’11 March

I’ve started working on a Griffith Observatory chapter. No words yet, just collecting the pictures from a few visits.

March 31

It’s me and my Japanese teacher Hana out for lunch and a stroll on Abbott Kinney. Everyone she knows back home is fine.

When I first heard of the earthquake I had such a concern for Hana, especially as she was so far from her extended family. She and her family lost so much, including loss of life, during the Kobe earthquake in 1995 I knew this news would be particularly hard for her. She said when she first heard there was an earthquake in Japan her mind went white.

Her sons have definitely improved in their correspondence since the earthquake!

I met Marsha at the Observatory. Marsha LOVES LA but still she hadn’t yet made it up to see the renovations. NOoo! I really wanted it to happen before I left and am so glad it worked out that we could do it together.

The iconic Hollywood Sign in full bloom.

It’s a Me In The Moon.

Since I was passing right by Ben and Bonnie’s house on the way home I wanted to stop in to make sure Bonnie didn’t have any questions or problems with the bookkeeping system we’ve been organizing.

Who arrived a few minutes after I did? The Boys who had been at the Dodger game. They were quite thrilled. Then they settled in to watch the end of the Laker game on t-vo. Isn’t it nice to know that however much changes some things stay the same?

Carl, Ben, Lew (you go Lew go Dodgers)

March 30

In anticipation of being away for 5 weeks, and because Angela changed her school day to accommodate another parent, I was with the kids again today.

Angela sent these two pictures from the classroom. OMG. Rome was doing her daily journal and she wrote that she was going to get to see her Granny again for a second day in a row and drew our picture together. You can’t miss that it’s me for sure, cute as it is.

The other picture is from rest time. Rome and her friends, young girls, so SO adorable.

ak.

March 29

It’s Granny and her Grand Girls, in the mirror of Rome’s room.

Rome in her room surrounded by her treasures.

Lilly just looves to be in her big sister’s room.

She has taken up the expression ‘thank you’ whenever you give her something. The leading consonant is not usually the ‘th’ sound but her intention is entirely clear. You kind’a want to give her something just to hear her say it.

March 26

A picture of me and Nancy – I don’t always take a picture at movie dates and lunch outings but this one just had to be had.

Kathleen invited me over to meet an old friend visiting from Boston and a friend of hers who lives here. It was fun, thanks!

Kathleen, Bruce, Claire

March 25

My plans for today got canceled so I spent 10-12-15 hours reading up for my Africa trip.

I’ve made big progress and have a sample program to send to the advice boards for comment. Waiting now to hear ‘that’s an impossible idea’ or better, ‘that’s a great plan’. We’ll see, probably neither but something in between.

March 24

There is a whole pigeon pack that hangs out under the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor archway, entrance to the pier.

Liz let me join her and her friend Elaina for a lovely walk along the bluffs, a tasty and entertaining lunch, and a stroll down the Promenade to the pier.

Liz and Elaina met as YouTube friends. I learned about a whole ‘nother world out there.

From off the pier, shore birds…

…and wow, you know you’re in LA when this is a shore bird.

March 23

Tonight looking through the living room window at Brigitte’s, we find the neighborhood cat who lives outside and is attended to with great devotion by Knut and Brigitte and probably others too. This is one well-fed well-loved stray cat.

From now Brigitte is traveling until basically June and then in the not too distant future they’ll be moving back to Europe. I am wishing them all the best and already looking forward to a visit.

March 22

It’s Grandbaby Day!

What FUN for Granny…

…and I’ve got plenty more Adorable pictures for later!

March 21

It’s Opening Night for Dancing With The STARS and we Monday Nighters are Watchin’, cheering our favorites, cringing over the awkward ones and the after-performance interviews and, it’s true, enjoying ourselves entirely.

from the top: Maxine, Marsha, Marija, Becky, Maryanne, Ann, Alicia, Lourdes. missing: me and Ljubica.

I miss them already!

March 19

Ahh, the fragrance bowls that meet the tram at the entrance to the Getty.

And a Getty picnic. .Good job Angela!

Lilly, Darryl, Rome, Angela, Cynthia, Courtney, Mike, Kieran.

Courtney took the inset.

A winter view of the garden path.

The central piece in the sculpture garden. My ever evolving collection of Getty Greatest Hits.

Then Marsha and Tom made a dinner Fiesta of Tom’s legendary Taco Night. Nice!

After dinner I watched the little ones while CMD&A went out for a double date, and then, it was Bon Voyage to Cynthia, Mike, and Kieran. It’s been GREAT!

March 18

I spent the day shuffling around the house in my jammie’s, coughing, blowing my nose, moaning, while Cynthia, Mike, and Kieran enjoyed Joshua Tree National Park.

They are doing a fantastic tour for their short time here put together by My Daughter Cynthia who knows how to do it!

cc/mh

March 17

I’m down with another wearying SNOT attack. My whole head. It must be twice its normal weight with all the SNOT. Sigh. But I’ll be feeling much better in a couple days as I recognize everything about this situation.

It’s not contagious, no fevor, no aches, it could be worse!

March 16

Nancy was down from Santa Barbara and I met up with her and Muriel for a lovely ladies lunch in Brentwood, where Ladies Lunch is a full on industry.

I should have gooped my hair so it could have been cute like Muriel’s instead of like ‘when, exactly, did you get out of bed?’. Thank you lovely ladies for coming out!

nd.

March 15

I met Cynthia, Mike, and face-painted Kieran for a stroll along the Promenade, a walk down to the beach…

…and dinner at the pier, for Mike and Kieran’s first Pacific Ocean sunset. I’m having so much fun having them here!

March 14

Universal Studios – I haven’t been here in decades and now I have a pass to come as often as I can stand until the end of year. That’s how it works, you buy a ticket for an outrageous amount of money because you don’t have any choice, and then it lasts until the end of the year.

Dah-da dah-da dahdadahdadahda dah-da.

The boys. More pictures coming from Mike when he gets home to review all the coolness they have enjoyed.

MAXINE! You are The BOMB! Monday night St Patrick’s Day dinner designed and executed entirely by Max. Wow is right.

March 13

Hartley will be SEVENTY in a couple weeks too. SEVENTY…

…and treating all these people to a Happy Birthday luncheon buffet at Shanghai Reds. What excellent fun! Where did the 7 go in the picture? I don’t know! The guy who I got to take the shot probably didn’t know there was supposed to be a 7.

front: Kieran, Rome, Hartley, Lona, Geraldine, Arno, Banu, Bala back: Jeff, Windy, Lilly, Angela, Darryl, Cynthia, Mike, Arjena, me, Vandana

I had volunteered that ‘we’, meaning the young folk, would put together Lona’s new electric piano that has been sitting in a box in her living room for months…

…followed by a nice stroll in the Venice Canals.

A Venice canal panorama. It used to be that the houses on the canals were dumpy little bungalows. Dumpy little bungalows no more!

March 12

My big sister is SEVENTY. SEVENTY. I’m muuuuch younger. And only when I stand with my sisters do I appear tall.

We sisters had a sister-lunch at a Chinese restaurant because Lona was hungry for Chinese food and then Hartley met us at Magicropolis where we enjoyed a lovely entertainment.

Lona has been feeling extremely unwell with bad pain in her neck-back-shoulder, but she said this amusing distraction was just the ticket. Happy Birthday Sister!

I am pathetic, really, that even on her SEVENTIETH birthday I can’t leave my sister alone with her obsession to talk (loudly) (in crowded rooms) on the cellgrrrrphone. A person should not be nagged by their little sister on their SEVENTIETH birthday. But apparently I couldn’t stop myself. Maybe when I’m seventy…

March 10

Welcome to the world Yosef Shalom Pomerantz! Happy daddy Jonathan holding his beautiful son. Ben and Bonnie are going to Israel in May to meet Yosef, their first born GRANDBABY.

jp.

March 9

Dinner with the guys. In a little while Bill leaves, then we’re in town all together for a week, then Ken leaves, then I leave, then Bill leaves, and then bam it’s the middle of June.

March 8

Have you noticed, it’s Always something.

Darryl and Angela know the keyboard player in Eric Clapton’s band who invited them to their show at Universal. They said their friend was the most important musican there whose name wasn’t Eric Clapton.

Hello your cuteness!

March 6

It’s March and that can mean only one thing here on 22nd Street – the wisteria is in bloom!

My first visit with the kids since I’m back. We had a lovely picnic at the park…

…and are they as cute as EVER?!

Rome won that medal for running a MARATHON! She did the last quarter mile at UCLA. Her school had the kids running about a quarter mile every day at school until they made their total. SO cool.

Lilly loooves to swing. And she can count to three. And there is no doubt she was glad to see her Granny!

March 5

These are pictures from Minnesota I took with my phone. We were at a restaurant and this crowd was living it up too.

March 4

Thank you Cynthia and Mike – I had such a wonderful time visiting, and now it’s Home Sweet Home, from minus-7 degrees to 70. Yup.

I’ve done a little of this and that yesterday and today, and will soon have my suitcase unpacked, clothes cleaned and put away, schedule developing. .it takes me daaays to get back in the swing.

I copied this off the internet because I thought it was mighty well done. It looks good – I can only suppose it’s accurate.

I’m trying to learn the flags of the world, for a memory exercise and because it’s fun. Every one of these places has their own flag. Adds a crazy large number to the project.