I was surprised to see some of my flowers blooming, when they usually wait until spring.
Monkeyflowers! One of my favorite flowers.
Wooly Blue Curls
My new sunflower/
Bush Poppy!
And not a surprise, some winter bloomers:
Azalea
and Camellia
Friday, December 3, 2010
Flowers Surprise
I know, I know, you've seen 'em all before.... But not this month!
I was surprised to see some of my flowers blooming, when they usually wait until spring.
Monkeyflowers! One of my favorite flowers.
Wooly Blue Curls
My new sunflower/
Bush Poppy!
And not a surprise, some winter bloomers:
Azalea
and Camellia
I was surprised to see some of my flowers blooming, when they usually wait until spring.
Monkeyflowers! One of my favorite flowers.
Wooly Blue Curls
My new sunflower/
Bush Poppy!
And not a surprise, some winter bloomers:
Azalea
and Camellia
Monday, November 29, 2010
Elvis Live's!
Viva Las Vegas! For some reason, we've been donating regularly to the Las Vegas economy in the last couple years, more regularly than we've ever done before.
This time, the Squid had a conference and I tagged along for fun. It was time for a getaway. Getaways are good. Even in Vegas.
Besides, I needed time to write!
As you know, I'm not a fan of gambling, so I took the opportunity to escape the ugliness that is Las Vegas and head out to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. I armed myself with the Brand! New! Camera! that Mikey gave me for my birthday.
It was wonderful to be able to drive just about 15 miles, reach the edge of town, and suddenly enter into wilderness!
The park has a 13-mile loop to drive, with plenty of opportunities to admire the geology as well as plenty of hiking trails. I had taken a wrong turn (Ahem, OK, a couple of them) on my way out there, so I got there later than I had wanted. So, I picked a random "moderate" hike and set out. It was nice; hardly anybody was on the trail on a cool, blustery fall weekday!
The sandstone is stunning. See?
I started my hike to La Madre Springs. Soon after I had started my hike, some fellow hikers pointed out a Bighorn Ram! If my goal had been to spot cool fauna, I could've turned around and went back, because Bighorn is the coup de grace!
Didn't he pose so pretty?
I saw another one a few steps beyond. It was a thrill!
No more wildlife on the rest of the hike, but pretty sights! Come on!
The flora was typical high-desert. I felt right at home. Piñons, lots of junipers, sagebrush, yuccas, cactus, Mormon tea.
The spring area was a little more lush, and some wild flowers were still hanging on.
There were a couple of these concrete slabs right out in the middle of the wilderness. Old foundations?
This one had a tile-like floor.
There were lots of piñon trees, and many cones. I opened piñons from half a dozen trees, but they were all empty!
I added a stone to this cairn.
Back in Vegas, I mostly wrote while he was in the conference.
We stayed at Ballys.
It was shabby. Ripped furniture, an old-fashioned TV, and graffiti in the table.
As for Elvis? We think we may have spotted him at the Wynn, dressed in fur from head to toe.
This time, the Squid had a conference and I tagged along for fun. It was time for a getaway. Getaways are good. Even in Vegas.
Besides, I needed time to write!
As you know, I'm not a fan of gambling, so I took the opportunity to escape the ugliness that is Las Vegas and head out to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. I armed myself with the Brand! New! Camera! that Mikey gave me for my birthday.
It was wonderful to be able to drive just about 15 miles, reach the edge of town, and suddenly enter into wilderness!
The park has a 13-mile loop to drive, with plenty of opportunities to admire the geology as well as plenty of hiking trails. I had taken a wrong turn (Ahem, OK, a couple of them) on my way out there, so I got there later than I had wanted. So, I picked a random "moderate" hike and set out. It was nice; hardly anybody was on the trail on a cool, blustery fall weekday!
The sandstone is stunning. See?
I started my hike to La Madre Springs. Soon after I had started my hike, some fellow hikers pointed out a Bighorn Ram! If my goal had been to spot cool fauna, I could've turned around and went back, because Bighorn is the coup de grace!
Didn't he pose so pretty?
Here he is, showing off his beautiful big horns!
No more wildlife on the rest of the hike, but pretty sights! Come on!
 |
| Wilderness. Just in case you didn't know. |
The flora was typical high-desert. I felt right at home. Piñons, lots of junipers, sagebrush, yuccas, cactus, Mormon tea.
 |
| The Dam at La Madre Spring |
The spring area was a little more lush, and some wild flowers were still hanging on.
 | |||
| A sign of Fall |
There were a couple of these concrete slabs right out in the middle of the wilderness. Old foundations?
This one had a tile-like floor.
There were lots of piñon trees, and many cones. I opened piñons from half a dozen trees, but they were all empty!
I added a stone to this cairn.
 |
| The cross-bedding was gorgeous! |
Back in Vegas, I mostly wrote while he was in the conference.
We stayed at Ballys.
 |
| Our room was the window in the bottom right of that ad: the top part of the "R" in "Rio" |
It was shabby. Ripped furniture, an old-fashioned TV, and graffiti in the table.
As for Elvis? We think we may have spotted him at the Wynn, dressed in fur from head to toe.
 |
| A crappy photo of maybe-Elvis |
Sunday, November 28, 2010
I'm a Novelist!
I did it! I finished my novel, Four Square, in 28 days! I'm a NaNoWriMo winner!
I had a lot of fun. I wrote every single day of November. My lowest daily word count was 136 and my highest was 7725, which came yesterday when I decided I really had to finish. My original goal going in was to finish by today, November 28, so I accomplished that! I had never undertaken such a project, but I have to say it was a really lovely experience, and one that has given me the confidence to finally call myself a Writer.
Thanks to the Squid, Kevin, and Erin for putting up with my, "I gotta go write!" every day. And thanks to Trish for the awesome book, which I will employ in full in my next go-round, which will be before next November, I think!
Wooooo-hoooooo! I'm a novelist!
(Now, back to your regularly scheduled blogging)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Another favorite smell
I was joking around with p-doobie about having her sell my NaNo when I'm finished, and I got to thinking that I should fire up the ol' mimeograph machine and crank some out so that I would fit in with the rest of her self-published authors. 
It reminded me of another one of my favorite smells: the warm, slightly damp page of a freshly-mimeographed worksheet. Mmmmmmmm. I love all the smells of school!
It reminded me of another one of my favorite smells: the warm, slightly damp page of a freshly-mimeographed worksheet. Mmmmmmmm. I love all the smells of school!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Happy Birthday to Izzy 1992
Back in 1992, the Squid got a prize at work for being a workaholic great employee, and the prize was a weekend at Ventana Inn at Big Sur! We decided to take the weekend during my birthday that year. It was a wonderful all-expenses-paid weekend. We drank Dom Perignon while we sat beside the fireplace in our suite, we got massages, we ate fine food, we spent time in the hot tub on our own private patio. It was nothing that we would ever spend money on for ourselves. It was very indulgent. What a great weekend!
Needless to say, we left the little tyke who was Kevin at home. Our friend Pete took care of him for us, and we put together some instructions for Pete to follow. Pete was a bachelor at the time, with not a lot of kid experience. We are very grateful to him to this day for taking care of our precious baby.
I found the instructions during some recent clean-up, and I share them with you here!
The hand-written pages were prepared by me, while the print-out was Kevin's father's work. Click for bigger version.
Needless to say, we left the little tyke who was Kevin at home. Our friend Pete took care of him for us, and we put together some instructions for Pete to follow. Pete was a bachelor at the time, with not a lot of kid experience. We are very grateful to him to this day for taking care of our precious baby.
I found the instructions during some recent clean-up, and I share them with you here!
The hand-written pages were prepared by me, while the print-out was Kevin's father's work. Click for bigger version.
 |
| Add caption |
 |
| The page is torn on the bottom right. I don't know what he was "no"t allowed. Hard candy, maybe? |
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Lupus Walking Walking Walking
As you know, Erin and I participated in the Alliance for Lupus Research Fundraising Walk a week ago. It was a stunningly beautiful day in San Francisco! Perfect for the 3-mile walk. Our team raised $1660! Thanks to all of our sponsors!
Here is some public art in the Justin Herman Plaza, where the walk began.
A sight along the way. Coit Tower is so pretty!
Team Oompa Lupus at the half-way point!
A sight on the return trip.
The team captain (R) and her biggest fan.
A street view.
Our hotel was about a block away from the Transamerica Building.
We decided to spend the rest of the weekend in the City, and we spent most of our time shopping and walking. Everywhere we wanted to go was just within walking distance (5-8 blocks) of our hotel, and walking is the travel method of choice in San Francisco, so we did so.
The theme of the weekend, we soon established, was Walking the Wrong Way. Every time we set out, and I mean *every* time, Izzy led us in the wrong direction at some point. We ended up walking who-knows-how-many extra blocks because of it.
Trish is my hero! She was a trooper. She walked the whole way, uncomplaining (of course; I have never known Trish to complain, but this time she had good reason to!), and kept up with us all the way. And thank goodness for her iPhone, which led us the right way after Izzy had led us the wrong way.
We shopped in the huge Westfield Mall at Union Square on Saturday afternoon, and then walked to The Stinking Rose for a delicious garlic dinner. On Sunday, we walked, walked, walked through Chinatown. We shopped, and we had dim sum for lunch. I love spending time in Chinatown!
I'm already looking forward to next year's walk. It's always a joy to be in San Francisco. And it's not too late to donate for this year. Just click here and give! Thanks!
Here is some public art in the Justin Herman Plaza, where the walk began.
A sight along the way. Coit Tower is so pretty!
Team Oompa Lupus at the half-way point!
A sight on the return trip.
The team captain (R) and her biggest fan.
A street view.
Our hotel was about a block away from the Transamerica Building.
We decided to spend the rest of the weekend in the City, and we spent most of our time shopping and walking. Everywhere we wanted to go was just within walking distance (5-8 blocks) of our hotel, and walking is the travel method of choice in San Francisco, so we did so.
The theme of the weekend, we soon established, was Walking the Wrong Way. Every time we set out, and I mean *every* time, Izzy led us in the wrong direction at some point. We ended up walking who-knows-how-many extra blocks because of it.
Trish is my hero! She was a trooper. She walked the whole way, uncomplaining (of course; I have never known Trish to complain, but this time she had good reason to!), and kept up with us all the way. And thank goodness for her iPhone, which led us the right way after Izzy had led us the wrong way.
We shopped in the huge Westfield Mall at Union Square on Saturday afternoon, and then walked to The Stinking Rose for a delicious garlic dinner. On Sunday, we walked, walked, walked through Chinatown. We shopped, and we had dim sum for lunch. I love spending time in Chinatown!
I'm already looking forward to next year's walk. It's always a joy to be in San Francisco. And it's not too late to donate for this year. Just click here and give! Thanks!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Lupus Walk!
Erin and I will be joining Trish and the other Oompa Lupus team members at the annual fund-raising walk in San Francisco. Last year it was a lovely day in the big city, and we're hoping for another great day for walking. Will you help sponsor me or the Oompus Lupus team to help raise funds for Lupus research? 100% of donations go to research, as the board of director of the organization funds the administrative and fund-raising costs. Thanks for considering it!
Click here for my page at the Alliance for Lupus Research.
Click here for my page at the Alliance for Lupus Research.
 |
| Team Oompa Lupus 2009 |
Monday, November 1, 2010
NaNoWriMo!
It's November! I'm busy writing a novel.
I had never heard of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. A Facebook friend posted that she was going to participate, and when I looked into it, I realized I had to do it.
The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. You may start writing at 12:00:01am on November 1. When you upload your work of at least 50,000 words by 11:59:59pm on November 30, you win. The prize? The awesome accomplishment of writing a novel in 30 days! And your name on a Winners List on the NaNoWriMo website. COOL!
I've got some ideas floating around, and we'll see what comes out when I start typing. I've done a practice run (of course, nothing that is to be used in my novel; the whole thing must be written within the 30 days), and I wrote 1,667 (the daily minimum) in 45 minutes. I think I can do this!
Additional challenges lie in the fact that there is my birthday, a trip to Vegas, and Thanksgiving all smooshed into November. It will be a challenge to write as much as I can on the days I can.
NaNoWriMo is a vibrant internet community, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
Cheer me on! I'll need it!
I had never heard of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. A Facebook friend posted that she was going to participate, and when I looked into it, I realized I had to do it.
The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. You may start writing at 12:00:01am on November 1. When you upload your work of at least 50,000 words by 11:59:59pm on November 30, you win. The prize? The awesome accomplishment of writing a novel in 30 days! And your name on a Winners List on the NaNoWriMo website. COOL!
I've got some ideas floating around, and we'll see what comes out when I start typing. I've done a practice run (of course, nothing that is to be used in my novel; the whole thing must be written within the 30 days), and I wrote 1,667 (the daily minimum) in 45 minutes. I think I can do this!
Additional challenges lie in the fact that there is my birthday, a trip to Vegas, and Thanksgiving all smooshed into November. It will be a challenge to write as much as I can on the days I can.
NaNoWriMo is a vibrant internet community, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
Cheer me on! I'll need it!
- "Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book." --Edward Gibbon
"The first draft of anything is shit” --Ernest Hemingway
- "I have made this [letter] longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter." --Blaise Pascal
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