’23 February

I’ve been quite obsessed with Jackie and Shadow since Cynthia sent me the link some time ago. It’s a soap opera, a saga, an epic journey. You can google Big Bear Eagle Cam and get tons of enlivening information, an extended family history of the eagles in Big Bear Valley, and links to the live cam as well as the facebook page (you have to follow the page but I promise, it’s the best thing you’ll ever find on facebook!). It’s been an awesome journey and I suspect will continue to be so.

Not least of the appeal is the technology that gets you right in there in all the details of the lives of Jackie and Shadow. The stability and clarity of the camera is a marvel. The running commentary from the followers world-wide who just LOOOVE J&S, it’s so sweet, I can even overlook all the anthropomorphism and supplications to the divine.

Check it out, you won’t be sorry!

Windy and Betsy came over for lunch and in this cold Cold weather that’s rainy and windy too, we thought, soup! So this was a ton of fun, and tasty!

Rome and I went for lunch at Mitsuwa while Lilly was still in school. Rome brought back this little ‘Ice Cream Parlor’ kit for Lilly which was fun for all to put together, delicious for none to eat, but fun was the point anyway!

Mirror mirror on the wall and all!

I was out during one of the storms, I don’t remember why, but then there it was, a rainbow. Rainbows make you look.

The internet offers pictures of LA when it snows nearby. It’s like we’ve never seen snow.

Betsy, Windy’s daughter-in-law, has been in town for a while and I’ve had the pleasure of her company often. Besides for which she is a gifted Physical Therapist so you know my ankle sprain has been cared for most tenderly. (Yes! Better! I can FEEL the light at the end of the tunnel!)

We celebrated Jeff’s birthday on the 21st and on the 22nd we went to LA Louver and ate at Ospi around the corner from the gallery.

We Love This!

Feed Me Pasta and Tell Me I’m Pretty

Yes please.

I’m disappointed in myself since this would have been a great opportunity to have a picture of all the February birthdays. It doesn’t have to be this day, no, I can do it any Monday and stick that picture here, which I Will Do! Thanks to Marsha for making it birthday-special. And y’know, all the hosts make it special Every Week. Crazy, right?!

Lill’s backpack is very exciting – LA 2028!

We went on a DTLA Street Art tour and then a little walk-about on the 5th Street Bridge. We weren’t raving about the tour but were very glad to have done it. And the bridge was a Sunday bikers’ extravaganza.

Casting our eye away from the canvases we get some real walls which I like.

A few more street scenes.

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And now a few blocks away we find the 5th Street Bridge and the 6th Street Aqueduct. We decided to park and take a stroll. That’s Ingalill, and we’re impressed.

You don’t see a lot of cars because it’s Sunday and mostly because…

..the bikers have blocked one entire end of the bridge and the surrounding streets for a mile. Bikers have been a presence on this bridge since it opened less than a year ago. Here’s a link to a NY Times article with better pictures and good stories about the first few weeks of the bridge’s opening: the Fifth Street Bridge and the Sixth Street Aqueduct.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/28/us/los-angeles-bridge-viaduct.html

And they’re off. We left before they were even finished crossing the bridge and doing their crazy wheelies and screaming turns.

Some side-of-the-bridge tagging that took hanging off of ropes I’d guess and below, cell towers in LA.

That yucca bud is as big as your head!

We’re all out here in Yucca Valley at Gary, Liz, and Dev’s home to celebrate Gary and Dev’s birthdays. Darryl, Angela, Dude, Lilly, Oliver, Rome, me, Dev, Liz, Gary. It was a lovely afternoon!

I came out straight from Long Beach the day before and slept over. We kicked around, had a walk, looked at the views, ate a home cooked dinner, it was delightful.

In the morning Gary took us for breakfast at an historic collection of buildings that have served many purposes, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. and built between 1946-1961. Most recently the property is named The Institute of Mentalphysics and also The Joshua Tree Resort Center.

Alex and Carol were off early and I went directly to Merlyn and Hilda’s to spend the day, the evening, and the night with Hilda, Merlyn being out of town. We had a lovely time including dinner with Hilda’s friend Erin who is moving to South Carolina to be closer to family.

Alex and Carol are getting ready for some extended commitments and travel so I got to sleep over on the boat for a nice visit before it all kicked in. This picture is from October 2022 because I didn’t get anything from today.

But Surprise! Cynthia got a last minute appointment (as they all are last minute) at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego to do paperwork for a temporary resident visa and we met up in Dana Point for dinner! Wow, right! She was heading back the next day so lucky me that the magic of a meet-up worked and thanks to A&C for being so flexible.

Although the idea was we’d celebrate Cynthia’s birthday with a sushi feast I was the one who got a present. I fell hard for an artist from San Cristóbal, Kiki Suarez, and Cynthia brought me a wonderful selection of her work. You can find her things here at Kiki Mundo.

Today is Xander’s 21st birthday and Jeff wanted to buy him a Crown Royal, Jeff’s beverage of choice. We all had a very delicious dinner at Guido’s in celebration – thanks Windy for inviting me to join in!

More later? I’ve been meaning to go around and take some pictures in the garden while things are happy from all the rain – grapefruits, oranges, Meyer lemons, kumquats, and all the plants are feeling it for an early spring. But no, not yet, no more pictures. This is nice though! Rosemary, lavender, lantana, Santa Barbara daisies, all happy happy. (The wisteria in the background hasn’t come to life yet nor has the persimmon tree.)

Nothing like watching the Super Bowl with a bunch of knowledgeable fans and entertaining non-fans. And we had snacks and everything. Thank you Carl and Lynn!

This is Rome’s picture of our yummy lunch – Tacos!

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Then Rome treated me to a Starbucks of their own design followed by lunch with Lilly at PF Chang’s. And then Angela made a delightful and delicious dinner. Is that a good day or WHAT?!

Windy and Lona with Lona practicing her laughing-photo-face.

And here’s Windy’s new fireplace and mantel decor.

Some views at the Century City Shopping Mall.

That’s me these days, a SLUG.

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In the 7+ weeks since I fell I’ve seen five medical professionals and recently had an xray. The three doctors and the two physical therapists told me exactly the same thing. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine, you’re not doing anything wrong. Honestly, that’s what they all have said. Deep breaths! I’m starting a course of physical therapy on Monday, not just a consultation, because at least I can do that. I think it was better this morning but I’ve been thinking it’s better every morning. Still, I’m not worried, I’ll be fine, I’m not doing anything wrong.

(ps NO FALLING my friends.)

Rome and Oliver, making valentines.

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