Maira Kalman

As we enter a new era, who better to put it to pictures than the wonderfully talented Maira Kalman, thanks to the New York Times.

this is the last time there will be a Bush in this blog

I hope.
Great Moments in Presidential Speeches was one of the reasons Letterman was worth DVRing over the last couple of years. It was great and I'm so glad it is over.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile

Mark and I saw this play, by Steve Martin, years ago in New York and loved it then.  It's a clever and provocative fantasy about Picasso and Einstein, both in their twenties and clearly brilliant but not famous yet, meeting at a cafe in Paris.  The Jobsite production is wonderful, set and costumes completely convincing and the acting is really excellent (though I would have liked a better Elvis impersonator but that's just a minor quibble).  We saw it later in the run than we see most Jobsite plays, so all that's left is one last week.  Don't miss this one, Jobsite is getting better and better.

And I love the Ferdie Pacheco portraits on exhibit at the theater.  But why no price tags?  I guess they would be out of reach anyway, but sure did love the Picasso, and the Einstein especially.

Daisy, a patient again

We've had a rough couple of weeks with the dogs.  First Marley had some horrid intestinal thing.  Then we discovered another tumor on Daisy, which was removed, biopsied, and while it does turn out it is malignant, it seems to have all been cleanly removed so we are hopeful that's the end of that.  (And btw, the incision is really about twice as long as it looks in the photo above, really.)  Then Daisy had the same intestinal thing that Marley had and while it was truly horrible when poor 15 pound Marley had it, that turns out to be a gentle intro to what happens to your house when a 75 pound dog has the same problem.  Anyway, everyone is recovering and doing well.

Stones at the entrance

I had been hoping for lots and lots of small dark stones that would cover the landscaping with some larger rocks and some interesting plants scattered here and there, a zen effect.  But the rocks proved too costly for the large areas we had to cover and so we went with mulch made from chopped up tires.  With thick weedblocking cloth underneath, this should last for years instead of the few months bark mulch sticks around for.  And while it is not exactly the look I had in mind, it's environmentally sound and I am getting used to it.
Still, I have found a spot near the front door where I am working on a mosaic, my own rock, pebble and shell covering, that will grow as we take vacations or anytime I'm anywhere I can pick up some interesting stones, etc.  Don't make fun of me, it makes me happy and it holds memories, too.
I did get my dark rocks though, sort of.  Here's our new front door mat.  Feels really good to stand on, but it's not much help in brushing off shoes.

Inspiration

A couple of weeks ago Mark and I went to a weekend workshop at Yogani on Ayurveda and Pranayama yoga led by Kishan Shah.  It was a fantastic experience and one that has inspired us to make some changes in our lives for better health and peace of mind.  Change comes slowly, but it does come.

Weddings Unveiled!

It happened almost a year ago but it's still making news!  

Belated Happy New Year!

Barbara & Steve came from Atlanta for New Year's Eve. They brought along Chaos, Sarah's dog (Sarah welcomed the New Year in San Francisco) and Barbara's cousin Meryl drove up from South Florida where she's renting a house for a couple of cold months. When they got here, our previous guest, Sarah (the dog) Nichter, was still here so for a few hours we were a five dog house. The big dogs really had some fun together in the backyard.When Sarah left we all settled down for a few hours of talk, relaxation, etc.Later we headed over to Skipper's for some greasy food and music of 1968 played by local bands of questionable talent. The crowd was hopping at the WMNF party, but just before midnight we decided to head home and drink our champagne with the dogs.The next morning we discovered how hard it can be to get four dogs to do the same thing at the same time, even for food.We all read the paper and had a good breakfast. Some napped at the table.The weather was gorgeous for January and so we spent much of the time around the house, enjoying the backyard. Dylan showed Steve how you are really supposed to use the hammock.

We did get out a bit and had a good time at the aquarium, followed by yummy dessert crepes in Ybor City.


But mostly we relaxed, at home, all together.


And took lots of walks with dogs.
It was a great time, as always. And when all the dog company left we gave our dogs their holiday gifts. Marley loves his new elephant.

He's Leaving, Really.

Gail Collins had a good Op Ed piece in the New York Times today  on Bush's farewell address.  I did not watch it, partly because these last eight years are something I would rather not even think about anymore.

"History does suggest that Bush performs best in venues like this one, in which he has a long lead time and virtually no actual role in preparing the words he is about to say. But still, what could he possibly tell the country that would change anybody’s opinion about the last eight years?

'My fellow Americans, before I leave you next week I want you to know that ...

A) 'Although things have gone very wrong, I take comfort in the realization that Dick Cheney was actually in control from the get-go. Honest, I never even knew half the people in the cabinet.'

B) 'Laura and I have come to realize that all things considered, retirement to a mansion in Texas is just totally inappropriate. And so we take our leave to begin a new life as missionaries at a small rescue station in the Gobi desert ...'

C) 'Surprise! This has all actually been a bad dream. It’s really still November of 2000 and tomorrow Al Gore is going to be elected president.'

Sunday Morning Stories

I loved this story that was on CBS Sunday Morning today.  

And this one made me want to read a nonfiction book! Maybe.

Cosners in Gainesville

Last Sunday we went up to Gainesville to visit with the Cosner-Ervins. All three of Krin's kids were home visiting, plus Olivia's husband CJ and Ariana's girlfriend Marissa. We went for a sunset walk in the park.Then hung out and got caught up while Krin got dinner ready in her renovated kitchen. Richard, Krin's guy, came by with some of the beer he brews, which was fantastic, but didn't make it into the photos. (All taken with my new iPhone since I forgot my camera.) Ariana & Marissa
Olivia & CJ
Graham, Olivia, Ariana
Krin in the renovated kitchen.