’21 July

Marsha and I walked over to Bergamot and home through the Water Garden office complex. We arrived at the Water Garden at noon straight up. Where are the people? We certainly have evidence of their cars!

That’s my car.

Oliver (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) and his half-brother Dude greeting me at the door! Dude is staying with Oliver for a week or so while his family vacations in Hawaii. Oh my goodness do they have fun together.

Here’s a video from Oliver’s very own instagram page (I didn’t take it btw – if you click you won’t be sorry!):

That’s a house from a walk-about in the ‘hood.

Lill and Tony’s bathroom, almost done. There was a lot more work than just this and it looked good – moving walls, adding and subtracting closets, so much painting. Good job you guys!

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Bill sent this picture of him and Mindy at Ride Across Iowa (…for 468 miles!).

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(self-portrait)

Steve and Celina have finished the total remodel of their new home in Camarillo. Camarillo, where the weather is always delightfully cool and fresh. I didn’t fully realize how total the remodel was. They took that entire house, walls-ceilings-floors, down to the studs! It’s wonderful in there now.

Their home is in the Camarillo Leisure Village and the amenities and activities, the beautiful lawns, the community gardens, the security, etc, they are so happy and if you know Steve you know that’s saying something!

I’m so glad Celina got to continue her gardening because YUM!

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In the world of what should we eat now, Celina reigns supreme.

I got to visit with Gideon too, twice! And his lovely girlfriend of more than a year, Sam, joined us for dinner.

Steve, Celina, Gideon, and I met up for a brunch in downtown Camarillo and had a stroll through the shops and the farmers’ market after which I made my way home, 24 hours of Good Times. After so long apart, what a pleasure!

Tessa and Rome and Lilly AND

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today, riding in the car, these guys introduced me to Olivia Rodrigo. Olivia Rodrigo is the voice of teenage angst. They all knew all the words to all the songs and sang along with gusto. Oh my goodness.

Blooms in a tree.

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Me in a salty window at Alex and Carol’s yacht club where we enjoyed a delightful Sunday Brunch with Rick and Jim. What fun!

There were some detours involved in getting to the parking due to a triathlon crossing our path.

Merlyn and Hilda were home too so I swung by on the way out to admire their remodeling progress. They were due to be finished around the same time as D&A. Let’s just say it’s pretty exciting in there. No need for excruciating details…but they are living in a construction zone having moved back in at the due-date, optimists that they are. They have been taking frequent trips though, and more scheduled in the future!

The shower tile and the toilet wallpaper in the master bath are in, and the toilet flushes(!) but that’s it for the water in this room.

From the condo, the most action I’ve seen out there since Covid.

(self-portrait)

At first, from the door, I thought that rock was an homage to Levitated Mass (I love Levitated Mass) but, upon approach, no.

That’s me and Jerry, reflect-o.

Here comes Art Speak and photo from their website: “The Los Angeles–born sculptor Patrick Jackson works with both discrete objects and immersive installations. Jackson’s Proposal for a Monument examines the ability of public sculpture to communicate to both present and future populations and to be, as Carl Sagan wrote in a different context, “a symbol invariant of all [the] possible changes.”

“Jackson aggregates objects around the geometric structure: a “rock,” a drinking fountain, original furniture made by his grandfather for the Culver City house where both Jackson and his mother grew up. These additional elements counter the monumental ambition of the sculpture but simultaneously present meaningful objects, ones that we touch, gather around, and remember.”

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From the website: “While living in Paris in 1960, Nicola L. started developing her Pénétrables, a series of canvases into which viewers could introduce parts of their bodies, getting into the skin of the painting. A magnum opus of this series, La Chambre en Fourrure (1969) was conceived as a playful environment, and yet it conveyed a strong political statement addressing the individual’s social envelope. Viewers were invited to insert their legs, arms, and faces into the outer shell of the freestanding “room” and would find themselves costumed in the work. The version of La Chambre en Fourrure on view here is a reconstruction of the original based on documentation compiled by the estate.”

It’s unagi, Japanese freshwater eel on the left and anago, saltwater eel on the right. Unagi has more fat, it’s softer, it’s more expensive, and generally the default choice. Anago can be crispier if they leave it in the toaster oven long enough. (internet photo)

Ann and I always enjoy our June Happy Birthday Sushi Extravaganza and often it turns into July before we have a chance. One of Ann’s previous colleagues, Zenaida, joined us too. Ann always gets eel for last order and now we know which is which!

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What I did…

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Beach Day! As well as Fun including:

The contractor was over to go through the (rather long…) checklist of what was left to be done.

Oh the excitement, oh the joy, Lilly’s soon-to-be hanging chair came! lk.

We had an excellent time from morning until night for three days, all our plans worked out tickety-boo, and then D&A got back around 8 tonight, I left shortly thereafter, got home, and took to my bed!

First thing in the morning the painter Pete came by to take off the front door, paint it, and put it back. Eight hours later the door was back up. Check it out, sooo many ridges. He sanded, primed, sanded, and painted all in that tent.

Lilly did my fingernail polish!

Sweet dreams, time for me to go to sleep too!

We walked at Point Vicente Interpretive Center, strolled around Terranea, and ate a delicious lunch at the Green Temple in Riviera Village in Redondo Beach. What a good time we had!

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(self-portrait)

The butterfly roses are making themselves known. And speaking of growing things I had another fuss about the trees. I paid plenty for an arborist to tell me things. Gardens. It’s always something.

All events that include Hilda require at least some dancing. A woman after my own heart.

SEMI-retired she wants us to know because Hilda always has a dozen activities on her plate. But she’s retired from her 9-5 and that’s huge. Hilda and Merlyn put on a totally delightful festivity at Parker’s Lighthouse in Long Beach. These are a few of mine and Merlyn’s pictures. (I took a little poetic license with Merlyn’s…his are the well-lit ones.)

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Hilda, I’m so excited to be there and be amazed at what’s coming next for you!  Merlyn, what a DEEElightful party!  Debbie, CONGRATULATIONS!  Mazad, lovely as always to have the pleasure of your company!  Moe Shabasni, now when I hear your stories I can see your face in my mind!  Karen and Jim, I look forward to our next visit when we can talk about places to go and things to do!  Carol and Alex..YOU..you know who you are!

Cheers to all y’all!