’20 October

Copied from the Santa Monica City website: “Soltero’s iconic sculptures of La Catrina range up to 14 feet in height and welcome guests to the Promenade and Pier in brightly colored traditional Mexican attire inspired by Day of the Dead traditions and Mexican icons and embroidery. La Catrina was first born out of Mexican social satire and has become a well-known figure in celebration of the holiday.”

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Marsha drove me down to see the exhibit. If it was crowded we were committed to leaving but happily it wasn’t crowded at all even considering it was Farmers Market day, and mask compliance was 100%. Still, the pandemic news is so terrible I worry for a few days after, every time I step out my door. I must think it’s worth it.

Sharon and I were walking at Palisades Park overlooking the bluffs and caught site of this mummy tree, because of Halloween, you know. And then I turned my head and saw this truck.

So ok, in black and white doesn’t everything look more Halloweenee? A crow and a dead rose.

Oh YES, an outdoor massage right around the corner from Ye Olde Kings Head. Windy and I delighted in both. It felt safe enough and I had to stay on my stomach but OMG did I need a massage. I could have another one too. Just the thought makes me sigh.

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Muriel brought me almonds from the farmer’s market, organic, raw, unpasteurized, which I toasted to her exact specifications. YUM indeed. Nancy and I did take-out for a tasty lunch from Veggie Grill and a good visit in my covid corner. Sharon and I walked to that Halloween yard and ate in the big patio at El Cholo. Alex and Carol were here to ‘help me’ build the ikea cabinet.

And I ate three persimmons already. Ann says that persimmon trees fruit every other year so I’m going to carefully savor each bite of these. If you click on the pictures they’ll get bigger.

The service porch pantry. The two missing pulls are on the way. They are the same as I have in the kitchen.

I’ve had a ‘temporary’ solution in here for years. And I have looked every few months for an alternative. Google google google, pleeese give me an alternative, but she says ‘NO’. Fine. I’ve had this Ikea solution in mind from the beginning, all those years ago, and I decided I’d had enough looking. So here it is!

It works easily with enough space because I’m keeping one of the shelves and the boxes that ‘go’. Alex and Carol came over so that Alex could put it together thank you very much. I’m sure you didn’t think I put it together. Activities I can’t/don’t want to do: 1) get out the ladder and 2) build Ikea furniture.

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The Before. Oh how tired I was of looking at this mess.

Here’s how Knut and Brigitte do Happy Hour with their neighbors in Antwerp. The across-the-hall couple open their door and the down-the-hall neighbors bring their food and set-up between the two front doors.

Things were quieting down in Belgium covid-wise but now they are facing a renewed wave and are back to tight restrictions in a effort to avoid another total lockdown. And Winter Is Coming,

OMG right?! You can drive by, it’s at 21st and Washington Ave. in Santa Monica.

Oh I do enjoy me some lunch with my bubble-friends.

That’s Ann who has a big persimmon tree and is checking out the readiness of my small crop.

Beth had some free time to swing around and then the family went to Vasquez Rocks, and that’s Beth’s picture. Marsha picked me up for the 5 minute ride down to the beach where I did a Spectrum chore, a Story In Itself, and then we ate on the patio at Ye Olde Kings Head. Marsha sent me a picture of her cat in the first of its eight weeks in a cast for somehow breaking its leg.

Merlyn came and we gorged on pizza, I had dinner here with Jo Ann and she brought some of her latest work which was fab, and Windy saved my battered skin from the further abuse of my wound care.

Lill gives me plants and then she comes periodically to fix them up so they don’t die. Thank you Ingalill! She cleaned up the three sisters (sorry about the photo) and gave them some background, and cleaned up all the pots. Now I have a consolidated Succulent Garden. Maybe there will be more…I should take a picture every month or so to see how the big flowered pot fills in. It should be grand!

Merlyn and I had a lavish lunch from Pitfire Pizza – and there were two piece left! Plus a nice salad. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the driver forgot the cookies but I got a refund for the cookies and we didn’t eat any cookies so I guess that falls into the fortunately column. Except I can’t stop writing cookies.

And below is me. My hair looks cute so I must have a picture. Here, let me stand in front of the distorting convex mirror.

You can click here for the Current Tier Assignments. You can click around and find the details of what each tier represents and how the criteria are measured.

I was happy when the California governor issued rules about what and how businesses could open based on knowable criteria. Sure there will be some sense of unfairness especially on the county lines – why should the store down the road be open and I have to be closed. But I think we’re better off making a plan, testing for that plan, and moving forward.

Please don’t say oh only 215,000 have died and so many more have died in car crashes and we don’t outlaw cars. Please. Are car crashes contagious? And don’t get me started on seasonal flu. Why do you think there have been ‘only’ 215,000 dead and not millions more? Please. You can google “how many would have died of covid without lockdown” and choose the source you find believable.

Oh no, now I’m stuck on $4 bouquets of Trader Joe’s flowers. Now I need them.

From my front porch.

I’m going to the store tomorrow. Wahoooo. Ann’s coming for lunch and we’ll walk to the park and then my Persian poetry class has changed from Sunday to Monday. And my wound care nurse will be here followed by a zoom with the Valley gang. So a little bit of busy within three blocks of my house.

From the sidewalk.

Here’s Christa one of my Hawaii great-nieces who is living in Sacramento now doing a three year internship in Family Medicine. That’s right, my Christa, Dr. Brown!

My other lunch companions for the week included Nancy, Windy, and Sharon. I feel so fortunate to have my back yard and my Covid Corner, and friends who will go for a little walk.

And I can’t resist because I’m just here, more garden pictures.

I look at amazon reviews about every day and it crosses my mind often that if I had the time I’d go through my orders and post some reviews. If I had the time, that’s funny. I definitely have the time, and I’m strong enough now to stand at the kitchen counter, like a nice stand-up desk, and write reviews.

The fun part is I’m only doing reviews if I can make a picture to attach, so I haven’t reviewed gifts or consumables. Let’s see if I get bored of it before I’m done.

Will I get lost in all the fake reviews? Does it matter? I’ve decided not.

And Thursday nights too, we visit for an hour. I did one of these screen shots on April 7, July 2, and now again on October 6. How long..how long.. So many birthdays missed. So many fine meals not enjoyed. But we get to see each other online so YAY for that!

Lourdes is moving to Arizona to be near her family. We’ll miss you!

Marsha, me, Becky, Ann, Marija, Lourdes

Alicia checked in too but by then I was already camera-off resting on my good side. Maxine and Ljubica don’t zoom but they do chat on the phone.

Here is Alex and Carol who made it out from Long Beach and a few folks who have done the trek recently and it means a lot. A visit is something to look forward to, then enjoy, then appreciate in retrospect. Three joys in one event!

A delightful visit with Lilly and an e-snuggle with Oliver. That’s FUN for sure! I did a screenshot on my computer through her phone, fuzzy but Who Cares that’s just how cute it is.

I do SO appreciate all these ways we can e-visit, see and feel each other’s expressions, and share time. It’s a blessing not to be forgotten or taken lightly…even when I’m SIGHING for this to be over so I can have a REAL snuggle, and Go Somewhere. I can go somewhere and still visit with Lilly and e-snuggle with Oliver, from anywhere in this compelling world.

Here’s a potential trip-plan for about a month and a half, places I’ve been and places I haven’t. Anyone want to hop on for a week or two?