om musing

Why I Want To Live in NY (Bklyn) Again -- yet another in the series

2009-09-07T16:54:00.001-04:00

A Couple of Anniversaries

2009-08-28T17:55:00.013-04:00

Last weekend we went down to Sarasota to celebrate our anniversary.

29 years.

I used Amex points to get a free hotel room at the Hyatt which was recently renovated and really nice. Here's the best part. I chose to try out their self check in system that was available in the lobby, which was very simple, and they were so pleased that I did that they upgraded us to a room with a view, and a balcony. That's the pool from our very nice room.

We had a nice afternoon walking around the town, did some shopping, spent as much as I could at Sarasota News and Books, but I couldn't save it, it's closing August 31st. I also got a fantastic new pan at Sur La Table, nice store and I love my pan which is "green" and non stick without any toxicity, a serious problem with non stick pans, especially for those of us who have birds in the house. Very happy with my purchase which I have been cooking with all week!

After enjoying the pool for a while, which has great strong waterfalls you can float under on your stomach while they give you a nice back massage, and a really good hot tub with a hot waterfall too, we went back into town. Sarasota is looking run down lately, lots of closed stores but still lots of nice art in the streets.

Jesse's friend Jen Berges recommended Mozaic for dinner and it was fantastic. Really nice decor and all, great flights of wine, and we got extra nice treatment when Mark mentioned it was our anniversary, including free fancy dessert.

Then on to the theater where we saw Neil LaBute's Fat Pig. Good play and Banyan Tree did a great job.

The next morning we enjoyed the pool again, then went to brunch on the balcony at Cafe Galante before doing a bit more shopping and then heading home.

The weekend before that was the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. WMNF did a Woodstock recreation at Skippers. It ran about 10 hours but we only went for about three. It was crowded and there were no seats available so we danced the whole time.

Local bands covered each band that played at Woodstock and they were amazingly great. In fact, I think I heard more of the music than I did at the original Woodstock. I actually have very little memory of Woodstock, though I know I was there. I remember walking a long way when the bus got stuck in the ridiculous traffic. And I remember the mud, and being hungry, and someone giving out hardboiled eggs. The music? Not so much. I enjoyed it this time around.

Big Wiggler did a good job as Jefferson Airplane with a great surprise, Marty Balin was actually there, singing lead, channeling Grace Slick!

Sly and the Family Stone as portrayed by Four Star Riot, rocked, above.

And below, Scott Elliott as Joe Cocker was truly amazing.

Bill Maher On Target Again

2009-08-09T16:15:00.002-04:00

How can there be so many truly ignorant people in this country?

From the July 31st Real Time with Bill Maher HBO show:

Never underestimate the ability of a tiny fringe group of losers to ruin everything. Now, for the past couple of weeks, we've all been laughing heartily at the wacky antics of the Birthers, the far-right goofballs who claim Obama wasn't really born in Hawaii, and therefore the job of president goes to the runner-up, Miss California, Carrie Prejean.

And, you know, there's nothing you can do to convince these people. You could hand them, in person, the original birth certificate, with the placenta--and have a video of Obama emerging from the womb with Don Ho singing in the background--and they still would not believe it.

Hey, Birthers, want to hear my theory? My theory is Obama was born in America, and you were born with the umbilical cord around your neck.

I don't know what his mother was doing when she was pregnant, but I'm pretty sure yours was drinking. Oh, I kid the Birthers.

And, actually, there is one thing that makes me think they could be right: we're Americans. Of course, we're going to hire an illegal alien to clean up.

I'm joking, of course. And laughing it off has also been the reaction from Democratic leaders, so far. Proving that Democrats never learn.

Because, in America, you know what? If you don't immediately kill errant bullshit, no matter how ridiculous, it can grow and thrive and eventually take over, like crabgrass or Cirque du Soleil.

This Birther stuff might be a deluded, time-wasting, right-wing obsession. But, so was Whitewater. And look where that ended up? Liberals said, "Oh, what are they going to do? Keep expanding the case until they impeach the president over a blowj*b?" Yeah. I'm telling you, in America, there is no idea so patently absurd that it can't catch on.

For example, have you ever met a Mormon?

Or, more recently, we had the Swift Boat allegations against John Kerry, making him, a genuine war hero, into a coward in a race against a guy who never left Texas. This was so stupid, Kerry refused to even discuss it. And we all know how well that worked out.

Now, you may ask, how does something as inane as Whitewater or Swift boats or the Birther thing gain traction? I'll tell you how. The same way the story about Elton John almost dying from ingesting too much of Rod Stewart's sperm gained traction in my high school. Dummies talking to other dummies.

It's just easier now because of the Internet. And because our mainstream media does such a lousy job of talking truth to stupid.

Lou Dobbs said recently that, "People are asking a lot of questions about the birth certificate." Yes, the same people who want to know where the sun goes at night. And where to put the stamp on their email.

And, Lou, you're their new king.

Which is why it is so important that we, the few, the proud, the reality-based, attack this stuff before it has a chance to fester and spread. This is not a case of Democrats versus Republicans. It's sentient beings versus the lizard people.

And on Huffington Post August 7th:

Just because a country elects a smart president doesn't make it a smart country....Before I go about demonstrating how, sadly, easy it is to prove the dumbness dragging down our country, let me just say that ignorance has life and death consequences. On the eve of the Iraq War, 69% of Americans thought Saddam Hussein was personally involved in 9/11. Four years later, 34% still did. Or take the health care debate we're presently having: members of Congress have recessed now so they can go home and "listen to their constituents." An urge they should resist because their constituents don't know anything. At a recent town-hall meeting in South Carolina, a man stood up and told his Congressman to "keep your government hands off my Medicare," which is kind of like driving cross country to protest highways.

I'm the bad guy for saying it's a stupid country, yet polls show that a majority of Americans cannot name a single branch of government, or explain what the Bill of Rights is. 24% could not name the country America fought in the Revolutionary War. More than two-thirds of Americans don't know what's in Roe v. Wade. Two-thirds don't know what the Food and Drug Administration does. Some of this stuff you should be able to pick up simply by being alive. You know, like the way the Slumdog kid knew about cricket.

Not here. Nearly half of Americans don't know that states have two senators and more than half can't name their congressman. And among Republican governors, only 30% got their wife's name right on the first try.

Sarah Palin says she would never apologize for America. Even though a Gallup poll says 18% of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth. No, they're not stupid. They're interplanetary mavericks. A third of Republicans believe Obama is not a citizen, and a third of Democrats believe that George Bush had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks, which is an absurd sentence because it contains the words "Bush" and "knowledge."

People bitch and moan about taxes and spending, but they have no idea what their government spends money on. The average voter thinks foreign aid consumes 24% of our federal budget. It's actually less than 1%. And don't even ask about cabinet members: seven in ten think Napolitano is a kind of three-flavored ice cream. And last election, a full one-third of voters forgot why they were in the booth, handed out their pants, and asked, "Do you have these in a relaxed-fit?"

And I haven't even brought up America's religious beliefs. But here's one fun fact you can take away: did you know only about half of Americans are aware that Judaism is an older religion than Christianity? That's right, half of America looks at books called the Old Testament and the New Testament and cannot figure out which one came first.

And these are the idiots we want to weigh in on the minutia of health care policy? Please, this country is like a college chick after two Long Island Iced Teas: we can be talked into anything, like wars, and we can be talked out of anything, like health care. We should forget town halls, and replace them with study halls. There's a lot of populist anger directed towards Washington, but you know who concerned citizens should be most angry at? Their fellow citizens. "Inside the beltway" thinking may be wrong, but at least it's thinking, which is more than you can say for what's going on outside the beltway.

And if you want to call me an elitist for this, I say thank you. Yes, I want decisions made by an elite group of people who know what they're talking about. That means Obama budget director Peter Orszag, not Sarah Palin.

Which is the way our founding fathers wanted it. James Madison wrote that "pure democracy" doesn't work because "there is nothing to check... an obnoxious individual." Then, in the margins, he doodled a picture of Joe the Plumber.

Until we admit there are things we don't know, we can't even start asking the questions to find out. Until we admit that America can make a mistake, we can't stop the next one. A smart guy named Chesterton once said: "My country, right or wrong is a thing no patriot would ever think of saying... It is like saying 'My mother, drunk or sober.'" To which most Americans would respond: "Are you calling my mother a drunk?"

Cat and Girl and NPR and Librarians

2009-07-20T10:30:00.003-04:00

Avett Brothers

2009-07-19T11:36:00.004-04:00

OK, this was last spring at SXSW in Austin, not last night at the Cuban Club in Ybor City, but we loved this song. And even though the album it will be on won't be out for another couple of months, because we all listen to WMNF we all were able to sing along, and the Bros. loved us back.

Why I Want To Live in NY (Bklyn) Again -- another in the series

2009-07-09T19:25:00.004-04:00

PIZZA

I mean truly great pizza, not what passes for pizza in other places (except for Italy).

Pizza worthy of interaction.

Happy Birthday Marley!

2009-07-04T15:18:00.003-04:00

It's not just our country's birthday today, it's also Marley's, which is special not just because it's Independence Day, but also because he is our only pet whose birthday we actually know. That's right, we've got the official papers, and today he is five years old. He and Dylan both really like his new birthday bed. And later, Dogsters!

Some "Straight Talk" for Independence Day

2009-07-04T12:13:00.005-04:00

For a few very good laughs, don't miss Gail Collins' column in the New York Times today. On this Independence Day, my hope for the country is that every voter thinks this whole debacle is as funny as I do. Though I gotta say, an Obama/Palin campaign would be pretty entertaining.

Senator Franken

2009-06-30T17:48:00.003-04:00

Let the fun begin!

Memorializing Phyllis

2009-06-26T15:26:00.006-04:00

We went to the memorial service for Phyllis Busansky today. Almost a thousand people showed up, including almost every important Democrat in the area and some Republicans too, including Governor Crist (ick). There were some great stories told about Phyllis, especially one by the columnist Steve Otto. (That column is not about the story he told at the service, but ask me some time and I'll tell you that one, it's the story about how Phyllis' hair inspired an invention. And then there was the one about the time she got a police escort for her daughter's interview at Brown....) There were some emotional memories, especially by one of her sons. There were people of all colors represented, because Phyllis lived to make life better for those who have least. There were tears, but probably more laughes. What I loved the most about it, though, was the music that played as we all slowly filed out, You Can Get It If You Really Want (but you must try, and try, and try, till you succeed at last) which was not only music she liked, but music that was sort of the story of her life, and the lesson she lived for others.

Democrats Are the New Republicans

2009-06-25T18:48:00.004-04:00

Here's one of Bill Maher's New Rules from last Friday night:

"...every time Obama tries to take on a progressive cause, there's a major political party standing in his way: the Democrats. Now, people talk a lot about a third political party in America. We don't need a third party. We need a first party. You go to the polls and your choices are the guy who voted for the first Wall Street bailout, or the guy who voted for the next ten.

This year, we're hearing that a public option for health care is unlikely because it doesn't have the support of enough Democrats. Even Ted Kennedy's plan-- Ted Kennedy, yeah -- leaves 37 million uninsured. This is because we don't have a left and a right part in this country anymore. We have a center-right party and a crazy party.

And, over the last 30-odd years, Democrats have moved to the right, and the right has moved into a mental hospital.

So, what we have is one perfectly good party for hedge fund managers, credit card companies, banks, defense contractors, big agriculture and the pharmaceutical lobby; that's the Democrats.

And they sit across the aisle from a small group of religious lunatics, flat-earth-ers and Civil War re-enactors who mostly communicate by AM radio and call themselves the Republicans. And who actually worry that Obama is a socialist.

Socialist? He's not even a liberal. I know he's not because he's on TV. And while I see Democrats on television, I don't see actual liberals. And if occasionally you do get to hear Ralph Nader or Noam Chomsky or Dennis Kucinich, they're treated like buffoons. Okay, these are not three of the world's most charismatic men, but then nobody is going to confuse Newt Gingrich for Zac Efron. And I have to look at his fat face on TV more often than that free credit report song.

Shouldn't there be one party that unambiguously supports cutting the military budget, a party that is straight up in favor of gun control, gay marriage, higher taxes on the rich, universal health care--legalizing pot--and steep, direct taxing of polluters? These aren't radical ideas. A majority of Americans are either already for them or would be if they were properly argued and defended.

And what we need is an actual progressive party to represent the millions of Americans who aren't being served by the Democrats. Because, bottom line, Democrats are the new Republicans."

If You Knew Phyllis

2009-06-24T18:34:00.007-04:00

, even just a little, like I did, you'd have been inspired by her.

Phyllis Busansky was the best kind of politician. Smart, compassionate, and truly in it to make life better for others.

She served on the county commission during the good years, when there were other Democrats and other women and they accomplished good things. She worked hard for the Democratic party and the people of this county through the bad years, when crazy right wing christians took over. She had the courage to run for Congress in my very conservative district, and she lost, but at least she ran, no other Democrat even tried.

This past November Phyllis ran again, this time for Supervisor of Elections, and to our surprise and joy, she won! And then found out what we all really knew, the Elections office was a mess, and she began to put things right.

Phyllis Busansky died unexpectedly yesterday, at a statewide meeting of Supervisors of Elections. It's a huge loss for all of us in Hillsborough County, and my hope is that those she inspired will pick up and carry on.

Farewell to a special garage door

2009-06-23T12:29:00.000-04:00

I always loved our garage door, painted by the previous owner to reflect the trees in the landscaping right there. But sadly, the door needed replacing, it was old and had issues, and so did the opener, and it wasn't storm proof anyway. So goodbye artsy door, and welcome to a new door, not interesting, but it works very well and very quietly, and will resist hurricane force winds, qualifying us for a bit of a tax break.

Happy Bloody Father's Day!

2009-06-22T16:34:00.000-04:00

Daisy, Dylan, Marley, Halle, Jules & I gave Mark a set of glasses with trees etched into them so he can make beautiful drinks, and he did, right away.

Happy Father's Day; we love our tree hugger!

Daisy, the smartest dog

2009-06-21T12:23:00.002-04:00

It's been insanely hot the past week, and feels even hotter thanks to the humidity which is so thick it actually has a presence on your skin. Too hot to be outside unless you are in the water. And Daisy has figured it out. It's too tiring for her to swim all day long, though she used to be able to do this. But there are two seats cut into the sides of the pool, and today Daisy was swimming back and forth between them, just hanging out in the water to keep cool.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

2009-06-16T12:41:00.003-04:00

We went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to see the Henry Moore show.

The sculptures were magnificent, the setting as well.
.

And being with these friends is always a pretty great experience, with or without the gorgeous gardens and art.

Trader Joe's

2009-06-15T12:17:00.001-04:00

One of the highlights of this Atlanta visit was Mark's & my first ever visit to a Trader Joe's.

We liked it.

Eddie's Attic

2009-06-13T13:13:00.005-04:00

We drove up to Atlanta Friday, May 8th, the day after Barbara's birthday, the day before Sarah's birthday, and 5 days before mine. Soon we were back in a car, heading down to Decatur, to Eddie's Attic, a great place to eat acceptable food and hear excellent music.

We started out with dinner on the roof, joined by the Schindler kids, Sarah and Grant, and their partners, Jake and Joanna.
I was excited to see Richard Shindell arrive and unpack the car.
Eddie himself took this picture of our whole group.
It was a fun family dinner and then the younger half of the party left and the older half went inside to hear Richard. He was great, as always. Enjoyed the opening act, Meg Hutchinson, too.

On the way to Atlanta

2009-06-13T13:01:00.004-04:00

A month ago we went up to Atlanta to celebrate birthdays, more on that later.

On the way up north we stopped in High Springs and met up with Krin and Olivia & CJ who were visiting -- they were headed for a day at the springs. It was a brief visit, and so fun to see Olivia pregnant and she and CJ so exuberant about it. She's even bigger now, of course, check her out on their website.

The New Library

2009-05-28T14:46:00.002-04:00

In just a couple of weeks we will begin the process of moving into a brand new building, the NEW North Tampa Library. Right now it is empty, and very grand. And the staff are getting excited!

Our New Buddha

2009-05-27T14:12:00.002-04:00

Dylan enjoys the statue we won at the Pesto Festo silent auction.

Pesto Festo

2009-05-26T13:54:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Pesto Festo, the annual end of the season fundraiser for Sweetwater, on May 2nd. I hung out for a while with Kaiser and some friends by the creek. I really enjoyed listening in as Kaiser and Chloe discussed the fact that the sounds of their names started the same way even though they had different first letters. Early literacy skills at work!
Lorie was volunteering, she washed the greens for the salad, lots and lots and lots of fresh greens. Then hung out with us and Judy and Billie for supper.
I participated in the first (and last? or annual?) organic fashion show. Here is one of my outfits; I bought the pants.
The food was great.

So was the music. Dance music courtesy of the Urban Gypsies, enjoyed by all, hula hoops or not.

The Negrons Visit

2009-05-25T13:27:00.005-04:00

Val and Tony came for a visit during their spring migration back north. We had fun at Demen's Landing in St. Pete even though American Stage in the Park sucked this year.
We had a great time with Val and Tony,
and with the extremely lovable Toby.

Spring Break in Washington DC (the end)

2009-05-25T12:18:00.007-04:00

We spent a rainy day at the Newseum and even got to do some reporting!

We had a great time in DC, we always do.

Got to see some good theater at one of our old favorites, the Studio Theater and a new favorite, Wooly Mammoth.

Enjoyed massages and facials at a nearby yoga studio, Tranquil Space.

Spent a lot of time and, somehow, not a lot of money in a couple of great bookstores, the always fun Kramer's, and a good used bookstore, Second Story, across the street from one of our very favorite pizza places ever, Pizzeria Paradiso.

Till next visit....

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 6)

2009-05-25T12:07:00.003-04:00

The new National Museum of the American Indian is fantastic, inside and out, (including the cafeteria).

Best of all, my mom came down from NY and her (and our) friend Sally from Baltimore, to spend the day at the museum with us.

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 5)

2009-05-25T11:59:00.002-04:00

We couldn't get into Congress and we couldn't get into the White House either. This is the best glimpse we could get. No Obamas in sight. But it was nice to know they were around.
We put miles on every day, walking into neighborhoods all over the place. Really enjoyed the walk into Georgetown, crossing the creek, feels like a small town (though it gets upscale, chain store, and touristy pretty fast) and we had a wonderful crepe brunch here.

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 4)

2009-05-25T11:49:00.003-04:00

Here he is. Always an emotional moment, first seeing the man as you climb the steps. The Korean War monument is pretty stunning too.

Of course there are other kinds of statues in Washington as well.

I love the sculpture garden at the Hirshhorn.

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 3)

2009-05-25T11:32:00.003-04:00

We love the monuments in Washington and had a new one to check out this trip -- the WWII Memorial. Boring. The best thing about it is the views from it. These are two of them.
The FDR Memorial is my favorite. Almost. I cannot get over my love of the Lincoln. But this one is large and beautiful and complex, tells a great story of many years and many people.

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 2)

2009-05-25T10:53:00.003-04:00

Lots of stuff was on break since it was, after all, the week before Easter. So we didn't get to see Congress in session as we had hoped. But it was Cherry Blossom time and so we walked from the hotel, through the mall, to the Tidal Basin, and the festival.

Spring Break in Washington DC (part 1)

2009-05-25T10:25:00.004-04:00

We spent Mark's spring break in April in Washington D.C. Just to be in a city with good vibes, great art and culture in general, a walking city, a city where you happen upon interesting things all the time. We used the metro sometimes but walked and walked and walked. We stayed, this time, in the Topaz Hotel, right next door to our old favorite, The Tabard Inn. It's a Kimpton Hotel and we wanted to rack up some membership points, plus I wanted to check out the yoga inspired hotel. Indeed, we got bags with mats and props and there's a yoga channel on the TV 24 hours a day. Good class, but same class, all the time.
We were around the corner from the National Geographic building which has a great garden in front, loaded with bird feeders and insect sculptures.
We liked our quiet and pretty street. This is the view from our room.
We were just a couple of blocks from Dupont Circle so we headed right out when we arrived to see what was going on. Saturday in the city. And there was some sort of pillow event at the Circle.

Later on we investigated all the nice touches in our room, including the traditional Kimpton animal print robes, the Aveda products in the bathrooms, and the NY Times and Washington Post at our door every morning. Had to walk 1/2 a block to get to a Starbucks though.

My Mom Visited this Winter!

2009-05-23T14:27:00.005-04:00

My mother does not like Florida. So even though it was not a great winter in NY, it was tough to convince her to come down here. She finally arrived in February for a few days of theater, spa, cuddling with the boys and Daisy, trying to pretend the birds aren't around, and playing Wii Sports. And hanging with Mark and me.

Come back soon, Mom!

Goodbye to two good men

2009-05-05T08:45:00.003-04:00

Two special men left the world yesterday. I didn't know either of them, but I do know their children and so I know the world is less without them.
Michael Jenkins was the father of David Jenkins, the incredible moving force behind Jobsite Theater. David is so full of creativity, intelligence and energy, and love of his animals, friends, theater and music, that I know his father must have been someone pretty special too.

Dean Damon is another man I never met. The father of Haverly, one of my daughter's best friends and longtime roommate, I know a bit more about him. I know he was kind and generous, helping Jesse through those tricky years, flying her out to visit him along with Haverly, never forgetting her at gift giving times, making her a part of his wonderful family. I've followed Dean's failing health by reading his blog and sometimes communicating with Haverly, and I knew he would be leaving soon, but his passing hit me hard when I read about it this morning.
Dean participated in the raising of a beautiful and strong daughter; Haverly's a truly amazing person and a great friend, and I have Haverly, Bill, Linda, Frazier in my heart and mind today. And a promise to always give Haverly the kind of lovingkindness Dean always had for Jesse.

Why Republicans are not good people

2009-04-24T10:29:00.001-04:00

Just say no right back to Republicans.

That's my first family!

2009-04-13T19:52:00.002-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I'm in love with Bo

2009-04-12T20:10:00.002-04:00

I'm so happy for all of them.

And I want one too....

Yes, he is cool

2009-03-28T21:42:00.002-04:00

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-03-27T23:07:00.003-04:00

I rarely like kids' movies, but if this one is anywhere near as good as this trailer I think I am going to love it.

Spike, you bowl me over every time.

The Number Zero, Brought To You By The Party Of N-O

2009-03-27T21:10:00.002-04:00

Proud to be a dues paying member of the party with a sense of humor, and brains, too.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

2009-03-27T20:54:00.006-04:00

Blood, gore, and dead cats. Not my things at all.

Darkest of black comedy. Now you're talking.

Awesome acting, Irish accents so authentic I couldn't understand some of it but I sure got the gist, and damn good very violent special effects.

Gotta admit I had an issue with the dead cats but they were not quite real enough to truly offend and the brilliant Jobsite crew balanced it out with a photo exhibit of their own beloved cats.

Do Not Miss This One if you are in Tampa. Jobsite gets better every single time.

A St. Pete Weekend

2009-03-17T20:16:00.006-04:00

This past weekend we spent both Saturday and Sunday evening in St. Petersburg, eating, and then going to concerts at The Palladium.
Saturday night we ate at the Old Northeast Tavern, yummy food and drink with Anne & Greg, and then went to hear Richard Thompson. Great music from an almost 60 sexy guy.Sunday evening was an earlier show so we headed into St. Pete early enough to enjoy an outdoor dinner in the daylight on 3rd Street N. where there are lots of tables out on the street and lots of good food and drink choices. We got some burritos at Burrito Boarder and sat outside The Independent enjoying great beer, weather, and some interesting street life.Lots of dogs were hanging with their people and some became friends.

We walked back up 3rd St. to the Palladium. After the opening act, Rebekah Pulley, we stepped outside for some air and to sip the lattes we had previously left in the car for our intermission treat, and lucked out. Intermission turned out to be timed just right to see the shuttle launch!
Back inside for a thoroughly entertaining Loudon Wainwright III. Loudon mentioned that he'd heard Richard Thompson had been there the night before, and that the two of them are good friends. In fact, he said, they are planning to tour together next fall and they are calling the tour Loud and Rich. Or Rich and Loud. Either way, I hope they stop at a city I can get to, love listening to both these guys.

Don't Divorce Us

2009-02-16T11:53:00.002-05:00

Someday we will look back and find it unbelievable that people who love each other were not allowed to be married to each other. But for now, watch this and do something.
Thanks, Barbara, for sharing.

Swimming with the Fishes

2009-02-16T11:26:00.006-05:00

Mark treated me to a Swim with the Fishes at the Florida Aquarium for Valentine's Day. We were excited as we got into wet suits and got some instruction on using the gear. It was enormously fun! Thanks, Valentine.

Maira Kalman

2009-01-31T11:51:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-28T20:02:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-25T17:17:00.007-05:00

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

2009-01-25T12:43:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-25T12:30:00.004-05:00

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

2009-01-25T12:17:00.003-05:00

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!

2009-01-21T19:38:00.003-05:00

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

Belated Happy New Year!

2009-01-18T14:57:00.008-05:00

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.

2009-01-15T20:56:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-04T13:27:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-04T12:43:00.006-05:00

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.

I love my iPhone

2008-12-24T17:39:00.003-05:00

So, yes, I am a touchscreen kind of person after all.

We made the big leap to ATT a week ago and so far I am pleased.

But I am more than pleased with my new iPhone, I love love love it.

So many things so easy to do, but I want to learn more and better and so will be taking a free class at the local Apple store Saturday.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to a few extra days off and a big fat book and maybe a couple of movies.

Video Greetings from the Library

2008-12-22T11:40:00.003-05:00

The staff of the Jimmie B. Keel branch library, where my office is, created this holiday greeting for the library system's staff blog.
Pardon the shaky camera work by me.

This Beer's for You

2008-12-20T09:23:00.002-05:00

Another cool post from Death & Taxes.

This post dedicated to Mark and Thom.

Black History Timeline

2008-12-20T09:11:00.003-05:00

Take a look at this fascinating mashup on the Death & Taxes blog.

Abby & Doug's Annual Holiday Party

2008-12-17T20:34:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday evening -- Alan, Abby, Paul, Norman, Mark & George, hanging in the kitchen.

Libraries in Hard Time

2008-12-10T19:13:00.001-05:00

This report that was on NBC Nightly News tonight made me feel proud to work in a library.

It was a short and stormy relationship.

2008-12-09T18:28:00.005-05:00

I went out and bought the BlackBerry Storm at Verizon a few weeks ago, the very day it came out. I had been interested in an iPhone, but liked Verizon's phone service and had heard many bad things about ATT service, so no iPhone for me. But the Storm looked like Verizon's answer to the iPhone and it is made by BlackBerry which I already know and love from my work phone.

But I didn't love it. I couldn't type a quick email on it, I was so clumsy with the touch screen, it was very frustrating. And there were other annoyances, for one big one, I couldn't get it to reconcile my personal email. Was I on the internet or not?

And then I read David Pogue's scathing review and felt somewhat relieved that I'm not the only one and also regretful about how quickly I had bought it. But as Pogue pointed out, Verizon has a generous return policy. So I tried for another week, and then gave up. I returned my Storm to Verizon and they gave me all the money back, no questions asked.

Big Sigh of Relief. And I realized I'd missed my simple little LG Chocolate.

But still, I do want a phone that can give me access to my email and to Google. And it's nice to have a calendar in there too, and a camera. So what do I want?

Well I think I want something that ATT has and Verizon does not. And so I am almost ready to make the jump. But which will it be?

There's the iPhone of course, but now I am wondering if I am just not a touch screen kind of person. And people keep telling me how lousy it is as a phone though they love everything else about it.

And then there's the new BlackBerry Bold. I know how to work a BlackBerry and it's got a gorgeous screen. And David Pogue likes it.

Any advice?

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-12-07T21:41:00.004-05:00

_MG_8382, originally uploaded by Our Labor Of Love Photography.

Our traditional photo, in our traditional spot. This year by Whitney Chamberlin.

And Marley is somewhere, we just don't know where.

Marley

2008-12-07T21:39:00.003-05:00

_MG_8558, originally uploaded by Our Labor Of Love Photography.

Now that is a good looking poodle.
Thank you, Whitney.

Dogs and Toys

2008-12-07T18:41:00.003-05:00

Daisy feels the need to protect her favorite toys.

Because if she leaves them alone, Marley is likely to hide them where she cannot reach.

Some new art is hung

2008-12-07T17:48:00.004-05:00

Mark hung the new pieces I picked up from the framer this weekend.
I love this poster of Barack Obama made all from words that make up the country's hope for what his administration will mean for our future. It's a limited edition print I picked up from the Artists for Obama part of the campaign website. I also got a print we bought from an expat artist in San Miguel de Allende when we were there for the wedding last spring, and a Matte Stephens New York City print I got on Etsy recently.

Dylan loves the women

2008-12-07T17:40:00.002-05:00

Dylan was so happy to see Jen and Leigh last night he could not decide which lap to settle on.

Thanksgiving in Atlanta

2008-12-07T13:24:00.017-05:00

As always, we had a wonderful long Thanksgiving weekend in Atlanta at Barbara & Steve's home. Mark, Dylan, Marley and I drove up Tuesday night, and the next morning we headed down to Little Five Points to pick up Jesse, Thom and Jasper who spent the night at the home of Jesse & Whitney Chamberlin, wedding photographers extraordinaire. They have an amazing abode, it feels like country but is literally right in the middle of the coolest part of Atlanta.

We got to pick up the gorgeous wedding albums we had ordered, to meet the Chamberlin pugs, and then we took off.

Stopped for a little lunch at the bakery in Decatur where we picked up the cakes Jesse had ordered for our Thanksgiving dessert. Back at the house, we got to show off the albums. Then Mark and I headed out for massages.

We went to R. Thomas for dinner.

Then we headed over to Grant & Joanna's apartment for dessert and some fun with Rock Band.

The next day was Thanksgiving.

We played Wii tennis (Thom actually made an avatar for every single person who came),

sampled some great beer brewed by a friend of Krin,

sat down at our longest table yet, twenty people, for a wonderful, nearly vegetarian dinner.Afterwards the guys cleaned up,

we ate those amazing cakes,

and played Trivial Pursuit.

It was fun to have the Chamberlins -- Whitney, Jesse & their son Gracyn -- join us this year. You can see the great photos they took here.

During the weekend lots of laptops were always in evidence.
Sarah got the chance to catch up with old friends

and to do a lot of work.

Dylan relaxed in Mark's suitcase.

Chaos relaxed in a sunny spot with a good view of the front door.

Friday we went to the High Museum to see a fascinating show about the Terracotta Army discovered in China.

Later we went to see Milk, an important and beautiful film, had a great veggie dinner at Dynamic Dish, and did a bit of bar hopping (and played Random Article Wikipedia Charades once again).

It was a wonderful, if exhausting, holiday with great friends.

Happy day off and some local election news

2008-11-11T10:54:00.004-05:00

It's so nice that both Mark and I have the day off today, the day after his birthday, the day of my mother's birthday, it's that thing of great value, a day off in the middle of the week.

It gave me the time to relax and read the paper this morning, and since there was still more time to do nothing in, I picked up one of the weekly freebie locals I never normally read. In fact I don't read any local news anymore, it's just been too trite and embarrassing.

But here, from Community News, coverage of the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections race, where Democrat Phyllis Busansky suprised and delighted us by beating incumbent Republican Buddy Johnson:

"Some of Johnson's staff did not include the second page of the ballot to an unknown number of voters. Johnson, never one to take personal responsibility, said it must have been volunteers who slept through training....Johnson made a short concession speech....He said that the office would help with the transition to Busansky's command. Whether Busansky wants some of the bumbling help remains to be seen."

Reports of problems at local polls include one where "poll workers required voters to line up alphabetically, instead of the normal first-come-first-served basis. One voter told the media that she was one of the first in line...around 6:30 a.m. and that she had to wait a couple hours because the poll workers took people alphabetically."

Buddy himself managed to avoid all the controversy last Tuesday night with a simple strategy.

"Throughout the evening, Johnson remained mostly out of sight and did not make himself, his staff or even officials from Premier Elections Services available to answer questions."

Oh, what a riot this county is. Too bad it's too important to be really funny. But important too is the slightest tilt toward the middle now that we have a second Democrat on the County Commission. Let's hope Kevin Beckner encourages Kevin White to act a bit more like a Democrat. And how great that we don't have to wait more than another week to be rid of Brian Blair, the holy roller wrestler who tried to get the county to continue down the destructive path Ronda Storms worked so hard to forge. Ronda is mean but somewhat smart; Blair is too dumb even to know how to campaign. His relection campaign consisted of billboards illegally paid for and ads in which his wife waxed eloquent about his strengths as a family guy, and by the way, there was nothing at all to that old domestic abuse charge.

Now it's just two little bits less embarrassing to live in this county. And a big blue bit less embarrassing to live in this state. Who knows, I may even pick up a local paper again one of these days.

Here's to Obama! And Kevin & Phyllis! And us!

2008-11-08T12:09:00.007-05:00

Last night we had a victory party! It was so great to be able to celebrate after years of nothing going right politically, in our country and in our county. But not only did we have President Elect Obama to celebrate, we had a couple of important victories in Hillsborough County as well. We actually ousted a right wing born again wrestler from our county commission and replaced him with a bright, young, progressive, cute, gay guy, Kevin Beckner! And good riddance to Buddy Johnson, our Supervisor of Elections who was nobody's buddy. Welcome Phyllis Busansky, long time local Democrat, great to see her back in office!Lots of people stopped by to celebrate, library, school, sailing friends, even a neighbor stopped by -- she saw our party decorations outside and said, hey, it's my celebration too! The biggest surprise was a big McCain supporter, Mark's sailing captain, who said he was in mourning but showed up anyway.
We raised glasses to toast a new direction, a new future, and positive change in our country, in our county, and in the new blue state we all are relieved to be able to say we live in without shame.
All the dogs had a great time, they were so social and really well behaved. But they are exhausted today; we are pretty tired too. And still basking in the glow of this best election ever.

Check out Abby's photos from the party right here.

What This Election Means

2008-11-08T12:03:00.003-05:00

From today's New York Times OpEd page, two views of what President Elect Obama means, to Arabs, and to African Americans. While this historic election means something different to everyone, this glimpse into other peoples' points of view is very moving.

Political Humorists Worry

2008-11-08T11:23:00.003-05:00

They fear they are entering years of nothing to make fun of in the administration.

Jon Stewart has warned that we should all be aware that if he makes jokes that refer to Barack Obama's race, they should no more be taken as jokes about all black people than the jokes he has made about George Bush should be taken as jokes about all mentally challenged people.

This morning on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, they were able to find some good humor -- talking about how "Barack Obama gets to be the guy who cleans up after eight years of a drunken frat party". And how "Sarah Palin was defeated on Tuesday along with the old white guy who kept following her around." And, my favorite, since she has four years now to cram, "Sarah Palin is moving her family to a new house, this one with a view of a library."

But actually, all the above jokes are still about the lame duck administration.

Yes, it could be a dry time for the comedians, but what a great time it will be for the rest of us.

YES WE DID!

2008-11-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

What a magnificent night!

And Florida is blue again!

The party is on at our house Friday night!

We will be celebrating our new blue county commissioner too!

VOTE tomorrow if you haven't already

2008-11-03T09:11:00.001-05:00

and have a free cup of coffe on Starbucks. Just one more reason I like this big corporation that does so much good.

A Chilly, Rainy Fall Day

2008-11-02T14:36:00.003-05:00

The boys got groomed this week just as it was turning chilly. And we could not remember where we had put their Tshirts, so we had to get some new ones. To our surprise, they love putting them on, they get just about as excited when you mention the shirts, as they do when you talk about treats.

What I Will Miss About President Bush

2008-11-02T13:08:00.004-05:00

Really, I will not miss him at all, no how, no way. But I just finished reading Curtis Sittenfeld's new novel, American Wife which has me thinking about Laura Bush in a different way. I can finally understand why she fell in love with George, though I can't understand why she didn't make more of an effort to change his mind on some issues.
Anyway, Sittenfeld's part in this combined Op-Ed piece in today's NY Times was particularly meaningful to me, but I was better able to appreciate the other contributers here as well, especially Scott McClellan and Robert Draper.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

We decorated our new wall for Halloween this year. The pumpkins you see here are our second batch, put out just as dusk settled in on Halloween night. The first batch, put out a couple of nights early to decorate in anticipation were gone the next morning. When Mark went back to the high school pumpkin patch on Halloween afternoon with the stolen pumpkin story, they took pity -- he bought the big one and they threw the others in for free.Then Mark got dressed for some trick or treat door opening. He has experience with this costume, having worn it earlier at school for the "book character" parade (since you can't officially celebrate Halloween in the schools and libraries of the south). The boys, having just been groomed, decided to pull up their little "I've been groomed" bandanas and became little old Russian ladies.Daisy didn't want to be left out. She's the big babushka.

Who ARE these people?

2008-10-28T20:49:00.003-04:00

This past week Wait Wait Don't Tell Me did some funny bits at the beginning about undecided voters. And I have been wondering, can there really be undecided voters at this point? I don't think so. Unless they are morons or have just woken from a coma.

Here's some more thoughts on the undecided from one of my favorite commentators on society.

"For as long as I can remember, just as we move into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign the focus shifts to the undecided voters. 'Who are they?' the news anchors ask. 'And how might they determine the outcome of this election?'

Then you’ll see this man or woman— someone, I always think, who looks very happy to be on TV. 'Well, Charlie,' they say, 'I’ve gone back and forth on the issues and whatnot, but I just can’t seem to make up my mind!' Some insist that there’s very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that they’re with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.

I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?'

To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.

I mean, really, what’s to be confused about?...

I wonder if, in the end, the undecideds aren’t the biggest pessimists of all. Here they could order the airline chicken, but, then again, hmm. 'Isn’t that adding an extra step?' they ask themselves. 'If it’s all going to be chewed up and swallowed, why not cut to the chase, and go with the platter of shit?'

Ah, though, that’s where the broken glass comes in."

Read the rest of David Sedaris' essay in the Oct. 27th issue of The New Yorker.

I, by the way, am not undecided. Not in the slightest, though I admit to some indecision during the primaries.

But now, I am fully committed to my candidate. And for the first time in my life I have voted for someone who not only has a really good chance of winning, but whom I really really like. A lot. Yes, I voted for Barak Obama, instead of voting for the Democrat because he is not the Republican.

I cannot wait to see what he is going to do when he is President.

And I cannot wait to have my library back from the insanity of being a place to vote. I must retire before the next Presidential election hits the libraries.

Curb Appeal Updates

2008-10-26T14:25:00.007-04:00

The new door has been stained.

Tired of dealing with plants that look great one day and wild and weedy the next, we are beginning to replace groundcover with stones, for a more zen like look.

Mark is working on the abundent ferns and vines -- begone, I say, the rocks are coming.

Eventually the front will get there too, some plants will remain but weedblock cloth and stones will prevail.

It's a bit chilly in the house this morning...

2008-10-26T11:09:00.003-04:00

so I was able to capture a glimpse of the rare and elusive cuddling-poodle-boys.

Comment on The Caucus

2008-10-24T19:14:00.001-04:00

I love this comment on a post on the cost of Palin's hair & makeup on the NY Times' political blog, The Caucus.

$150,000 for the latest fashions.
$55,000 for beauty care.
$25,000 to have your family come along.
Defeat on Election Day, priceless.

Dear Red States

2008-10-23T19:00:00.003-04:00

I love this, but please, can Florida come too?

We're really really trying, and I'm hopeful.

And I voted today!

Yes I Did!

The Planter's Ball

2008-10-19T16:21:00.011-04:00

We celebrated the beginning of the season at our farm last night, even though two city sewage line breaks that flooded our creek and well with sewage made our fields unuseable this year, and forced the heartbreaking plowing under of early crops. Luckily we have other fields available, the organic farmers are a supportive community and our farm will have a good season even if it starts later than usual.

We had a great potluck dinner; the vegan and vegetarian tables were overflowing with tasty dishes.

Jen and Mark are taking a break before tackling dessert.

The Urban Gypsies play regularly at Sweetwater Organic Farm parties, they do everything from bluegrass to roots rock and are easy to dance or hula hoop to.

Kaiser had a great time playing with his new farm friend.

Turn it Off

2008-10-18T14:32:00.003-04:00

This ad is wonderful, more about parenting and literacy than getting him elected.

I can even use it in the Every Child Ready to Read workshops when Obama is president!

(The version I saw on TV here is for FL, not NC. And I don't know why the quality of the video is so bad, looks just fine on YouTube and on Obama's site....)

The Map Keeps Getting Prettier

2008-10-16T14:10:00.002-04:00

The New York Times election map has been changing color lately.
I can't wait to see the FL yellow turning blue.
You can click on each state to find out the facts, and you can make the colors change if you are so inclined.

The Mask Slips

2008-10-11T15:16:00.004-04:00

"For the nitwits who vote for the man or woman they'd most like to have over for dinner...I suggest you take a look at how well your 401(k) is doing, or how easy it will be to meet the mortgage this month, or whether the college fund you've been trying to build for your kids is as robust as you'd like it to be....Voting has consequences."

What I want to know is, who in the world would actually rather have a batty old man over for dinner than an eloquent, intelligent middle aged man. Really. One thing is for sure, they are not people I would want to have over for dinner.

You can read the rest of Bob Herbert's excellent and important column from today's Times here.

And check out Gail Collins' clever column today too.

In the Future, We Will Be Hipsters

2008-10-10T11:43:00.004-04:00

Not only did we pull our money out of the market before it collapsed, and put it into real estate in one of the few places in the country that hasn't "cratered", but we actually bought our apartment in Brooklyn's new hipster hangout!

Sarah Killed the Moose

2008-10-08T22:08:00.006-04:00

And yesterday she killed a blue whale.

How very Alaskan of Sarah.

Final Day of Driveway & Wall Work!

2008-10-05T18:10:00.003-04:00

Another very long day of work, but the guys are now finally done.

It's raining, but not hard enough to wash away the last of the sand yet.

Our new retaining wall.

Our new mailbox surround. And all the stuff that will be removed tomorrow.

Soon the doors will be stained and hopefully soon Mark will get the changes done we have planned in the landscaping, and then we will be done.

Except for one thing.

We need a fabulous new mat outside our front door.

Ideas anyone?

Third Day of Driveway, and Wall, Work

2008-10-04T19:27:00.002-04:00

The guys worked for a really long time today. EVERYTHING is covered with a thick layer of cement dust from all the pavers that had to be cut. The driveway, the front door, the trees, there is some on the roof, in the yard, and our neighbor's roof, trees and yard. So it's a little hard to see what it will look like, but it still looks great. The low walls around the landscaping right up against the house are done.
The retaining wall will get higher and be capped off like the ones in the front, making a top people could actually sit on.
Tomorrow the job will pretty much be finished. The low wall around the mailbox will be built, everything else finished off, concrete poured around the sides of the driveway, the pavers covered with sand and then washed, to push the sand down in between. It will be beautiful when washed, and we can choose, for more money, to have it sealed in about a month if we want, to keep that beautiful just washed look for a few years. I think maybe we will do that, and maybe do the pool deck at the same time. We'll see how much we feel like spending another couple of thousand dollars.

Monday, hopefully, all the pallets and the dumpster will be removed. Mark will still have to figure out what to do with the old wood wall, and we will have a lot of pavers and some of the wall stones left so we might do something with the totally overgrown pond area in the back....

I am so happy with how this is turning out. And the neighborhood likes it too -- the contracter has three appointments from people on our block who have stopped by!

Obama in a red state

2008-10-04T18:54:00.003-04:00

Barbara and Steve live in Alpharetta, a very red suburb of Atlanta.

But their Obama/Biden sign is not the only one out there!

Who's Gonna Build Your Wall?

2008-10-04T10:38:00.007-04:00

This is one of the most played songs on my iPod. Take a listen if you don't know it already, great message, and the kind of song that you have to sing along to, loud.

Click "Listen Now" to hear the NPR story or "Hear the Song" to just do that, and please excuse the brief NPR commercial.

And who do you think is building our wall?

Second Day of Driveway Work

2008-10-03T18:58:00.002-04:00

They laid a lot of the driveway pavers today and took down the crumbling wall.

They say they will complete the job tomorrow!

First day of driveway work

2008-10-02T18:48:00.006-04:00

The work on the driveway began today. All the concrete, and some of the retaining wall, was removed. The driveway is all sand.

There's a big dumpster full of concrete and piles of pavers on pallets.

Tomorrow the retaining wall will be removed, so will some of the plants, and the new wall will begin to be built.

While I was out taking pictures I met a neighbor who lives on the street behind us. Jim has recently retired and he told me he's bored so I invited him to volunteer at the library. He was walking Tara, his yorkie/bichon mix. Such a cute and friendly pup, but I wonder which parent gave her the color. Love her white goatee!

A stay at home weekend

2008-09-28T18:48:00.004-04:00

We did nothing this weekend even though we had plans -- a literary festival, a play, a meditation class, dinner with friends. All went by the wayside because Mark and I were both under the weather. Colds, and feeling crappy. So we exchanged our theater tickets and dropped out of everything else. And did nothing.

Almost.

We did watch the debate Friday evening and we both thought Obama did us proud.

We did watch a movie Saturday evening, Lars and the Real Girl, which was sweet and strange, and enjoyable.

And we did get the fifth new door installed and most of the new hardware too. There's the new front door handle. It's really my third choice as the first two I selected seemed to be completely unavailable in any way. But this is fine.

All the doors and the new frames need staining and painting but we'll hold off on that until after the driveway/retaining wall/front entrace step project is done. If things go well that will be a week from now.

We'll see.

But in the meantime, Dexter and Californication start new seasons tonight so, while my head still feels like it's in a vise, I'm kind of happy for a Sunday night.

The Driveway

2008-09-27T09:48:00.004-04:00

This is why the driveway is being replaced. The job supposedly starts late next week.

The retaining wall is in even worse shape.

And the front entranceway is just plain ugly.

Stay tuned.

There are many Sarahs in my life

2008-09-25T20:40:00.004-04:00

There is, of course, the scary Sarah Palin, hilariously moronic when she actually does speak without a script.

There is the beautiful and brilliant Sarah Schindler (who shared the video I'm about to pass along).

There is the sweet Sarah (the dog) Nichter, a frequent, and current, houseguest of ours.

And there is the creative, clever, crude comic Sarah Silverman.

Here she is at her best in The Great Schlep.

The Mother of All Search Functions

2008-09-25T18:57:00.007-04:00

David Pogue (Pogue's Posts) writes a user friendly techie blog, and weekly column in the NY Times called Circuits. It's always interesting, and so are the clever videos he makes. But today's column gave me an "aha!" moment.
So simple yet so smart.
And I do love my Google!

The Doors

2008-09-22T14:53:00.004-04:00

I'm off today, because I worked Saturday at a literacy symposium, part of next weekend's literary festival, Deep Carnivale.

But also because we are having another door installed today.

We are doing a few home upgrades, we had a couple of windows replaced, and now we are replacing all of our exterior doors. So a few weeks ago the one from the garage into the house was installed, then this one on the right from the kitchen out to the pool. It's got a nice glass insert but Mark and I both keep thinking the door was left open; I guess we will get used to it eventually.

Today the front door is being installed. I'm really loving the Frank Lloyd Wrightish glass. It lets in the light but doesn't let you really see in, so no worries about walking by the front door without clothes on.

Later this afternoon the door from the garage to the side yard will be installed. Then we have to order the fifth external door, the pool bath, because we totally forgot about that one, so it will be a few more weeks.

None of the hardware we picked out has arrived (the guys are installing the old hardware or loaner hardware if need be) and nothing's been stained yet. But still, isn't it so pretty?

Next project -- the cracked concrete driveway gets replaced with gray pavers and the disintegrating wood retaining wall in the front gets replaced with matching gray "stone".

The front is going to look so nice but this is all so expensive, and yet....how long will I be able to go without repainting the house and replacing the garage door so it all matches?

Oprah Picked My Book!

2008-09-19T19:17:00.002-04:00

I am ridiculously excited that Oprah picked my favorite book of the last good while!

Here's my post on GoodReads.

Listen to Barak's Plan

2008-09-18T19:20:00.002-04:00

Barak Obama's plan is clear, intelligent, and feasible. And absolutely necessary.

And you can read more of his plan on his website.

We made the cover!

2008-09-16T11:48:00.003-04:00

Yes, that is Mark and me both at Hillary's right shoulder! This is on the cover of the local African American newspaper, the Florida Sentinal Bulletin this week!