chance to update the indexes, the address of this blog will change from "

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-60242411986976708812009-08-17T14:40:00.001-07:002009-08-19T08:27:37.336-07:00

These townhomes on the part of Riverside Boulevard that actually runs along the riverside have been stalled in construction for over a year. Yesterday they got torched. The fire was so hot, it jumped the road and burned the grass on the levee, too. On the map, the footprints of the five incomplete units of 24 that were to be built are shown on the vacant area. Of the 5, only half of this end

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-80286822476261582742009-07-16T23:42:00.000-07:002009-07-16T23:56:55.055-07:00

Ten years ago, Ginny came to visit in 110-degree July heat. This year, the weather was a little more palatable. She was in California to introduce her company's veterinary products, and was able to arrange a couple of days in Sacramento to visit us again. We went to dinner at Scott's Seafood on the River, and ordered a pizza the second night. Hoping it won't be that long before we see her

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-43282931372279080222009-07-10T22:49:00.000-07:002009-07-10T23:32:39.856-07:00

While in Hawaii, we got a call from our cousin Gertie in Manteca that Bill Cummings, her son-in-law, had passed away. He had, in November of last year, developed shoulder pain and a cough; in January, they called it cancer, and began chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. Then they discovered additional tumors, and on July 5, in the morning, he entered eternal rest.Bill's memorial service on Wednesday

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-82622400682822347862009-07-04T17:07:00.000-07:002009-07-04T17:43:03.462-07:00

We're so lucky that the 60-somethingth annual Kailua Fourth of July parade passes just a block from Mom's house, and we're on the shady side of the street! This is the biggest parade in Hawaii, and today it lasted nearly 2 hours. The Navy band led, followed by the dignitaries: Grand Marshall Wally Amos, Governor Linda Lingle, Senator Dan Inouye, and others from Washington and Honolulu. Then

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-77998124172244176762009-07-03T23:36:00.000-07:002009-07-03T23:57:09.968-07:00

Met a new neighbor the other day, who has only lived on this street for 6 months. She invited me to go snorkeling this morning, and I was delighted to go along. She has a retired Thoroughbred jumper boarding near Pupukea, so we stopped there first to check up on him and give him some carrots. We then continued to Three Tables, making a short detour into Foodland to grab a sandwich for

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-82275053255583452692009-06-29T23:41:00.000-07:002009-06-29T23:56:45.207-07:00

Mom's caregiver, Isy, started these little "pines" from the tops of pineaples purchased at the grocery store. They're about a year old, and the little fruits will be ready for harvesting soon, I think. Brother put them in the ground a couple of weeks ago, transplanting them from the glass mayo jars they had been living in up to now. He also put some of the papaya seedlings up in gallon pots. (

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-19548335084158576452009-06-15T23:54:00.000-07:002009-06-26T21:12:00.667-07:00

Daughter had her third and final required Driver's Ed class today, and passed with flying colors. Unfortunately, her learner's permit expires in 4 days, and I'm going to be away. IF we can get to the safe box tomorrow for the required documents, and IF she can get a road test before the permit expires, we're going to have Helen Wheels this summer. She doesn't want to take the learner's permit

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-47002561153584325152009-06-15T23:22:00.000-07:002009-06-15T23:50:18.715-07:00

Next weekend will be the beginning of summer. Mother Nature is still shaking her featherbeds, I think, because the weather is still cool with clouds and occasional sprinkles of rain. I've been working on a shawl since last fall, and it's almost finished now. I usually work on it for about 40 minutes while watching the 10 o'clock news. I think I'm within a couple of days of finishing the shawl

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-39565396424036601882009-06-07T23:00:00.001-07:002009-06-07T23:15:51.650-07:00

This morning, Husband and I arranged to meet my friend "D" at the gate of William B. Pond Recreation Area for a walk along the American River. She said she used to run here with her husky several years ago, and that the walk was "wild" and scenic. She was right. Although there were many people in the area, most with dogs, the equestrian trail was unimproved and provided many beautiful vistas

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-22903132076163399322009-06-04T21:48:00.000-07:002009-06-04T22:29:14.667-07:00

Last weekend, Marty and I went to Mather Lake in the Mather Rotary Regional Recreation Area, former site of Mather Air Force Base. The lake is formed by a dam across Morrison Creek, and is fed, during dry years, by water pumped from nearby businesses. Creation of the park is still underway, but it now includes fishing, picnicking and barbecue facilities, restrooms, and a play area for children.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-43066356329646901662009-05-29T21:37:00.000-07:002009-05-29T22:25:45.813-07:00

Skype is a wonderful service! Cousin in Toronto convinced me to sign on and it allows us to talk using voip at no charge. Since my first talk, I've also found a longtime friend online, who lives in Saipan. She also skypes to keep in touch with her daughter, who lives in Japan; and now we skype, too. It's a trip to consider the time difference: I called her on Memorial Day, and it was already

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-63298718489168719532009-05-25T11:28:00.000-07:002009-05-25T12:00:24.931-07:00

I entered myself and Marty in the 5th annual Buzz Oates "No Excuses 5k" run/walk several weeks ago, because it is held in beautiful Land Park and winds around ponds, old houses and the golf course under stately shade trees. Then Marty got the flu, and a week later I got a cold. My hip started to hurt and I stopped walking for a while.Although neither of us is 100% recovered, we picked up our

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-71429636593429908992009-05-12T21:46:00.000-07:002009-05-12T21:58:03.047-07:00

I may be on to something! If you've ever had a recalcitrant teen refuse to do household maintenance just because you said it was needed, you will appreciate this. Both Husband and Daughter asked what I wanted for Mother's Day, and I said, "ten bags of stuff we can take to Goodwill." I figured it would be easy to fill three grocery bags each and I already had a full bag standing by the door. So -

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-29242935159700643842009-05-02T09:35:00.001-07:002009-05-03T12:03:57.621-07:00

I picked up a little book in Doubleday a few weeks ago that details hikes for families around the Sacramento area. So for the last two Sundays, Marty and I have begun exploring some of the trails.Two weeks ago, we went to Beek's Byte in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area and enjoyed the dirt trail around the end of the lake. Last weekend, we revisited Ancil Hoffman park. We used to take the

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-1406949914730391852009-03-22T10:22:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:00:30.232-07:00

Ordinarily. I leave flower photos to my friend. This morning, however, when I stepped outside, this perfect camellia just begged to be photographed. There are lots of buds on the bush, but it looks like rain today, and that will spoil them. I clipped it, brought it inside, and sat it down for a portrait. I hope to enjoy it all week.Speaking of week, one week from today, at this very time, I will

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-21606070850582512592009-03-08T11:35:00.000-07:002009-03-08T12:01:28.524-07:00

Time was, I would take the first week of March off and prepare our tax returns. For the past 3 years, we had an accountant do them, but last year, we had a difference of opinion about the correctness of the return. So this year, I'm reprising the ritual. I'm taking this entire week off to submerge myself in piles of receipts, credit card statements, and 1099s.I've installed Turbo Tax (lazy -

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-17867494546477243912009-03-04T21:04:00.000-08:002009-03-04T21:24:10.983-08:00

This evening on my way home from work, I got a call from Daughter saying she and her friends were robbed at gunpoint while sitting in the park a block from home. Three black dudes were involved - one walked ahead; the other two made small talk and then showed a handgun and asked the kids to empty their pockets, but all they got were the cell phones. Daughter had the presence of mind to remove

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-9514705896110425382009-03-02T21:32:00.000-08:002009-03-02T22:12:28.976-08:00

... t's the new water cooler. And every day, I spot another friend there. Today I added about three "friends" from among people I know from the family or from work, and in addition, I found a Facebook group for the 23 Things summit I'm attending tomorrow. Facebook is nice, because there are pictures there, a few games and silly "gifts", and also the ability to chat in real time if you happen

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-41055090909776439612009-02-25T00:07:00.000-08:002009-02-25T20:31:08.583-08:00

This Goldfish plant, named for the flowers' color, shape and the way they seem to "swim" out of the foliage, was a gift from a friend. I put the two clippings in a pot a few weeks ago and set it in my front window. The blossom was a surprise!

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-71333237503247920362009-02-20T23:16:00.000-08:002009-02-20T23:32:02.130-08:00

This is a prayer shawl I began working on before it got cold. Spring is on the way now, though, so it may get finished right about the time we start wearing shorts and sleeveless tops. Prayer shawls are supposed to be made to give away. As you knit or crochet them, you are entwining good thoughts and prayers for the recipient in each stitch. When worn, it's like a hug. I think I'm going to

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-74570820002270079362009-02-09T14:10:00.000-08:002009-02-20T23:11:59.652-08:00

Tra la! It's May, the lusty month of May, ...Well, maybe it's not quite May, but mid-February is doing a fairly decent impression of Spring today. Some ornamental trees are coming into bloom, and the grass along the levee is coming up nice and green. We've had a couple of days of rain, and they say more is on the way. But today ... today is just glorious!

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-89039055632147347272009-01-28T20:14:00.000-08:002009-01-28T21:06:57.727-08:00

In December and January, the Crocker Art Museum hosted an exhibit of the artwork and technology that went into creation of the old Warner Brothers cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, and Roadrunner, et al. Marty and I went to see it a couple of Sundays ago, and were as much entertained by the smiles beaming from the faces of old and young as by the cels and backgrounds

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-61389273752811016312009-01-17T14:52:00.000-08:002009-01-28T21:09:09.004-08:00

The photo's not the best, but I wanted to celebrate right away! I got the Hawaii Quarter the other day, and now my state quarters collection is complete.It's been an interesting 10 years, learning about each state and the picture it chose to represent itself in the series. When I started, Daughter was 5 and Son was 10. Keeping an eye out for the new quarters became such a part of my life, I was

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-50469260647010408912009-01-09T23:40:00.000-08:002009-01-09T23:45:28.137-08:00

Don't know if this comfy chair is still there, but I was thinking that management had the right idea - making their store "sticky" by providing incentives to linger. I'v been carrying this photo around for a while - since before Christmas - waiting for an opportunity to upload and share.I don't even remember which store it was, now, but the chair certainly was a nice touch. You can tell I've

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-85702891321656943752008-12-31T19:22:00.001-08:002008-12-31T20:02:23.062-08:00

So this is the finished house, pristine, gracing the dining table for exactly a couple of hours. Within minutes of its completion, the makers began to withdraw their profits, as evidenced by the erosion of the far front corner of the roof, broken ridgepole and missing gumdrops.After several days, this is the sorry condition of the gingerbread house. Everyone has been pilfering edges, corners,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-85324170947111327352008-12-25T20:20:00.000-08:002008-12-31T19:25:45.428-08:00

Daughter and I were tired from having gone to Midnight Mass last night, so we slept in. First time we ever did that on Christmas morning! Husband got the turkey in the oven right after breakfast just before Son showed up at the door - much earlier than expected - bearing gifts. This business of all-adult Christmases is still very new for us.Although not an entirely techie Christmas, we

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-69659119309875421222008-12-24T16:49:00.000-08:002008-12-24T17:18:43.798-08:00

This is the finished gingerbread house. They couldn't wait, so the little mousekins began nibbling right away on the edges of the roof. It was fun to watch them get all creative with Skittle paving stones, gumdrop "trees", and gummmi bears in the back yard. It rained all day today. I went to Curves, then spent the rest of the day baking cranberry bread and cranberry bars, and downloading

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-84309279053538148002008-12-23T22:10:00.000-08:002008-12-23T23:50:17.220-08:00

It's a good thing Christmas comes once a year! Writing cards, sending photos, making phone calls - all re-connect people who really care, but may be separated by distance or busyness. This "touching bases" is not limited to family, but also re-connects friends.For example, Wayne and Shirley were our neighbors in the apartment building we lived in when we first got married. They were there when

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-79803754798856947052008-12-21T23:18:00.000-08:002008-12-21T23:24:59.303-08:00

L and J decided to bake a gingerbread house this evening after dinner. Baking involves boiling honey and butter and sugar and letting it cool before adding the flour and spices, rolling out the three sheets, and baking the gingerbread. So they got tired after doing most of the work, and Mom actually did the baking. The shapes are now cut, and we'll assemble it in the morning.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-64532837348548296902008-12-19T21:26:00.000-08:002008-12-19T21:55:09.209-08:00

In the film, "Mary Poppins", there's a song, "Feed the Birds." Passers-by at the cathedral of St. Paul's are invited to buy bags of crumbs to feed the pigeons. (Remember when pigeons were not pests?)In our apartment complex, there's a woman who feeds the feral cats. She's out of town for a few days, and L is delegated to do it tonight and tomorrow. Our manager brought by the supplies: a

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-85369693249625360092008-12-16T22:24:00.001-08:002008-12-16T22:45:32.468-08:00

My new Dell Mini 9 came today. It's so tiny, it's smaller than a sheet of typing paper. But it has a built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, microphone and speakers. It comes with Linux Ubuntu, Firefox and Open Office. And lots of games, including my favorites: Free Cell and Sudoku! It weighs almost nothing and will fit in my purse. The keyboard is small, too, but it doesn't take long to adjust. My

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-6400800723699352772008-12-07T16:43:00.000-08:002008-12-07T21:42:08.933-08:00

A and I went for a walk up on the levee late-morning and found a few more interesting things to photograph. Lately, it has been very foggy, although this morning the fog was mostly higher. There is a difference between "fog" and "tule fog". Tule fog rises from the ground and hides everything: trees, traffic lights, street lights, tail-lights, and rivers. Regular fog masquerades as "overcast".

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-65804481754105091072008-12-05T14:12:00.000-08:002008-12-05T21:36:12.761-08:00

Wow! I won a gift basket in the raffle this morning, and the sample cookies are my new all-time favorite! Mmmm ... crispy salted oatmeal white chocolate cookies! As you can see from the half-empty cookie jar, I've been at 'em already. The Fair Oaks Library staff also included a comb-bound cookbook with staff-tested cookie recipes, including the one for these cookies, a cookie-sheet, spatula, oven

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-35270573668410090472008-11-28T23:45:00.000-08:002008-11-29T00:32:59.363-08:00

With Thanksgiving just barely behind us, my attention must now turn to Christmas. This year, I may not get the week off I usually take. I use the time off to begin the time-consuming jobs I set for myself: the photo calendar, gifts for library staff, Christmas cards, baking, cleaning. I've already rescheduled once, from this week to week after next, but I may need to work through that week as

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-8389158857092074592008-11-26T22:56:00.001-08:002008-11-26T23:26:05.618-08:00

Boss gave a beautiful speech at our reference staff meeting this morning, saying she is thankful for having the opportunity to work with such an awesome and capable staff, despite her high standards and the many changes she's implemented over the past year. We applauded. She's a very good Boss!A family we know is traveling this week in Thailand. The recent news stories about PAD protesters

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-66561271874623735272008-11-23T21:25:00.000-08:002008-11-26T22:54:27.697-08:00

About half the trees decided it was getting pretty darn late in the year, and all decided to turn color at once. Then 3 days ago, they all decided to drop their leaves at once, too. There isn't much color this year - most of the trees are a drab orange-brown - but it's getting colder now. It's the cold that produces the brilliant colors, I'm told. We have fewer than 10 hours of daylight now,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-36677043712352152862008-11-13T22:29:00.000-08:002008-11-13T22:39:13.068-08:00

This was going to be a townhome 'plex with 24 units. The first 5 of them have been sitting in this condition for a year and a half, now, complete with stacks of shingles on their roofs, and are heading into their second lonely and unprotected winter. I believe transients sometimes stay inside, and once in a while we see a new broken, then boarded, window. A family farm used to stand on this

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-1848671179759378242008-11-05T00:04:00.000-08:002008-11-05T22:06:06.847-08:00

... to upgrade a cell phone?Five. One to greet us at the door and assign us to another sales rep. One to mess up the accounts and assign L's phone number to my phone, and mine to hers. A third to tell him how to fix it, a fourth to figure out that the second had dropped all the extra services (like unlimited family text messaging and unlimited data pkg for my phone) and to add an incorrect text

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-39969970685155706442008-11-01T20:38:00.001-07:002008-11-01T20:54:01.913-07:00

Exploring links from links this evening and happened across the Librarian's Lounge's link to Make: Technology on Your Time, which led to this post about the self-carving pumpkin. (Be sure to read the caption.) I know Halloween is SO yesterday, but I couldn't let this go without a mention.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-87953530180649297622008-10-31T17:12:00.000-07:002008-10-31T17:23:52.529-07:00

Some of us dressed up a bit for Halloween at Central - many as tastefully as I. (M says he's going to write a poem for me à la Dr. Seuss.) Most wore some version of black-and-white with headgear, necklace, pin, or shoes indicating the holiday. No dressed-up kids, though, except for the babies that attended the toddler-time program this morning.L is with her friends in Kelseyville for the weekend

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-91408616010032819152008-10-26T14:51:00.000-07:002008-10-26T15:16:51.447-07:00

Discovered our local Nugget Market's recycle area this afternoon - art, fun and green all rolled into one package! The blue bins are inside, and the top of the case is labeled for paper, plastic, and can recyclables just in front of each fish. Seriously fun!

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-6494965665612519932008-10-20T23:25:00.001-07:002008-10-20T23:39:13.756-07:00

No, it's not an award I earned. Internet Librarian is an annual conference held in Monterey, CA every October. I first attended many years ago, and decided it is the ONLY library conference that speaks to the work I do on a daily basis. I am blogging the conference for the folks back at the library, so if you're interested, ... please click. There are also photos there.Monterey weather is

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-16654048938023932582008-10-15T23:47:00.001-07:002008-10-16T00:04:07.851-07:00

This is my little bit of Hawaii in Sacramento. The ti plant in the background is growing out of its pot and needs to be re-set. The white ginger in the foreground finally bloomed this year, after two years of nurture. Okay, so the leaves are a little chewed up - but I can't tell you how nice it feels to look out the patio doors and see all that green! The plumeria is also thriving, but declined

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-36752822364594298572008-10-02T11:44:00.000-07:002008-10-03T00:15:23.294-07:00

Spent the morning at the Central Friends of the Library sale table at the farmers market in Cesar Chavez Park yesterday. It was atmospheric, and I actually sold a few books.The weekly farmers market ends in two weeks at this location. I bought some luscious peaches ...

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-64533669396380492562008-09-25T23:43:00.000-07:002008-09-26T00:03:11.673-07:00

Daughter is a junior now. The Small Learning Community to which she belongs had a parents' meeting this evening in advance of the school's "Back to School Night" next week. A good idea - it gave the SLC's administrators a chance to expand on this year's programs, and gave parents a chance to get to meet the core subject teachers.The talk was all about preparing for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-34387828796467270312008-09-20T18:27:00.000-07:002008-09-20T22:33:52.808-07:00

This here's a grey kitty that someone probably abandoned when they moved out. He got down to nothing but skin and bones, even though neighbors say they are feeding him. He's old, and I think he has trouble chewing crunchy food, so we've been putting out canned food and water. He's put on a little weight, and comes to claim his meals now. He's also stone deaf! And he loves to have his ears

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-24737604722013734542008-09-03T21:04:00.000-07:002008-09-03T21:30:17.030-07:00

I fired up the old Gateway last night because L wanted to use the attached scanner. It's been many moons since I've turned it on, and I was curious to see if anything still works. The power button has been broken for about a year, but I have a power-management platform with a master power switch - not great on graceful shutdowns, so it has to do its "error checking" thing every time I power up

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-517475889432762102008-08-31T00:05:00.000-07:002008-08-31T00:14:20.731-07:00

One of my colleagues on Facebook posted a new profile photo that has his friends buzzing. It looked like fun, so I made a new yearbook photo, too. Well... it could have been my yearbook photo ... And it was so much fun, I made another one, too!

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-62765013916750058642008-08-27T08:56:00.000-07:002008-08-27T09:41:27.372-07:00

I just returned from a whirlwind visit to Hawaii - had to use-or-lose a ticket I bought last summer. My intention was to visit for Aunt Jo's birthday, and maybe persuade her to invite us to Sunday brunch at Pohai Nani. I discovered that she'd been hospitalized after falling several times, and had had an emergency hip replacement. So, I spent the better part of each of three days with her,

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-67819762941897287312008-08-17T00:15:00.001-07:002008-08-17T00:50:17.451-07:00

So DW invited me to come to her Curves gym in Carmichael to see this "stretcher. None of the other 4 Curves locations had one, so I was curious. Turns out, this construction is a circuit for post-workout stretches that duplicates what I've been doing on the floor, plus additional stretches. I took the photo to show to the owner of my Curves Pocket location, in hopes that one day she will install

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-21330748768096281282008-08-10T22:50:00.000-07:002008-08-10T23:32:29.499-07:00

This afternoon, we wanted to do something besides housework, so M and I drove downtown to the Crocker Art Museum. Admission is free on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. - and I thought, since M is interested in clouds and landscapes, we could see how the masters tackled those subjects.This second picture is a detail from a much larger painting, showing an encampment above the river. We liked

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-57546298623009173772008-08-05T22:24:00.000-07:002008-08-05T23:03:02.000-07:00

Lazy, hazy days of summer? Well, mayby hazy; certainly not lazy!L returned from London on time with lots of photos, which she promptly uploaded to MySpace. She says she has them on the laptop on her desktop, and will move them into the "shared" folder so others NOT on MySpace can also see them. She enjoyed the trip: found King Lear "awesome", and was most impressed by Windsor Castle. The "Eye"

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-11375316942979391462008-07-20T19:07:00.000-07:002008-07-20T19:23:43.182-07:00

Tomorrow morning, Daughter is leaving with a group from her high school for a 9-day trip - they'll be spending a week in London! Son has been on his own for three years. Husband and I will be sans kids for the first time in many years - how will we know what to talk about?Everyone will be here tonight for dinner - then Dear Daughter has to pack, and we need to be on the road at 4:30 a.m. in the

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-84856189833473006892008-07-15T13:41:00.001-07:002008-07-15T14:10:24.887-07:00

It's been a dry winter, with only two thirds of the rainfall considered "normal." Thus, much of the grass has already dried to its late-summer golden hue, including the grass here on the levee where I walk. The city has sent crews to mow it to the ground as a precaution against accidental fire, but it is still like tinder.The number of burning fires is now reduced to just under 300 from over

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-70508548249417830522008-07-10T23:56:00.000-07:002008-07-10T23:57:59.452-07:00

It doesn't take long for the honeymoon to be over. My brand new wireless broadband connection has most inconveniently been dropping out for a while and then reconnecting. But its newest trick is to show that there is a strong signal, but none of the browsers will connect to the Internet. I finally called AT&T tech support tonight and the technician showed me how to select a different channel and

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-16459899566662771892008-07-04T20:11:00.000-07:002008-07-04T20:33:19.245-07:00

Today, for the first time in the 14-year history of Pocket parades, I went down to watch it. Having grown up in Kailua, whose annual parade is both the oldest and the biggest on Oahu, I was afraid of being disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to see the ingenuity and community support behind this little parade. An antique police car led off, followed by the grand marshalls and entries.

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935996.post-75245786139340566392008-07-01T23:20:00.001-07:002008-07-01T23:40:38.782-07:00

Yesterday, L and I went to the DMV - she to apply for a Learner's Permit, and I to renew my driver's license. She tries so hard to avoid being photographed, but I still managed to get a candid of her absolute joy at passing the written test and walking out with the papers entitling her to learn how to drive! As if I don't already have enough gray hair.She can't actuallly start practicing until

annot8http://www.blogger.com/profile/08505011644187027676noreply@blogger.com0