Christmas morning

Merry Christmas everyone. Our neighbors gave us a stocking full of cat toys for the boys. We opened it up on Christmas eve. Balls that jingle, catnip mice that tingle the nose, but their favorite toy of all is the chenille and tails on an elastic string. Make it sail through the air and they’re all mesmerized by it. Cappuccino is perched, patiently waiting his turn.



On Christmas morning, we were awoken quite early to the sound of jingle bells. Honey, did you hear the cats playing with new toy last night? That was fine, kids are always excited on Christmas. We wanted to get up early to go to the San Diego Zoo to wish the animals a Merry Christmas. The new panda cub, Su Lin, is almost 5 months old. She comes out of her den by herself now and was out at 7:30am this morning, the volunteer said. Mom, Bai Yun, enjoys her bamboo while Su Lin is climbing all over the place. At one point she tumbled off the log and we all chuckled and then covered our mouths, because you really have to speak in hushed tones so as not to startle the pandas. The panda pup looks to be a little bigger than Cappuccino and just as fluffy. One, two, three, awwww.

Ocean Beach Christmas tree

We went down to OB to walk on the beach. We parked in the lot near dog beach to check out the excitement. There’s always something to bark about and that day was a french bulldog meetup. It’s just a riot to see more than ten of the same breed frolicing together. Scratch the little pug-nosed fellas and they grunt like a happy pot-bellied pig.

We walked south down the beach to the pier. I thought I was just connecting the soles of my feet with the sand, but we got a nice holiday surprise.

Each year, Ocean Beach decorates their giant tree on the ocean front near the pier. Perfectly harmless ornaments of inflatable toys decorate the branches. Of course a giant crane is needed, no bumble snow monster here to help out.

Rockin' out in Mission Gorge

We wanted to go for a hike, but saw that the tides were high, so we nixed a walk on the beach. Larry suggested Mission Trails Regional Park. We parked near the visitor’s center and walked visitor’s center loop trail. This is where you can see a portion of the San Diego river in this area where it’s not protected and preserved for area wildlife. We then took the path to the 1-mile-long “Rock Climber’s Loop Trail”.


This is a challenging trail which climbs some 400 feet by way of many switchbacks. At the “top” of the trail nicknamed “middle earth”, climbers may test their skills on giant columns of granite. With a fear of “splat”, I will not be challenging myself on this extreme sport. Rather, I turned around and paused, taking in the beautiful views of South Fortuna Mountain and the San Diego river basin.

Please don't eat birds

The San Diego Zoo is open every day, including holidays. So we went at 9:30 in the morning on Thanksgiving day. We wished all the birds a happy thanksgiving day, starting off with the very pink flamingos that are at the start of their new exhibit, Monkey trails and forest tails. There were smaller birds that looked like kiwis, but they were the same pink color. It must be the food, they must be sneaking the flamingo food that enhances the bird color. Indeed, you are what you eat.

The orangutans were very entertaining, two adults and a baby swinging on the trees and ropes, looking much like a barrel of monkeys. We walked to the back end of the park to visit the polar bears. Being thanksgiving, their enrichment was a pumpkin. We saw the shredded remains floating in the pool. Yes, pumpkin floats.

Happy Birthday, Larry!

Larry chose to walk the beach and take pictures at Torrey Pines and Del Mar for his birthday. We stopped off at Jimbo’s to get some lunch. Alas, they did not have the Lonestar sandwich available. I was going to explain carefully that this was Larry’s birthday, but when they don’t have the special ingredient, it doesn’t matter. We grabbed a french baguette and a big bottle of fruit juice instead. It was a beautiful day for a walk as you might imagine by the picture. We parked at Torrey Pines state beach and walked north to Del Mar where we snacked and rested on their little grassy park area. On the way back, Larry paused to photograph some surfers.

Adopt an attitude of gratitude

This Sunday morning, I did not visit my hospice family. The father’s health is failing and I wish to respect their privacy as a family in this difficult time. Per the mother’s wishes, I will pay at least one more visit to the family. They radiate much love and spirituality. It is these experiences that remind one to be thankful for their blessings and to adopt an attitude of gratitude.

We still woke up early. Thank you, kitty “alarm clocks” where the snooze button is to feed them. But they bring us such joy, thank you! We took a walk up University Avenue to Bread & Cie in Hillcrest. This is a very popular breakfast spot and this morning was no exception as there must have been forty people in front of us. They have a system down, taking our order and cashing us out while it is being filled. I enjoyed an espresso which allegedly has less caffiene than coffee. Some contest, I get all giddy on a thimble-full of java.

On our walk back, we stopped at the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market to pick up some produce. I admired all that the flower vendors were offering and chose a bouquet of red-orange sunflowers, dahlias, and marigolds. It’s beautiful to see people walking home with flowers to brighten their home. Today, I was the recipient of some smiles!

One block from home, we met an older gentleman and Winston, his terrier who may be the same age in dog years. At least I may assume that they have been with each other for a while as their gait was the same speed. We said “good mornings” and I crouched to scratch behind Winston’s ears. As we parted, the gentleman said good day and “Winston thanks you.” My pleasure!

At home, I was able to refer to my class notes and make three flower arrangements from the bouquet. Our sensei, teacher, would no doubt have a lot to critique on these, starting with me not exactly following the style of Moribana Inclining Form. Pictured here is my second attempt at an advanced Hana-isho form. I love how the red in the stem colors the water a light magenta. Many thanks for all the beauty and wonders that surround us.

We've got candy!

Halloween fell on a Monday this year and with that, I think we got fewer trick-or-treaters. That means more candy for the office the next day. Thankfully our neighbor has such an arrangement so we didn’t have to eat Twizzlers for the next few months. Several of us in the complex pool our stashes and sit out on the front stoop to hand out candy. A lighted jack-o-lantern welcomes families from around the neighborhood.

The costumes were very impressive this year. Here’s Diedre and Destiny from our complex, as devil and vampire. And our first visitor dressed in the purr-fect costume! The night cooled down nicely for that little lion costume. I laughed the hardest with the little two-year-old police officer on his first Halloween. His parents were pushing him around in his stroller. He was wheeled up to our front steps and then hopped off, taking his pumpkin pail off the handle bar. Even with the assistance, it looked like a long shift.

Blazin' Hot Rod

Each day puts something familiar in a whole new light.

Larry and I head south for our afternoon walks. Just north of Balboa Park and Morley Field are some lovely craftsman style homes. It’s delightful to walk through these neighborhoods to see their personal gardens and latest renovations. This time of year, we walk around looking for festive Halloween decorations. There are a few homes with giant spider webs, tombstones, and pumpkins on display.

By heading south, we have to cross University Avenue. We always cross at a small mechanic’s shop with used cars on the lot. There is a lot of turn-over in inventory, but this blazin’ hot rod has been on the lot for many weeks and perhaps it’s not for sale. I’ve admired it in the past, but today it really stood out as the best Halloween decoration in the whole neighborhood.

Wooster takes a bath

Wooster is getting a little more neurotic every day. He’s always liked to eat away from the other cats. He walks to the other side of the front room and waits for you to bring the food bowl over to him. He would probably like to be an only cat, but not in this lifetime, not in this house, not right now, sorry.

After he eats in the morning, he likes to go to the little green rug in the bathroom to groom himself. Today I noticed that he was peeking into the bathtub. He hopped in on his own; if you try to put that cat somewhere, he would rather be any place else. He jumped into the dry bathtub and proceeded to groom himself. He may well be the smartest cat we’ve ever had. He also sings to me when I’m in the shower, but he’s not interested in that much water. Or like I said in the beginning, a very neurotic cat.

Percy and Ccino get their teeth cleaned

Californians have the most beautiful teeth. My dentist said that at least half of his patients have had their teeth whitened. It would be strictly for vanity, but it does look more natural in this gorgeous southern California climate. We do take good care of our teeth and get them cleaned twice a year as recommended. I’ve always had a wonderful experience at the dentist and look forward to the visits.

The same may be said for our cats’ visit to get their teeth cleaned. Our Veterinarian recommended that Cappuccino get some of the tartar cleaned from his teeth. He did not need any extractions. Rather than have him put under ansthesia, we took him to see JoEllen Craglione of Gentle Dental. She visits several San Diego business locations once a month to offer her service. I took Percy and Cappuccino to The Original Paw Pleasers in North Park. Her business card says “No anesthesia, Lotsa love” and, boy is that true. Granted, we have the sweetest little darlings in the world, but JoEllen has a way with cats and dogs which makes it a great experience. The cats remained very calm. They arrived back home and went about their normal day. Time for a(nother) cat nap.

Our dentist asked for the Gentle Dental business card for their two dogs. I find it ironic that the dentist does not clean their dogs’ teeth. Meow.

Parakeet found at All Vegan store

While we were up in Hollywood at the 25th Anniversary PETA Gala, Larry was back in San Diego minding the All Vegan Store. On Sunday afternoon, he went outside to toss something into the trash can. Turning back to the store, he noticed a little parakeet sitting in the shade on the sidewalk. He was able to coax the little bird into the store, where she sat at the desk and sipped a little water from a puddle that Larry poured out.

With the bird safely inside resting, Larry called our neighbor who has four cockatiels. She brought over a cage. The little birdy was very relieved to see the cage and hopped inside. There was a spray of millet that he dove into and also used the water bottle. She then took her to Birdland to get proper parakeet food. It was Birdland’s knowledgable staff who identified the parakeet as a female. We posted “found” signs along Park Boulevard and notices on Craig’s list and SignOnSanDiego, but got no responses.

The little parakeet has a new loving home and she even plans to get the sociable bird another bird friend for the large cage. Now what to name her? There’s stickers in the store that show a little chick and say “I am not a nugget”. How about li’l Nugget? Nah. Percy, one of our cats, wants to say “Yummy”. Nope. She now goes by the name of “Katarina”.

PETA 25th Anniversary gala

As a very generous thank-you for volunteering at the All Vegan store, Joy was a Bronze Food Sponsor and invited us to come join her at the Paramount Pictures studio lot on the New York City stages. I have been anticipating this day for weeks and it’s finally here! As if the gala was not enough, we had a thai massage at Pho-Siam and then brunch at Madeleine Bistro. More on that later, back to the gala.

We met at the Paramount Pictures studio lot and stopped for a picture in front of one of the many entrances. Adrianne and Bill (bookends) helped hand out the delicious Rose City Chocolates at the gala event. Joy (third from left) treated Carolyn, Alyse, me and Allison to an evening of great food and entertainment. Yes, yes, bad grammar, but that’s our order in the picture.

We arrived right when the gates opened at 6:30pm. Good thing, unless you like queues, because others in our party arriving later had to wait over an hour in the airport screening-like security lines. This was the only bottleneck in the whole evening. It was organized very well, probably looked good on paper, but the “arrival gate” was too small for the 2000-plus in attendance.

While waiting in line, I introduced myself to the other alphabetized individuals around me. Low and behold, meet Paul Wenner, inventor of the Gardenburger! The woman next to me was kind enough to take our picture. It was here night out, husband at home with their 4-year-old son.

The gala was held on the New York City stages. Many New York town houses lined the streets. Many delicious foods were offered by the food sponsors. We strolled around for two hours, sampling the many tasty vegan treats. Fortunately I was born with hollow legs. PlayFood offered delicious raw ice cream made from just cashew nuts, vanilla, and agave nectar (and water). That’s a lot of cashews, so creamy, and ow! head freeze! Maggie Mudd’s from the San Francisco area offered up their hard ice cream. I took Joy’s recommendation and sampled the Coconut Pecan ice cream. Dorell and Carolyn asked for a three-scoop sample. Many eyes rolled skyward as the chocolate, espresso, and pumpkin flavors were so luscious.

The more savory fares were quite extraordinary being that they were not in their own kitchens. Madeleine Bistro, where we were heading the next day for lunch, was easily my favorite. Very complex flavors in their beet tartare appetizer, grilled shitake mushroom skewers, and tacos. They really catered it right by offering many finger foods. Native Foods may have brought their entire restaurant to the Gala. They had table seating available and offered a menu of five full items from their regular menu including the Baja burger and spicy fries.

We were then asked to proceed to the front of the lot to where the stage was set up for the awards presentations. Pamela Anderson and Fred Willard hosted the event which went much like any other awards show you may have seen on TV. Big screen video presentations helped to break up the format. Many big names were not present to receive their awards, but offered video clips expressing their gratitude. Sir Paul McCartney and Morrisey were not able to attend. Andy Dick was very amusing and Jamie Lee Curtis was exceptional. We were then treated to a live performance by Polyphonic Spree and their bouncy hit “Light & Day”.

After the awards show, Sheila E. performed on the back stage. Showing my age, I’m not familiar with any of her work, but I love a live performance on the drums. She engaged the crowd with her heart-pounding tunes. She also held a live “American Idol” by inviting performers up on stage. One woman displayed great vocals! We danced, we tango’d, we ate more desserts.

Joy’s sponsorship of Rose City Chocolates from the All Vegan Store was a big hit. The delicate chocolates were a nice bite-size, but still rich taste. It was great to see chocoholics express their love for this confection.

We didn’t get back to the hotel until 3:30am. The coffee and chocolate kept me going throughout the night and into the next day as I had a fitful night’s sleep. Thank goodness I only needed to muster the energy for a thai massage and brunch. The one-hour Thai massage was the best thing for working on my tight shoulder area. Yes, they apply pressure with their hands, arms, elbows and feet. Like a thai restaurant asking the heat of the dish, you can have your pressure applied soft, medium, or hard. The session ended with a little lazy yoga where they guided you through some heart-opening poses.

At the Bistro, Dorell said that I looked radiant. I felt very blissful, not doubt aided by the beautiful decor and table settings. The food was amazing for that fact that these people worked the gala the night before and only got two hours of rest in between. I sat next to Dorell’s Mom-in-law and we agreed to split two dishes. We also order beignets for the table. More eye-rolling in ecstasy as we sampled these little donuts with a raspberry compote. The French Toast Napoleon was also served with the raspberry fruit compote layered in between, served with home fries, maple syrup, and whipped creme. Too much rich food in the past two days! I wrapped my half of the Madeleine Club to go to bring home to Larry.

Thank you, Larry, for covering the All Vegan Store while we were up enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime event. So many thanks to Joy and all you do to increase awareness, bringing the Last Chance for Animals San Diego information booth to street fairs and other events around San Diego. Volunteers talk to people about how to live cruelty-free, what to eat instead of meat, and other animal rights issues. More on Larry’s adventures next!

Kayaking in Carlsbad

We have never been kayaking since moving to California, so we got together with Kathi and Rob when they suggested Carlsbad Lagoon for kayaking. Larry met Rob at web design and search engine optimization meetings. Kathi is a professional organizer and image consultant. It turned into a beautiful afternoon for kayaking; the marine layer burned off, the sprinkles didn’t amount to anything more, and the sun felt mild and warm.

We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch on a picnic table at the beach of the rental launch. We then piled onto our ocean kayaks. Note, wear your bathing suit because it’s “open-face” and at the very least your paddle will drip a little water onto you and into the seating area. Once we paddled past the WaveRunner jet skiers buzzing around in a big circle, we continued up Aqua Hedionda lagoon. It was higher tide, so we were able to explore the Aqua Hedionda creek in the picture above. It was a very serene trip with Kathi blowing bubbles and little crabs scurrying up the shore.

Roger is glowing with pride!

On the last weekend of July, Hillcrest (our neighboring community) plans a weekend of events kicked off by the gay pride parade. It’s a lot of fun to dress up your dog and mingle with the crowds. Or hop on your motorcycle and ride with the dykes on bikes. Since I have neither, I walked with my neighbor who added a bracelet to her chihuahua’s harness, checked out the motorcycles before the parade started, and walked the parade route. You can actually register one hour before the parade starts to ride your bike. Perhaps next year, she says.

Roger has been working on his church’s float for the past month on the weekends. Here he is in his Elton John best in front of their finished project. So we saw the beginning of the parade, the motorcycles, at the beginning of the route at Normal street. We then walked the length of the parade route along University Ave and down 6th avenue to Balboa Park, almost two miles, and watched the remaining floats pass by. Rogers was one of the last and I almost didn’t recognize him because he wasn’t wearing his googly glasses. Whew, after walking all that and then back home, “I’m still standing.”

U.S. Open Sand Castle Competition

While Larry made it a homerun with a fourth day at Comic-Con, I drove down to Imperial Beach for the sandcastle competition. It was still hazy when I arrived at 9:00am and the builders were already an hour underway. Remember making your own sandcastle by packing sand into your pail and adding water? Well, these guys do it with trash cans and 4×4-foot wooden forms, much like a foundation for pouring cement. And along with that trade go the trowels, spades, and other thingies that dig and smooth and carve out these sculptures. Secret weapon? Keep that sculpture moist by misting it with water. Frequently. Preferably a pressurized wand and big water tank on your back. Three hours in the sun and the sand can dry out and collapse as did a wall for the classic sandcastle above.

The official website above has not posted the winners as of this writing, but I’m sure the lion and the rockscape will win a top spot. You can walk up and down the beach to see each team’s progress but it’s still amazing to see the finished piece and you still ask yourself how they did it?! One family has been sculpting in this event (its 25th anniversary) for 20 years! Other teams, “Masters” such as “Arch-i-sand”, are professional teams that can be hired out for birthdays and other special events. You don’t have to be an architect to build a sandcastle, but they happen to be.

Percy loves to be vacuumed

Larry discovered that Percy likes to be vacuumed. He was vacuuming the carpet and Percy came into the room. He had cat litter on his back (don’t ask). So Larry took the brush attachment, opened the little vent to reduce pressure, and began stroking Percy. He didn’t run away, not that he’s much of a sprinter, more of a saunter-er.

So when I was vacuuming, Percy was snoozing on the bed. He’s always snoozing, so he won’t mind being woken up. This time we turn the dial to adjust the amps on the vacuum. Percy liked the grooming so much that he said, Ohh, that’s the spot and started groom himself. You know how they try to lick their bib. Now if the long haired cats wouldn’t be hiding under the bed. Cappuccino was looking out from his box, making sure that Percy was okay, wondering what was going on. Num, num, num.

Learning to surf

Lulu, from our kundalini yoga teacher training class, generously offered to show us some safety tips, wave etiquette, and the basics of surfing. Basically, it's the most physically challenging thing that I've ever tried. I don't recommend it after detailing two cars the day before! You need your upper body strength. The water was very warm the day before, but then an off-shore breeze pulled off the warmer water and cold water rose to take it's place. Thank you, Lulu, for having wetsuits for all of us. Still, in a full body suit your feet and hands are exposed and it was cold!

Turn your board around and “paddle, paddle, paddle” shouts Lulu (on the red board) to keep up with the wave, let it take you in, and hopefully push yourself up and stay balanced! I could paddle, but my shoulders would not cooperate to “pop” me up onto the board. I did get up on my knees. It did remind me that body boarding is fun!

Miss Kitty gives a "butt-up" to grooming

Realizing that I really enjoy being with animals, I began volunteering at the National Cat Protection Society in Spring Valley. This shelter has wonderful cats available for adoption and a retirement community for those who have out-lived their person.

In one of the adoption rooms where several cats co-exist, Miss Kitty runs right up to me when I enter. On this visit, I discovered that she really loves to be brushed. It’s all about the cats and if they don’t come up to me, I won’t disturb them. There are plenty of felines asking for attention!

In the retirement center, there is a big black “bear” whom I haven’t been formally introduced to yet. She l-o-v-e-d to be groomed and I fondly thought of her person smiling down on me. Over in the special care center (older kitties with kidney disease), I simply sit down on a chair and place a blanket on my lap. The 21-year-old Sparkey jumps up on my lap for some quality time. Sometimes there are two or three kitties vying for lap space. With some shifting, there’s room for two. Quiet, blissful, meditative time together.

Monkey Trails and Forest Tails opens

Larry just thought he’d head down to the zoo for a nice walk. Lo’ and behold, their “most elaborate and ambitious” habitat, Monkey Trails and Forest Tails opened this week. We got to see the celebrites in their new homes. I say celebrites because we were sharing walkways with several TV cameras.

After that detour, we went to visit the polar bears and perhaps the most overlooked animals at the zoo: the great blue Turaco. This bird and others including brightly colored pheasants, “Blyth’s Tragopan”, are off behind the polar bears bordering the 163 freeway. These gregarious birds should be in a habitat with more “foot” traffic passing by.