’14 August

August 30

I missed most of Matt Smith because I never much took to him probably because of the torch I (and all the girls really) carry for David Tennant.

This guy is great though! Peter Capaldi. I’m very glad.

Yay for getting old! I went swimming today using my Silver Sneakers card from my Medicare Supplemental carrier. I can now attend fitness programs at a number of fine establishments including a giaGANtic 24 Hour Fitness that is a ten minute drive away.

Drive to the gym to do exercise? It rankles. I could as well walk there and walk back. But they have a fine pool and Pilates classes and steam and sauna rooms, so let’s see if I ever go again.

I should, why not, it’s free!

August 27

It’s the First Day of School! Rome is in the third grade and Lilly is starting in transitional kindergarten the public schools are offering now for kids who are close, but not yet 5 by September 1st.

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Rome’s so happy having gotten into the same class with her bff Finley.

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August 25

Me and my armrest Buddy, Lill and Tony’s rescue dog who sits in the window above this couch to announce to all who pass: ‘Don’t even think about coming in here.’

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August 24

Ingalill is doing this (yikes) and it’s on in just two weeks. We had a date for today but what with all the miles and miles she’s put on her feet over the last weeks… well… we weren’t going to do much walking.

So we went to the Skirball and saw an exhibit of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats and…

…took some pictures at the huge kid friendly exhibit of Noah’s Ark.

Let’s dance!

If you’ve never visited and if some day you’re wondering what to do with some kids this is a very fun choice.

August 22

Cynthia left yesterday and during her time with Lona and Hartley twenty boxes of paper went to the shredder, thirty boxes of books and etc. went to donations, and cans and cans and cans went to the street.

It was an aWesome accomplishment for all participants.

August 21

Me in my new haircut. In the 10 days since I got it cut, twice it has looked fabulous, twice it has looked good, twice it has looked good enough, and four times it looked like crazy-cat-lady hair.

It is now as ever it has been. I never know what my hair is going to look like.

August 19

I went with Burt out to Riverside to attend Terry’s father’s funeral. He lived to 103. Wow.

First there were military honors for his service in WWII followed by a short religious service. They had a lovely reception at Terry’s brother’s place in Tustin. We put some miles in today.

August 18

Our project for the day: Ravioli!

We decided what we wanted to make, found some recipes, looked at youtube videos, made a shopping list (Rome is always in charge of the list), traveled around town picking up our ingredients, Made ravioli! – four different kinds.

I stirred up the fillings, the kids made ALL the raviolis, I boiled them, and we ate like the Queens of Ravioli that we are.

August 17

In company with SB Nancy, JoAnn, and David, another festive celebration of Muriel’s birthday including a death-defying Sweet Lady Jane cake.

I made that origami box and origami heart in the colors of Sweet Lady Jane.

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Friends since elementary school and here they are…Thirty Years On. Yes. You go girls!

Catherine, Cynthia, Mary, Kelly

August 16

Happy sixteenth Birthday Gideon! Whenever I’m in town I get to celebrate Gideon’s birthday for the last sixteen years!

Time to clean off the ‘refrigerator door’:

An origami bird (she might stay); Cynthia, Mike, Kieran; Roger and Sandy’s wedding invitation; another great flying pig card from SB Nancy; Rome and Lilly at Christmas; my favorite Doctor doing Shakespeare; some goodies from the girls; Ken, Bill, Cheryl, Mindy, me in Edinbourgh; one of David’s drawings; an ornament from the girls; my holiday card; an invitation from Rome; the LACMA poster for the Calder exhibit.

August 15

This picture won’t mean anything to anyone except me, but I’ll remember when I see it! This is the moment of one of the major accomplishments of the past three weeks.

That balcony corner is cleared out! aMAYzing!!

August 13

Lunch with the gang, all working on various of Lona and Hartley’s projects.

Hartley, Lona, Carlos, Cecelia, Andrea

Then I went down to the beach for a stroll and…

…to meet Muriel for her birthday dinner. She got the one thing she wanted to eat more than anything she could think of, and that would be lobster, which we got at the very slick The Lobster restaurant in Santa Monica.

The lobster was particularly delicious and Muriel said she could not want for anything more.

Another sunset view.

August 10

We started walking at 9:30 and being a bright and beautiful summer Sunday it was crowded already.

Where you can get your kicks…

August 9

Pool Party! Here we are at Lona and Hartley’s vacation rental in Marina del Rey where Hartley is recuperating from his stroke and getting ready for another eye surgery.

Lilly, Darryl, Hartley, Lona, Cynthia Angela, Rome, me, Windy. FUN!

Hartley’s helper Winny took the picture.

Oh you!

Me me all about ME! And I am getting my hair cut this week so maybe I’ll get another chance for pictures before Cynthia leaves and my crazy-cat-lady hair is more under control…

August 8

Merlyn, one of my Cuba Adventure pals, was in Italy recently and bought some Havana Club rum at the duty free shop. Memories!

Hilda joined us for lunch and travel stories – theirs in Italy and mine in Greece.

Then Cynthia, Windy, and I went to dinner and a show. How civilized.

I picked everyone up and drove us to the Metro/Red Line station at Vermont and Wilshire…

…where we took an easy-peasy ride into downtown…

…to Grand Park…

…where we enjoyed a concert put on by a Wind Band. It was really good fun and I only wish there had been more takers. When an event is so lightly attended there’s always the chance that they’ll stop doing them and that would be too bad.

At least the restaurant where we ate dinner, Pitfire Pizza, was fairly full and they delivered tasty food too.

The Metro was like the concert in that when we went downtown it was the start of rush hour, the streets were in gridlock, but the Metro was very lightly subscribed – we all got seats.

On the way back it was about 8pm and emptier still. It was easy, clean, safe, fast, and not even that expensive. But we Angelinos just don’t fancy public transportation. Could it be the traffic still isn’t bad enough?

August 6

Cute kids!

August 3

This house is near the OP Café, across the street from Darryl’s work, where DAK&L plus Cynthia, Windy, and I all met for lunch. That was a festive occasion! Thanks Angela for the photo.

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August 1-2

DAK&L gave me the orchid three weeks ago and it hasn’t dropped a single flower. I checked it again today just to reconfirm that it is not simply a very excellent fake.

Trevor’s office is looking for a new bio-pic and they took 100 of them. The pictures were shaped differently as they are here.

I like the one on the left…they like the one on the right.

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I haven’t opened Proust for weeks now so I decided to give myself a break and read a best-seller quick before the movie comes out. It’s easy and entertaining and interesting and well designed, something to finish in a long free day .. and compared to Proust, a walk in the park.

Wild is set on the Pacific Crest Trail. Now I think I might re-read Bill Bryson’s Appalachian Trail journal called A Walk in the Woods.

Sharon’s irresistible snack trays. Thank you!

On another day we met up with cousin Nancy for lunch and a show which was a lovely. Like ladies who lunch.