’16 August

August 28

At Kathleen’s for dinner talking about hers and Caroline’s upcoming trip to Ireland. That’s Caroline and me with my photo-face which I wish I could manage every time.

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August 27

Michi! I went up to Santa Barbara to spend the night at Michi’s place, enjoy the garden and her scrumptious food, and have dinner with Nancy. Thank you!

August 26

I got a fan for where I am now to see how it did in 8′ ceilings and if it’s worth it for the front house. Oh yes it is worth it. Really worth it. The light looks bright in the picture but it can dim down to candle level too.

I also got this new shower head for the cramped little shower and it’s awesome in that the water pours down on the bather’s head and not into the room as the old one did.

August 25

No new pictures of Wednesday’s festival of fun but here are a few of Angela’s pictures from our wolf/dog outing.

Lilly, Lila, Anya, Nora, Rome

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Lilly feeding the wolf/dog! After this excitement her hands were a bouquet of kielbasa and dog slobber.

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Rome and Nora, lookin’ good.

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August 24

I’ve left off taking pictures for a few days…but here’s something I’ve been thinking about.

August 22

Have a look at the only floor that has covered these rooms for more than 90 years. It so bouncy and squeaky in here it’s like walking on a trampoline made of rusty bed springs.

And look how clean and tidy it is under my house! I feel so clean and tidy just looking there.

And in the kitchen Alex is making his way to the gas lines. It’s happening!

August 21

Ingalill and I had plans to visit the Self-Realization Center in Malibu for some photo-photo. But no. The garden was closed due to services so we went up to Pepperdine instead and Lill got her first look at their chapel.

We went on in hopes the Weisman Museum there would be open. But no. The museum was closed for staging a new exhibit.

We then went on to the track. But no. There was a big event using the whole field.

We then went to another area down the hill where Lill remembered a nice walk. But no. The whole place was torn up for a new building project.

We then went to the cafeteria back on campus. YES! Food did not turn her back on us and we enjoyed a yummy lunch in a delightful setting.

Despite our setbacks it did turn into a very lovely day.

August 20

Paint. SIGH!

August 19

I saw this movie about an improv troupe with Nancy and Sharon for Nancy’s birthday, her Big Seven OMG. The movie was good and Nancy is determined to make a change upon being seventy. We don’t yet know what the change is going to be so that’s something exciting to have on the near horizon.

August 18

Caleb! We rode the Expo Line from Santa Monica to transfer at 7th Street station for…

…Union Station, and from here we wandered our way through downtown back to 7th for the ride home.

Luckily we got on the Expo Line at the beginning on the way out and on the way back because, even though we were far away from rush hours, it was crowded with people standing the entire time. Goodness!

More trains are due around the end of the year making a run every six minutes instead of the current twelve, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Wow.

We visited Olvera Street…

…and the Cathedral, and all the greatest hits along Grand as well as Pershing Square and The Standard. DTLA, it’s the haps.

August 17

We had Kayla with us most of the day and what a good time we had. Busy Busy including lunch, the park, a frozen yogurt outing, a card game, a trip to the library, Rome’s soccer practice…and ETC.

Kayla, Rome, Lilly

Well hello there.

August 16

It was Sister Day in that I saw both my sisters, morning and afternoon. Here are Bob and Caleb doing heavy labor over at the house to move a giant bookcase and boxes and boxes of books to the apartment.

Bob, Lona, Caleb

Windy and Jeff at Trevor’s party. Lookin’ good.

Our Cali May and Jack Black from Texas at an art museum. I hope we can all get together again soon!

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out of order…

D&A had a date night on Saturday while the girls and I went to Akbar. Here are Lilly’s pictures including her three favorite things: mango lassi, note that hers is gone; samosas, I’m not eating samosas at this moment but I could have been; and the after-food anise seed sweet treat – good job Lilly!

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August 12-15

Some miscellaneous Pictures from the last few days.

Sharon and I went up to Pepperdine for a walk and the wonderfully fit and handsome women’s soccer team was on the field.

The Malibu sign with the same font and colors as the Santa Monica Pier sign, after the walk with Sharon at Pepperdine across the street from where we had our after-walk meal.

One of those slots of time with the Hawaii Browns when I picked up food at the California Chicken Café. It’s amazing how hard this huge crowd works – fast and surprisingly cheerful.

From my outing with Carol where we had a snack at Pitchoun.

My new floor, decided, ordered, paid for, and it’ll be here by September 9th. Yeee-HA, Giddy-up!

Nancy took this at the birthday soiree for Muriel with JoAnn and David too but the picture of ME turned out the Best. Bad party girl, I took not one shot.

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August 11

Carol and I went out to Pershing Square today while Alex went hiking at Will Rogers.

This is distort-o but the best I could do to get the full end to end of Liquid Shard, a temporary public art piece by Patrick Shearn draping across Pershing Square.

It’s entirely mesmerizing. The breeze lifts and drops the piece and you can watch it as if it were waves in the sea, or a tornado, or as if you were shaking out the blanket while you make the bed – never the same from moment to moment.

Looking up…

…standing under…

…looking through.

It’s awesome!

This day, Thursday the 11th was supposed to be the last day but I also read that they might keep it on. My search of the internet is not revealing the answer.

Then Carol and I went to get Alex at Will Rogers after his go-go hike, and we enjoyed the ever-so-lovely picnic Carol made.

They brought everything! Food, chairs, a table, beverages, and sweet good cheer.

August 10 pm

After all that fun with the kids and wolf/dogs I went back to town to get Charis so we could have our outing of Chinese Foot Massage and Mani-Pedi on Main Street in Santa Monica.

We had an excellent time!

August 10

Shadowland Foundation out by Lake Hughes. From their website:

“Only Shadowland Foundation offers a once-in-a-lifetime-experience for individuals, families, school groups, youth organizations, corporations, social clubs, etc. to meet and play with our pack of ten Alaskan Timber Wolves in California.”

Here are most of the 25 participants and the 10 wolf/dogs up on the table for petting…

…as tame as if they were DOGS, and so they are according to a few internet websites.

I do believe they are much more dog than wolf but…

…we had fun anyway.

Rome, Nora

Jed, Katie, Nora, Lila, and Anya came as well as Angela, Rome, and Lilly.

Who’s a good dog?!

The guy, Paul Pondella, who started this project with the wolf/dogs and gets some pants-on-fire from the internet.

My favorite part was when he’d have little kids put a piece of kielbasa between their teeth for a wolf/dog to take from them with their wolf/dog mouths. No problem.

Jed, Lila, Anya

Lilly and Rome up for the last photo-op of the day!

Then we all had lunch at The Historic Rock Inn which was a total kick.

August 8

Sharon and I went to Tongva Park today – a walk we enjoy that passes by Santa Monica City Hall and the water lilies were lookin’ good.

A very long distance view from one of the Tongva bridges.

Then we ate early lunch at the crepes place and I ate late dinner at the Monday Potluck dinner where dessert was chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. The chocolate cake was So Delicious I couldn’t stop eating it. SIGH!

August 7

A little corner of preparation for Trevor’s Big Five OHH surprise birthday party that Lona has been working on so diligently and that turned out so wonderfully well.

Trevor was Surprised! and Happy!

A group of old friends from all his school years and relatives too gathered in celebration of TREVOR.

I have pictures of all the attendees and many scenes from the event (my assignment!), maybe I’ll make a separate chapter…to save you, but hey, here’s ME and The GIRLS!

Thank you Angela!

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August 5

It’s called Our Little Sister in English and I saw it with Lynn and it was really good, charming, sweet, delightful, and highlighting all the aspects I appreciate most about Japan.

Then Carl along with Lynn’s cousins joined us for a Japanese dinner. Omoshiroi!

August 4

I had dinner with Bill today. Here he is in his happy place with his Sun and Moon and Stars, sweet little Addie Rose!

I had a good outing with the Brown clan too but no photos so in a couple of weeks…it didn’t happen, like all the other this-and-that without a photo.

August 3

Kickin’ it with the neighbors for afternoon fun…

Finley, Roxi, Lilly, Avery, Rome

…and an evening at the picture show!

Pauli, Lauretta, Zander, Lola, Roxi, Lilly, Rome, Angela, me

August 2

I got my TSA-Pre/Global Entry certification today. It was so crazy easy, the biggest effort being getting in and out of the airport for the interview. Anyone who flies much might as well pony up. For me, it’s not the 20 minutes I’ll save maybe 2-3-4 times a year but more that any lessening of airport aggravation is a blessing.

And thanks to Windy for our healthy and happy morning!

I am always entertained here and this time was no different but I was particularly struck by the monotone which is usually calming and I don’t know why, but today I missed color. The tapestries were as lovely as ever.

Me and Pauli having a good day.

We ate a tasty dinner here across from the Broad and we then went to hear Frank Gehry, (age 87 although we both heard him introduced as “90+”), speak in Disney Hall. There was a lot of talk about the LA River which I was particularly interested to hear.