Adventures Near and Far

Taylor Mountain is a new regional park opened up just a few minutes away from our house. M complained bitterly about lack of access to it for some time after the Land Trust people publicized that a deal had been struck. But now, given a little time and energy for the climb, we can take in the great views from the hilltops that we used to only imagine from our everyday commute and that is a nice landscape in and of itself. Because it's so close, I finally caved and bought a regional parks membership so we could park for "free." Well, there's a little more to the story. Felicia had a membership as did our friends Caitlin and Sean, so I was a little ashamed that I hadn't already joined the membership club.

 

It's a good cause and will help spur us to new adventures, I'm sure. The other motivational poke was a park walk to see the blue herons nesting in the redwoods at Riverfront Park a few weeks ago. That was fun too. I'd never been to that park before, and it seems like it will be a welcome destination, particularly once the summer really stokes up.

Last weekend was a literal departure from our rural-ish adventures to the urban and suburban variety. M's mom finally played the retirement card, so we trekked down to celebrate with her on Thursday afternoon. We made good time and had a pleasant afternoon relaxing at the hotel after our long drive which we started early to miss Bay Area traffic. We had a nice dinner with M's family. Well, Rex was not pleased to meet his dog cousin Jack, but they eventually called truce.

The next morning M and Rex went shooting with Lee and Jack while I wandered the pavements of Fullerton. The day before we had found a lunch spot in a shopping center that had both a Goodwill store and a Big Lots! and by some shopping homing beacon I managed to find it again. I don't usually want to spend time thrift storing while vacationing, but I somehow whiled away quite a bit of time roaming the racks. After finding some good buys, including a particularly hideous tie for M adorned with graphics of gavels and Justice, I headed back to the hotel and curled up by the pool with some knitting. There were a few other guests also hanging out poolside and I realized that having other people around who were also just lounging in the sun or reading the paper made it easier for me to relax too. We don't all have to be checking our email or making business calls, what a concept.

That evening was Arienne's retirement party. Two other professors were retiring as well, so it was a very well attended event. A city Assemblywoman came to hand out plaques, the dean and Fullerton College president said some very nice things about them all, there was a slideshow with lots of fun facts and nostalgia. I was very glad to be there. What a nice celebration of their service to education. Arienne mentioned that she wasn't really much for multi-tasking which was why she hadn't really started on a retirement "career" but now she can focus on starting that next phase of her life. Well, after she finishes her last class in about three weeks.

Saturday was a long, but very culturally rewarding day. M, Arienne, and I left Rex with Jack and Lee and headed off to the Getty Museum, a place I'd been wanting to visit for years. I kept my expectations low and once again I was rewarded with an incredible and memorable experience. We arrived just in time to take the architecture tour, a good way to get acquainted with the site, which was much larger than I'd thought. I'm not really a fan of modern architecture, but the buildings really are beautifully clad and situated for the site. The atmosphere was hazy but the views were still amazing. The bright light and reflection from the pale walls were such a contrast with the sometimes dark interior galleries. We saw a special exhibit of LA architecture, a Van Gogh Irises painting in a room with other stunning Impressionist works, some portraits (I do love Sargent), and earlier works of glass, and illuminated manuscripts. We took the garden tour too, which again added to my appreciation of the site: we were guided from a runnel atop one of the many terraces then downstairs to a pool where the water collected via a giant amphora sculpture, then flowed down a bouldered stream crisscrossed by a walkway shaded by lovely mature trees and bold plantings to a largish pit filled with more maze-like walkways and amazing flowering and pruned plants. There was definitely more to see even after five hours there, but by the end I was pretty hot (thank goodness for the umbrellas they provided, which of course matched the travertine walls) and content to sit by one of the fountains in the main courtyard area and rest up for our tram ride back to the museum parking lot.

And then to the freeway which was not too much different from a parking lot by the time we got to it. We headed down to Long Beach to rendezvous with M's good friend Eric and his girlfriend for dinner. I had gotten in touch with a college chum who was still working near our alma mater, as the director of operations for the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. Although she couldn't meet me for lunch on Friday as I had suggested, she offered to get us tickets to the show that Saturday night, "A Century of Jazz" which was a nice mix of big band, ragtime, and jazz standards that we could all appreciate. It took place in the Long Beach Arena--they set up tables on the main area that's usually covered with ice for hockey or ice shows, and people were invited to bring in their own food and drinks to enjoy before the concert. What a great idea! And it was so great to catch up with my friend. I admit, Facebook made it easy.

View the  whole photo set adventure.

The one negative of the day was, not surprisingly, the driving. We actually engaged in some of those conversations that are the butt of jokes, long discussions about the freeway numbers we'd take to get to our destinations. Those we traversed were in various states of disrepair or much needed repair--they were crumbling, crowded, graffiti'd, a far cry from the sleek transportation future they were supposed to represent and that I'd often had glimpses of when living there. It is a pretty amazing physical network. But it's also such a waste of time and real estate. I had never wished so hard for the Star Trek transporters to become a reality. Then those soaring lanes of concrete could become homes, walkways, hanging gardens. LA would be a paradise again!

One other unfortunate part was the trip was that it was kind of hard on Rex. He really is showing his age. Especially after our long day away, he was very upset. When M was playing with him late that night when we were back at the hotel, he discovered that one of his long canine teeth had broken off! We didn't know when it happened, but that was disturbing. The next morning, we had breakfast in the hotel restaurant before checking out and came back to the room to find him ba-roooooing mournfully at the patio door. He never does that. M thinks he probably just saw another dog or something, but I suspect he thought he was in for another day alone.

It was another eight hours of driving home, but it was so wonderful to be on the open highways. And Rex has fully recovered.

Visitors from the East

Aunt Janice and cousin Kamala came for a visit last week, creating another opportunity for local adventures. And good eating.

Our first stop after our rendezvous at SFO, we headed to the Ferry Building for a little shopping and lunch at Slanted Door.

We stopped at the Seed Bank in Petaluma before a bit of visiting at our place in Santa Rosa which Felicia joined us for, followed by dinner at Bistro 29.

After a leisurely morning we headed to Glen Ellen, lunching at Glen Ellen Star then taking in Quarryhill Botanical Garden.

Up the coast we drove in the afternoon. While M stayed behind to grill beef, we hiked our usual route from Sea Dune to the mouth of the Garcia, then stopped in Pt. Arena to do the gallery and shops. Lunch at the wharf, then relaxing before dinner.

This morning we had a very artistic brunch at St. Orres then went to a quilt show at Gualala Arts Center. M and I continued down the coast to home. Such a lovely long weekend! It was great seeing them both so soon after our DoJ reunion last summer.

Recent Journeys

M and I have talked for years about the idea of taking short, spontaneous weekend trips, often using the motorcycle. With dear Roxy departed, we felt we were getting pretty close to walking the walk after all that talk. So close, in fact, that a couple of weekends ago we just did it! It was very liberating, suddenly deciding to leave the next day, packing a few things and taking off. Rex complicated things a little--we had to take the car and to find a hotel that was dog-friendly, but since we were heading to "the interior" as I call it, which is traversed by many campers and travelers with pets, so it wasn't really much of an issue.

One aspect about the lack of planning that we just have to roll with is keeping those expectations low. While we chose a place with "spa" in the name and immediately went out to the pool, I was pretty PO'd to find it closed for renovation even though there had been not warning on the website or confirmation emails. It did get us out exploring more quickly--we headed out to the Sundial Bridge and arboretum, which were very dog-able activities. I had thought that we'd be able to take a quick driving tour of Lassen on the way home but, duh, the roads were still closed for the snow season. Also, we were close enough to Jay so that we could have dinner and breakfast with him (and Sophia!), I did feel a little guilty about calling him at the last minute, but it worked out great.

I don't know when we'll do it again, but since we have one successful trip under our belt and so many places to explore in the 3-4 hour driving radius, I don't think it will be too long before we have another spontaneous adventure.

One annoying thing about the Redding trip: for the first time since 2006, I forgot to take a photo of the view from my hotel room! Gah! I posted a photo in the Flickr set from the Gaia's website as a placeholder, but I'm sad I broke my streak.

Last weekend was truly an adventure: a trip to Spokane to visit Grandma with Ryan. It was our first extended trip together and a really wonderful opportunity to not only see Grandma again, but to get to know him better at this time in his life and to connect the two of them a little more closely to.

After a quick visit with Grandma the afternoon we arrived, we headed downtown to get settled. Imagine my surprise when we tried to check in to the Hotel Ruby and, heart sinking as a quizzical look crept over the clerk's face--he couldn't find our reservation. Luckily I had my confirmation letter printed out and as I triumphantly was about to hand it over, I noticed the date ended in…2014. I felt like I might have to turn in my professional event planner card at that point. I was worried that Easter and the boxing event in town at the same time would make finding a room difficult, but there was plenty of room at the Hilton near the airport. After a pleasant dinner at the Steam Plant, we betook ourselves there. Nice room, good wifi and TV, but awful coffee. Awful! I have my priorities. Luckily, the Ruby Hotel had space for us on Sunday night, closer to better java.

We had a lovely day with Grandma on Sunday. We had Easter brunch together at Harbor Crest and then spent the afternoon talking and recording us interviewing her. There's just so much to know about both how things were back in the last century or so and how she lived her life in that time. Pretty amazing. I haven't looked at the recording yet, but I'm so glad we did it.

After a thankfully uneventful hotel check-in, Ryan and I had a lovely time exploring Riverfront Park. We rode the tram over the Spokane Falls, grabbed rings while riding the Looff Carousel, indulged in treats, took in a movie about the Reno air races at the IMAX, and had dinner at Rock City Grill. Ryan was a good sport and contributed to my new photo project. All that and we still turned in early.

Which meant I got up early on Monday and had a really great bowl of latte at Rocket Bakery. We had another hour with Grandma, then started the trip home. Family time bonus: on the way south, we had a long layover in Portland so spent the time visiting with Lloyd and Jacque. I regret not snapping a photo! As a final dramatic conclusion to our adventure which I am attributing to The Universe playing an April Fools joke on me, Ryan and I "got separated" (a better phrase than "I lost my teenager" which I employed at first) at the Sacramento airport. Thank goodness for paging systems. All's well that ends well. After that, I was plenty amped for the drive home. I'm looking forward to more adventures with my dear nephew. If his parents ever let him alone with me again. Here's the photo set. 

More family adventures are in store next weekend when Aunt Janice and cousin Kamala arrive. Stay tuned!

The March of March Continues

Spring continues to string together pearl after blue pearl of beautiful days. I'm already watering; I hope we'll get at least one more good storm before summer kicks in. The ice cream truck made its first round of the year today, blaring its merry tune as the neighbor's pit bull howls. The Rio Oso is now blooming profusely, the Suncrest not so much, but I hope it will have a vigorous growth year.

 

The time change still feels a bit strange, but more so I think this year because M has made a concerted effort to change his schedule in order to be more productive. He's usually up at 6:30 a.m. every day, which means that some mornings he's up before me. Crazy! When he announced this plan I secretly worried that I'd miss my quiet weekend mornings, but it's been great. I think we both get more done. I've also changed my schedule a bit, moving a gym day from Friday to Saturday. It certainly feels better for my body to space the classes out a bit more and is a constructive start to the weekend. In another nice change of pace, M pulled the bikes down from the rafters today and made them rideable. Our nearby streets are another matter in the rideability department, but there's one close by that's been repainted to make a bike lane. Taking rides around the 'hood would be a fun way to change things up, get a new perspective.

Speaking of perspectives, there's a great little program on our local NPR station, Perspectives, and I've been thinking a lot about this Perspective on good habits that I heard recently. The ritual of learning something new, creating something, and saying "I love you" definitely makes for a satisfying, productive, and positive day. Kalyani came out for a visit last week. It was lovely to see her. I took a couple of days off and went up to the coast after work on Wednesday where she was staying with Mom and Don. On Thursday after a leisurely morning, we had a nice walk in the woods up on Don's hill property, lunch at the Wharf, then drove down the coast and up Westside Drive to Healdsburg where we met Mom and Felicia for another lovely dinner at Barndiva. The food was once again delicious, a splendid accompaniment the company.

    

After dropping Kalyani at SFO on Friday, I stopped in the City on the way home to see the Girl with the Pearl Earring exhibit of Dutch masters at the de Young museum. It's blasphemous, but the landscapes were so excruciatingly luminous that all I could think of was Thomas Kinkade. I really loved the still lifes--the watches with their keys on blue ribbons, glasses tipped over, the fruit and flesh and vessels in the process of being consumed, winding down, finished. One in particular I returned to several times to examine the reflection of the candle and spectacles in the glass of water. How do you paint transparency? asked someone behind me of his companion. An excellent question. Apparently still lifes with exotic flowers were so in demand that they were partly responsible for driving the tulip mania. I did enjoy "the girl" portrait as well as some others.

 It's been a nice quiet weekend. I finished knitting a neckwarmer for M that he actually requested! We went to the local Home and Garden show at the fairgrounds and are thinking of focusing on insulation rather than landscaping this year. We've been watching "House of Cards" on Netflix and enjoying it. We just saw a matinee of "Django Unchained" at our local second-run theater. I'm growing fonder of Tarantino's films that reimagine history so that the wronged can have some modicum of revenge while reminding the rest of us of our bigotry and hatred that I wish could fade faster. Nothing like blood-soaked shoot 'em ups to bring in the masses for a message!

 

And with that, it's time for a dog walk.

More Ups and a Very Sad Down

Almost a whole month since my last post. I'm attributing it (note I do not say "blaming" it) on the carousel of life, which continues to dip and rise, more sharply in each direction than I'm used to. I guess it's just Life with a capital L, but sometimes I wonder how much getting older has to do with it.

But I'm grateful that I've also been traveling and overall enjoying the ride of life this past month: On Valentine's Day, I participated in my first flashmob, part of the One Billion Rising day. Unfortunately, I didn't adequately prepare, so didn't actually realize there would be dancing, so I hung in the back and faked it (being tall helped--I could see over most of the women in front of me to the lead dancer), but I still had fun. M was with me too, and I'm always humbled and grateful for his support for my activist-ish activities.

 

After the flashmob, we had dinner at Flavor, one of our favorite restaurants, then headed to Sebastopol for a very different women's activity: a burlesque show! Cabaret de Caliente was pretty classic showwomanship--titillating R-rated stuff, mostly amateurs, but plenty of entertainment and fun glittery costumes.

 

Where do you even buy pasties these days? There was even a fan dance! And a number with a trio of cute guys! The highlight was when I won the grand prize raffle gift bag! By the way, my winning ticket number ended in 666. No, I didn't think it was a sign, but I thought it was pretty funny. I suspect that very few people in the audience that night knew that bringing in a book or pair of PJs for a non-profit got you a raffle ticket, so odds were in my favor. I'm not sure I'll actually redeem the big prize, an in-home burlesque class with 10 friends, but the on-stage spanking for winning was a lot of fun.

 *****

Later that week, we got a big indication that Roxy's weight loss and lethargy (I thought she was sulking from lack of attention--I can be so dense sometimes) were symptoms of something serious. She had uncontrollable head tremors one evening, so M took her to the vet the next day. They ran tests which revealed that she was suffering from chronic kidney failure. They also estimated that she was older than we thought, more like 10 rather than 8. This news was completely unexpected. I'd never heard of that in dogs and while it made sense that she was older--certainly explained the quickly graying muzzle--it bowled me over in a way that I completely compartmentalized. Is there a way to expect, or train myself to expect, the unexpected?

 *****

Over the Presidents Day weekend, we headed to Reno for Sean's 40th birthday, entrusting Roxy and Rex to a very compassionate and thoughtful young gal. It had been quite a while since either of us had been to Reno and I think we made the most of it. We stayed at the Sands and were grateful for the adherence to the non-smoking policy. We wandered around the downtown/river area that first afternoon, wondering at the contrast of swanky casinos with shuttered establishments, ate at Campo, and enjoyed the Dueling Pianos show at the Silver Legacy the first night. The next morning, we visited the Nevada Museum of Art. While we were disappointed that the rooftop was closed, shutting us off from the great views of the city and surrounding mountains, we really enjoyed the Indian art exhibit , then joined the rest of the crew for a walk through the overwhelming Reno Auto Museum. We played bingo, using electronic devices--it has certainly evolved as a game!--poked around the storefronts, then met up for a great, casual dinner at Bowl, finishing the evening Vegas style at the gaming tables. Well, some of us (the ones with XY chromosomes) did, while others discussed grammar and other fading but still worthy subjects over cheap beer at the bar.

 

I was glad for the excuse to explore someplace new. I'm also grateful for being included in this celebration and hanging out with folks I don't get a chance to socialize with often. I've realized lately how important those things are to me.

*****

While we were in Reno, Roxy continued to decline. I admit I was in denial about her trajectory, hoping she would be with us for weeks or months rather than days. We came home a little early to spend more time with her on Monday, Presidents Day. We made the awful decision to put her down the next evening. I still can't quite believe I let her go, but she was suffering so. I wasn't ready to be without her. She was so big I didn't think we could fit her into our lives when we first adopted her, but we did, and maybe it's partly the big hole she left that makes me miss her so much. I still haven't washed her muddy paw prints from the sliding glass door, evidence of the excitement she manifested at the thought of food, the prospect of a walk, or just coming back inside.

 

Other things I miss about Roxy: The way she'd glance over her shoulder at us while on a walk, a gleam in her eye that I interpreted as both playful and grateful. The way she'd get up with me every day--I'd hug and praise her, her tail painfully lashing my legs, then change her water and give her her morning biscuit. She relished a fresh bowl of water. How she expressed utter happiness by flopping onto her back and exposing her belly, all four legs kicking the air, loose jowls flapping back to reveal her big white teeth, making her equal parts fierce and vulnerable. Evenings while watching TV, I miss her warm furry flesh up against one thigh while Rex takes the other. While it often aggravated me, I admired her independence, her willingness to just focus on getting the gopher or on wandering the dunes alone, not necessarily staying close to the humans on walks. Yes, I even miss her soft snoring and sleepy doggy snorting sounds when we're all tucked in at night. Our little pack has shrunk significantly.

I'm sure Rex doesn't miss her teasing, bowing play, blocking him from jumping into the back of the truck for our daily walks. I don't think Rex misses anything about her, though I'd like to think they were starting to actually like each other at the end. It's strange having just one creature around. I worry about him a lot more now, wondering if his cough or wheeze is the sign of something more serious, wondering if his increasing deafness will get him run over soon. I also have a little guilt around some of the relief I feel at Roxy's passing. So much less mud and hair to worry about, and it will be easier to leave town on spontaneous adventures. I am grateful to her for defining the boundary of any future pet adoptions...

*****

We celebrated Part Two of Sean's birthday last weekend. We gathered at his folks' house for falafel and ribald discussion, then headed over to our local arts center for a Hawaiian slack key guitar concert. The music was very different than what I normally listen to, and the hulu dancers that joined them on stage were abundant and inspiring. I loved how they took part in the songs.



At the concert, M and I got into our annual fight. He didn't want me to photograph the concert. As you can see, I continue to earn my reputation for stubbornness. While I dislike our disagreements, it's nice to know that we've gotten it over with and are now conflict free for months at least, if not years.

*****

I had the first business trip of the year last week, traveling to exotic Santa Clara. The conference went well. I ran into a woman I met a few years ago, who is speaking at a couple of our events this year, due in part to my urging and it felt great to be a part of someone's career progress. I also overheard a young woman saying how all of her friends were having babies now, that was just where she was in her life, and it brought me back again so hard to thinking about cycles of experience we go through.



I came back from Santa Clara and Spring had visited in my absence. She'd been busy spreading the bright yellow mustard flowers thickly on the fields and in the rows in vineyards. The erect tresses of the fruit trees are clad in dense pink and white blossoms, waving at the clouds in the sky. Yellow heads of daffodils nod in clusters along the roadsides. The acacias are also clad in bright yellow, towering along the roads and walking paths. I love this time of year. Our poor suffering Suncrest peach has popped a few blossoms first, hoping to get out attention and care no doubt. I hope we'll get more rain, though.

 *****

Today was the first meeting of the Pointy Pals at the Applebox in 2013. No, I have not yet started my novel. Yet. And I'm OK with that. I need to contemplate those two clashing ideas more. I don't think I'll always be content with just writing blog posts and email messages, but I'm just trying to focus on being satisfied with where I am and what I have and what I've accomplished…so far. Not worrying about what I haven't done or bought or experienced. For now. It's strange, and somehow casting a spell of contentment over me. I wonder how long it will last? I guess that's a bit of insulation against the lows of life I've had lately.

After the Applebox, M and I motorcycled to a place I'd never heard of before, the Grove of the Old Trees. "Welcome to the enchanted forest," said someone we passed on the path. It was magical. It made me think about the times Dad took us camping lo these many years ago.

"Celebration" and Introspection

On Friday evening, M and I headed up the coast for the weekend.

The main event was the memorial service/celebration of life for Jim on Saturday afternoon. Bittersweet though it was, it was an occasion for happy family togetherness too. The Chico Axtells were there when we arrived as was JeriLu. We had dinner and some of us waited up for Jay to arrive later that night.

Saturday morning brought Felicia and a walk on the beach. We hustled a little to get out and back in time to properly prepare for the service, but it was a lovely day to wander between the brackets of sand and surf. Roxy behaved herself and did not disappear into the tall grass.

The service itself was as you'd imagine. Tears. Humor. Tears. Hugs. I was glad it was held in a darkened theater. I know it's become almost reflexive, but I wish I'd had a different question and a different answer to "How are you?" The theater was full, but my hesitation about how many unrecognizable folks I'd see from the past were unfounded--I enjoyed seeing everyone and I think I recognized most right away. Jim's brother Ken and family were all very friendly and gracious. After the formal remembrances and chatting at the theater many of us headed across the street to the library and bar to drink and dance and talk. I caught up with a few old friends. Here's the photo set.

M was a peach, going back to Mom's to let the dogs out and then returning to whisk me home. The brothers cooked dinner, a joy to behold their teamwork, then we played cards, mulling over the memorial, and turned in.

Sunday morning we said goodbye to Jay and JeriLu. Don had gone over to his aunt's memorial service on Friday, and returned late Saturday night so we had some time with him. Another walk on the beach then the Chico clan departed for The Interior.

Judith came over in the afternoon and we made our way to Tom and Mary's to take in the Super Bowl with Caitlin on their large and lovely TV. M grilled burgers and we feasted on championship worthy snacks. It was a near miss with the Har-Brawl, but I'm just glad it was a good game. The mid-game blackout meant we didn't get back to Santa Rosa til late, but we made it.

A weekend to remember.

And the Seasons, They Go Round and Round…

While I didn't think about it when posting, the carousel photo turned out to be pretty descriptive of 2013 so far: up and down as life spins 'round.

On New Year's Day, I got the terrible news that Jim Levine, longtime friend and my father-in-law for a decade, passed away. He'd been having some health concerns, but I don't think anyone thought it was so serious. He had a heart attack and died from complications a few days later.  It's been three weeks and I'm still having difficulty accepting it. Uncle Lloyd's darkly humorous, "We're getting to the head of the line" comment has been passing through my mind. I'm hoping the memorial celebration happening on February 2 will help me come to grips with his death.

On the up side, we had a lovely visit from M's mom and sister. We used the visit as motivation to do touristy things that the two of us just hadn't gotten to, and the weather was fairly cooperative. We walked across the Golden Gate Bridge then wandered around the Union Square area of San Francisco.

The following day, we drove through the rainy countryside and did some wine and olive oil tasting at particularly pretty estates, running into Felicia, Erin, and his folks at Ferrari-Carano. M and I had pretty much given up on wine tasting, but researching destinations, there are quite a few with tours and pretty spectacular scenery, so we resolved to do more of it, visitors or no.

Doesn't this look like a shot from a J. Crew catalog?

I was inspired by a photo of Jo and Noah during their Africa visit. I think this might turn into a series...

The rain cleared and left us with incredible visibility for our trip up the coast to Fort Ross the next day, a historic site I've driven by for forty years without visiting. We stopped at Jenner to admire the seascape and log-like seals piled on the beach, and who should pull up but Nick and his dad, one their way up the coast.

Mom and Don and Felicia and Erin also joined us for the Fort Ross excursion. It was nice having so much family together for a little adventure.

Leaving the fort, we did a scenic drive over to Healdsburg for an incredible early-birthday dinner for M at Barndiva.

More pics of their visit in the Flickr set.

Yesterday I attended the memorial service for the husband of a work colleague. He was well known and respected in the community--the pretty little church in Occidental was filled to overflowing with family and friends. I had only met him a few times, but it was nice in a bittersweet way to get to know him a little better through the stories that people shared during the service. Of course I kept thinking of Jim, and this seemed like a sort of preview. Now that I have a few years under my belt, I'm starting to see the pattern of these milestones evolving: first graduations, then marriages, then children, then divorces, remarriages, and now…funerals. Sonoma County is a pretty small community and I ran into someone I know from the gym who also knows the widow. She's a little older and we had a brief exchange where I mentioned this trend of life events I'd been seeing. She said often only encounters former colleagues at memorials at this stage of her life. Sigh. I know this is life and is how it's supposed to be, but that doesn't make it easy.

I've also been thinking about that "running into people" think around Jim's memorial--who I'll see that I haven't in decades, because I'm sure the theater will be filled. Some I'll know from Facebook, but I'm dreading not recognizing people who will recognize me a bit. I should probably review my yearbooks before the celebration. I know people moving in and out of one's life is also part of the carousel going round and round, and that encounters can't always be due to happy circumstances. Well, maybe it will be a consolation, catching up with people from my past.

*****

What progress have I made on the novel, you ask? Sadly, none yet, and I offer no excuses. I've been reading Outlander for a book club at work I just joined and it's pretty bad. So bad that it's inspiring, in a way--hell, if that book can be a NY Times bestseller, I may have a shot. Though for me, just writing a book-length work of fiction is my goal, getting I published would be gravy. Pointy Pal Julia is scheduling some writing retreats at her parents' vacation home on Stinson Beach, so that will help.