’06 April

I went to UCLA today. Here’s the link to Carnaval at UCLA.

Nancy’s Charlieeee and some text from Josh and Kelly’s weekly essay from rainy-rainy SF:

“Charlie and Kelly got the first red balloon last Thursday and unfortunately Mr. C. popped it (a startling first) once he got it home. On Friday we got another red balloon and then went to the playground with it tied to his belt loop so it wouldn’t fly away.

He was immediately the target of this wretched little butt faced kid (bless his soul and all that, but he was a pushy little creep you probably went to school with one just like him) who decided that it was his. He was taking it and was prepared to use all the 3 year-old karate chops at his disposal. His Mom was off sniffing glue or something so I encouraged the little tike to play elsewhere and to leave the Bukka alone. ‘Go play over there, I think I saw some glass there’.

Charlie seemed very unruffled by Sir Sociopath… Today however Charlie opted for a more grown up color for his balloon, a simple understated white.”

kd

April 28

She’s here! Lana May Alcuran!! Mazel Tov Becky! (Oh yes, congratulations to the mom and dad too…)

bb

What used to be the Westwood Marquis is now a ‘W’. Shocking!

More from ‘W’ in Westwood. Where will the grandparents stay when they want to watch their grandbabies graduate college? Not at ‘W’ I’d guess!

Brigitte and I had a nice brunch here and then a visit to the Hammer Museum (free on Thursdays!). In the early morning I took Windy to the airport and in the late afternoon I went to see Hana and practice a little Japanese. What a dream-day.

April 27

Rome has Toys!

More of the many wonderful worlds of Rome. 1) ‘Yum. Let me try. Maybe if I try harder I can get all three in there.’ 2) ‘Again? Photos again?’ 3) ‘I’m telling you already!’

April 26

My once-a-month dinner date. Lucky me. Ken got our West Coast Swing tape onto cd and wow-zee, what FUN. Thanks Ken! Bill’s been busy with his part-time job, travel agent for Ken. Bill can hardly Wait for Ken to get cruizn’!

April 25

Finally, on my fifth try, I finally went into the Ashes and Snow exhibit down at the pier. Rain, crowds, and loss of interest had foiled previous attempts. It is one of those Big Deals that I’m glad to have seen.

The architect of this building, The Nomadic Museum, is Shigeru Ban and the photographer is Gregory Colbert. The Ashes and Snow website has everything…

You can go down to the pier and browse through the books for sale and get the idea of the project. Inside there are giGantic screens showing Slo-Mo films of the scenes during which the stills were taken and you can buy cds/dvds of these programs too.

I got a few shots off before a guard did that No Photos finger-shaking move and I obediently stopped. How the photos are dislayed was to me the most surprising part of the show. You can see the pictures here but not that those poles are three stories tall, the high-concept-design of the rocks and wood pathways, the three story fabric hangings and the massive video screens.

It costs fifteen bucks to get in, twelve for students and seniors.

April 24

Monday Monday. Four were missing last night and we missed them! Still, you have to agree, we are a lovely crowd.

Bottom left – squinty-eyed gray-haired me, then Ruth, who is recovering well to our great pleasure. Top left – Alicia of the recently retired, Ljubica now among the safely insured, Marsha, with three obligations for every two hours in the day, Maryanne who’s been there, done that, and clear-faced Marija.

Missing was (or should it be were?) Ann at Tai Chi class, Lourdes recovering from surgery, Becky waiting for that dang grandbaby who refuses to be born and who will, when finally born, be about ready to walk, and dear Maxine doing we know not what.

April 23

A long loong time ago way back in my olden days I decided on two guiding principals. I fail to live up to these principles most every day but I like them, and I try: 1) act the way you wish everyone would (now there’s an original thought) and 2) if you don’t want to see it on Page 1 don’t do it (nicely combining both guilt and shame.)

I stole these pictures from the internet and I stole these words from Garrison Keillor. GK even puts that little copyright symbol at the end of this expression wherever it’s written: Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. That’s good. I like it. I’ll try Garrison, I’ll try.

Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer’s Almanac.

April 21

When you have to choose – better expression or better focus? I’m choosing the expression every time. I know, your grandbabies are cute too but really, Rome is sooo dang cute.

Moving! To the new gorgeous place I talked about earlier. I did mention about the three floors, right? They could cancel their gym subscription for sure!

April 20

Wednesdays at Roger and Sandy’s with Fred and Nancy for Card Night. Fun!

Roger Eaton and Sandy Chaves.

April 17

LOOK! Lourdes brought her Julie-bug to Monday night potluck!! Coochie-coochie-cooooo.

Everyone wanted a turn. Becky is about to bust a gut because her grandbaby is not coming out yet. She’s ready to go up in there and get that baby herself.

April 16

The sisters getting together with their mother on Easter Sunday which was also Hartley’s birthday. Windy brought a nice ham and eggs with hot-crossed-buns breakfast. Also attending were Flor and Geraldine who help take care of Mom.

After exactly one hour Mom reached for her dvd player, put on her headphones and we were all excused. On this day she couldn’t remember Lucas and his family. They’ve been away for several months now and somewhere along the line they hit her limit of out of sight out of mind. Sometimes however what she doesn’t remember one day comes back on another day.

Dear friends, when we all get old there won’t be enough people on earth to take care of us.

My stranger-than-fiction brother-in-law Hartley on the occasion of his 65th birthday. He doesn’t eat sweets. He thinks people who eat sweets are morally bereft. You can hardly imagine all the things he thinks. He will however eat a gallon of chocolate ice-cream without stopping.

April 15

Darryl and Angela’s new house! Wow!! Back to Ventura Blvd.! Back to happy Condo Living! Wow is right! (These are photos from the real estate agency.)

This is an artsy-f*rtsy ‘interpretive’ shot. Must be mine since it’s grainy and you can’t be sure what exactly it is you’re looking at. I could try and straighten those lines but I’m not gonna…

It’s a Mother-Daughter team!

A stormy sky and San Fernando Valley trees at sunset.

April 13

Yesterday and today – both mighty yellow. I ate lunch with Sharon at the un-Original El Cholo so convenient to my house. The food is tasty and inside it’s comfortable with a lot of booths, clean, lively servers. It’s the El Torito-i-fication of the Original El Cholo but I like it anyway. You get lots of extra points for tasty, near-by, and comfortable.

Surrounded by yellow. Could this photo at the Photo Shop be any more yellow? I think not.

April 10

At the nursery with Sharon. I’ve had a flat of little purple ground cover/flowery things sitting, waiting for planting, for two weeks. No need to buy more…

On the one hand I neeeed a close-up lens. On the other hand if I had a close-up lens I wouldn’t want to lug it around. I am optismistic though since we are in such an every day better-and-better phase in camera gear.

Becky’s dog Roscoe, resting up from all the attention he gets when Monday potluck is at his house. Becky takes him to nursing homes (and/or hospitals?) where Eeeverybody wants to have a visit with Roscoe.

April 8

Lourdes’s grandbaby! She calls her Julie bug. Hi Julie bug! Julie is a few weeks younger than Rome. Swell bow Lourdes, and what a cutie-pie dress for that cute as pie little girl!

l.

April 6

This picture is from yesterday, Darryl’s Birthday! We got to sing and have a cake and everything. Wow, Big D, what a guy! Here’s a link to his current passion, the Real 9/11 Story.

It was 4/5/6! Darryl said that at 1:23 that morning it was 1-2-3-4-5-6 and that his grandmother would love that.

So I told her today, ‘it was Darryl’s birthday yesterday.’ She said ‘oh, is it the 5th already?’ ‘OMG’ I said, ‘you remember that but you don’t remember what you ate for lunch!’ Then I told her the date thing and she was deeeLighted. She said ‘in my better days I would have stayed up for a thing like that!’

(Rome)

Nancy had a ladies tea this afternoon. The squirrels thought they were invited too. One paw up. One of the rules of cuteness.

Can those little rodent-paws Be any cuter?!

I know I’m healthy again because for the last several nights I’ve sat here on the computer thinking up my next trip. With that in mind, here is the recent whens and how longs of this thing I get, in hope of The Cure:

.late April 2005 ~a really bad one
.early June (in China) 2005 ~a few days of claritin
.mid October 2005 ~1 week-ish
.mostly late March 2006 ~2 weeks+

Going for a walk with Windy we came upon a scene on the Venice Strand. It’s why tourists love the place. That’s a fife and drum corp out there coming toward us…

…and this is who they are close up. Holy-Ka-Moley. A fife and drum corp pitching a Carnival kind of event that is going to be at UCLA this weekend. I’m mighty tempted to go check it out. It’s free!

April 5

Meghan and Deval get married! I posted a couple of pictures last month of a few of the pre-wedding festivities including the mendhi party. You can see how Meghan hands and arm decorations have faded.

a/r

There are many ceremonial components in an Indian wedding. Rent Monsoon Wedding and you’ll get a great feel for it.

Mazel Tov!

a/r

April 4

Sandy’s baby Lucas! He’s just a few weeks younger than Rome yet still it looks like they’ll not get to meet for awhile (Baby Lucas of the melt-me eyes) since China and Doug are off with Lucas to do a movie gig out of state. But when they get back…

s

(baby Lucas)

April 3

Ruth! Does she look faaabulous or what?! She drove out to the Monday night potluck with a tray of baked apples and a tray of fried chicken, full of spunky good cheer and with positive news on her cancer treatments. You go Ruth! (PS and she is older than my mother. An inspiration to us all.)

April 1

Nancy is back from Japan and together we went over to Sandy’s for a visit. Sandy’s feet are improving and she’s getting out more. Excellent! (Nancy is huddled there behind Sandy, peeking out…)

This is the name plate/door sign Burt made for himself and the office he shares with his compatriot, can you guess?, Joy! Now everyone at his company wants a Burt-O-Original for their own names.

bw

(Burton Weinstein)

April 2

This is a treat, don’t you think, the exact view from my front door, despite what is fast becoming my shrewish behavior with the crew…

…and the treat awaiting when I park the car. What IS it that makes a person think it’s ok to simply drop his trash (and this crew Is entirely he) wherever he stands? I ask the foreman again and agin, don’t do this, you wouldn’t do this at your own house would you.

sample for mvv, one hand

sample for mvv, two hands