Rain that doesn't come

It hasn't although it could tonight, tomorrow, and snow down to 3000 maybe even 2000 but who knows where or when. High surf, coastal flooding. Was looking forward to all of it but nothing so I wanted the lawns again, front and back

Moon again but last day of warm weather

I worked outside today, started to grade the back but it needed to be watered so I watered it for tomorrow work. Went to Home Depot and got a clip on lamp for the backyard and a sprayer for the North newly transplanted hopseed. Gally goodot a lot of stuff that has been annoying me done. Ric hurt his back and was just plan not Ok today so he slept for the most part.

I've been reading the California nature writing book that Vicky gave me and many of the essays are really good. Just watched an episode of Grey's and came up to the loft.

Full moon in the wind

Yesterday, Leno and his crew of one and Ricardo prepared the back and the front lawn, and laid out the sod in a pattern. This morning Leno came back and they tied it all together and moved the Purple hops. Instant lawn. I did some work in the beds to clean them out and power washed the path and the flag stone entry. I cleaned up trash and watered both sections again. He wants us to water several times a day. And that's a snap since they created a new watering system patter in the backyard and fixed zone 9 in the front. So everything is up and running again, well in time for summer!

Grateful that I had the money to get this done.

Now it is up to Ricardo and I to do some grading in the final section and get the chips so it is chipped in. Then we will be in good shape for the coming rain.

Yes, rain. Coming but who knows how much. The weather site says late Tuesday night after 11PM we could see some then increasing on Wednesday, more Wednesday night and then thunderstorms and some chance again on Thursday and Thursday night.

Well, you never really know.

Last night was my EarthHour party and it was fun even though I was exhausted. Edean made an amazing tart of sour and sweet cherries and some blueberries. V and L brought so many presents it kind of made me nervous.

Night ended with Joe and Charlie coming over to see the grass and then taking Coastal Live Oak starts out of the land.

Olive was exhausted because first she played with Audrey and then it was Zuma until mid-night. All day she has little bursts of energy followed by sleeping where ever I happened to be.

I took at nap at one point and fell to the bottom of sleep quickly.

The moon is slow to rise and so it doesn't look like a moon scape yet. But it will!

Was sunny

It was sunny and there was a lot of light in the living room but I wasn't outside much today because I was painting. Touching up that is. But in the cases of the back door, screen door, and inside front door it meant paining. And then there was the built in book case and the post for the stairs up to the loft. I spent so much time stripping them last year and then I just decided to paint them because that really was a better look despite my side trip around it being sanded and natural. Truth is that they were not exactly good wood so there was nothing great to be gained from having them sanded and natural. And now I'm wondering around the major beam in the loft. That peace symbol beam. Bella perhaps?

I painted without TV blaring or music. Just the on and on conversation in my head. The story telling. And some real conversations---Michael, Darlene, Rochelle. Gene is very ill now and the doctors can't do anymore for him. Michael is sad and won't be coming up because he wants to be around him as much as possible. Darlene is having a hard time. Fred has been helping them out. Rochelle is anxious about money about the financial situation that is keeping things tight. I got the PIOP money today and the freaking taxes took half of it. Amazing. Disturbing.

But the weather was nice and Leno comes tomorrow and by tomorrow afternoon we will have a lawn in the backyard and the continuation of one in the front. Things are possible. Slow and possible.

Cool all day and cloudy

Olive and I set out for things this morning. Paint and hardware supplies. Ric and I spent time this morning figuring out the backyard. Leno comes on Saturday and wants to get right at it. So instant backyard, well instant may not be exactly the case, but backyard none the less.

And just in time because there is apparently a storm coming next week. Which apparently will bring rain and concern. Concern for burn areas. And weather concern for the newscasters who love to cast doom about downpours and mudslides. Some of them happen, most do not. Regardless, there is lots of talk and it is starting early.

I've been reading other blogs to understand what people do. What they explore. So much to say about things. Everyone is an expert at something it seems. I feel like a dabbler and dumper. Meaning I get excited (brief start) and then I dump and move on. Now, often I don't even recognize that I have. And now now, I am seeing that without use or more exploration the knowledge fizzles.

So, I have touch up paint now in all the colors. And I have a dinner party for Sat night. And a new lawn or a potential new lawn. A call out to the unreachable Michael. And tomorrow another mystery.

How to hold on one day to the next. How to remember what was most important when new things swim by and my attention is drawn over.

Tumbling is what it feels like. Tumbling forward and backward but not being able to hang on to what came before. Things do change, feelings do come and go, promises are made to oneself and then other promises are made. But somewhere along the line a person learns how to be consistent.

I just can't seem to hold on. Or I just can't seem to keep the priorities in view. Keep the prioirites a priority.

Another beautiful day, breeze, sun, and now here comes the fog from the ocean

The citrus trees are blooming and, when I went down in the orchard for lemons, I was hit by there heavy fabulous scent. The jasmine by the southwest stairs to the orchard I saw the jasmine blooming. The stone fruit orchard is starting to bloom---the plum and the nectarine going first. It's spring, the wild lavender are starting to pop all over the canyon. The giant coreopsis are yellowing the hills in the North canyon. Lovely time of year. I am so pleased that I took this time off.

Olive asleep on the couch with me. Fire roaring. Watching a show about the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living thing. Ric went to a friends. Mike wrote that he needs work and was there anything he could do. Ric and I talked and it looks like the back stairs is the next set of work, we have the wood already so not supplies cost. And Edean's test came out good enough to start IVF. She sent me an article tonight and it was overwhelming. I had no idea what the process was like. The injections, all the ups and downs, the multiple times, the complete focus you have to have. The take over of your life in order to make a living creature like us.

We took a family nap this afternoon around 2pm after Ric got back from teaching. Early days this week because of parent/teacher meetings. No work for tomorrow or Friday so we are now both on vacation.

Windy and cool

This morning the fog left everything wet. The glass panels on the deck were moist and opaque, the deck itself wet. And it was cold at 5am when I came down to the bathroom and to let Olive out. In the 40s and dark. I didn't want to wake up enough to make a fire so I turned on the electric heaters and they did the job.

Speaking of JOBS, I got a call from Charity this morning and my peaceful day was over. The invasion began. It surprised me actually because I thought these two weeks I wouldn't be bother. It was all over around 3pm and in between I got to exchange the teapot and run to TJs and Whole Foods. But couldn't make it to Franklin which will be a must tomorrow.

No Utah and that's okay. The more interesting adventure will be the one right in my own backyard, literally in some ways.

Cool down and a fire in the wood stove

So it has begun to cool after days of being warm. Yesterday was the first day of Spring, my birthday and that was the turning point of cooling. Today is was pleasant and probably hovered around 70 but then that gave way to this cool overcast. Lovely really. Ricardo and Olive are on the couch snoozing by the fire that I have to maintain right now.

Okay, fire is going well, altar for Edean is on. Fog is moving in from the ocean and filling in. Now it is rising which means it won't sock us in, or will, but much later. Shifting back to Spring weather.

Day off number 1 today and I spring cleaned. Had to get my world on the top levels clean. Tomorrow I venture in to the depths. And I have to figure out what I really wan to do. Ric is working until Wednesday. Likely won't have to work Thursday or Friday.

Beautiful day yesterday, headed to Wind Wolves Nature Preserve. Lovely place, flowers, dogs allowed on trails, no one in the picnic grounds but us. Long walk. This is the Spring of Lupine flowers.

Warm on the Central Coast and Lupine

We went to get our wine from Koehler Winery on Foxen Canyon in Santa Ynez Valley. Traveling on Foxen Canyon the hills were painted in lupine. Yes, there were other flowers, a few California poppies along the road, but nothing like the Lupine. It has been an early Spring of Lupine. Stunning. We got the wine, Syrah and Sauvinon Blanc and then purchase Grenache and Magia Nera. Sandwiches from the Los Olivios Market and then up Figuero Mountain Road to the same spot we had lunch at last year. But this year there were not as many flowers there and that seemed funny given the rain. Perhaps all the blooming is slower. Or more normal since the rain this year has been rain that was the norm for years. Before the drought. And we are used to earlier Springs. All the better this year, longer blooms.

Crazy wind and warm someplaces but totally cold and foggy at the beach

Okay, perhaps we are getting back to spring. But what's with the Santa Ana type winds? All day the chimes and bells have been sounding, various bits of the trees and plants have been floating down. Even now, here in the loft with Ric on his forum site and Olive cuddled underneath the blankets, the wooden blinds and breathing out into the room and pulling back with the gusts.

It was niece day. Talked with Kim while I was driving to Burbank to drop off my computer. Talked with Edean while I was driving home, heading for the coast. Both of them changing their lives, embarking on education and potential pregnancy. I hold my breath for them both. They are so different and wonderful.

Another summer day in spring but this time wind

Yes, wind. And though it got to 80 degrees on my walk with Olive this morning in Solstice Canyon it was Spring, early Spring. Only a few flowers out, nothing like it will be soon. And birds coming back with songs all along the creek trails. What a beautiful walk we had this morning. Ran into the covered woman, Olive was very interested in her and she was polite. You can't even see her face through all the SPF clothing she wears. Not one spec of sun could fall on her. Interesting and weird. Think she is a model maybe or just nuts.

Anyway, we had a good walk and Olive was able to run to her hearts content because we got there before you can technically walk there but I know it is Wednesday and I was close enough to the right time.

Warm warm warm but soon to come back to Spring temps and we can all get back into the right season. Maybe even some rain, who wouldn't love more rain? Plenty of people but not me. I think anytime we can get more rain we should.

So it is Saint Patrick's Day and heaven knows why but I decided to celebrate it, actually remembered it. Making corned beef and cabbage in my slow cooker! Reminded Ric to wear green, put green tomatoes in his sandwich and gave him Kiwi for his fruit.

My vacation is going to start soon. I want to clean the house tomorrow morning so that I won't do it during the beginning of vacation. Freedom that's what I want. Freedom to do whatever each day without anything pending.

Summer in spring

Yes, it was that hot apparently. At least in the south but not in the north, not summer still spring and sunny enough to put on sunglasses and not wear a coat. Up and back quick today but, truth be known landing at 3:15 is landing in traffic for most of the way home, or most precisely most of the way down Lincoln. After that up the coast not much even on a day which was perfect at the beach.

But once I finished all my conversations I had enough time to be home in the light---benefit of the stupid time change. And got us Salmon Teriyaki bowls from Whole Foods for dinner so that was simple and we ate early. It's only 7:31 and Olive has been fed and walked on the treadmill for 33 minutes. Now she's playing with balls and we are on the beds in the guest room with the TV on DYI. Refinishing a living room, taking out structural walls. None of which we are going to do because we can barely finish the downstairs. If only we could finish the Den. Ric did one step yesterday but nothing today, he spent the day doing outside work and I bet doing chainsaw if all the cut wood is any indication. And the pulling out weeds. I have to keep telling myself I will have the money to finish this down here and sometime soon so I can actually enjoy it.

Windy and warm

The silly ritual of time changing for arbitrary reasons happened in the middle of the night/morning and now we are running an hour ahead of our selves. So when I woke up at 7:30am it was 8:30am and I felt like I lost something more than an hour.

We went on the 138 Pearblossom Highway but from Palmdale to Gorman. Through Leona Valley, side road to Green Valley and Spunky Canyon, then Elizabeth Lake, Lake Hughes and up and over the mountain to the beautiful valley before getting back to the 5. We then went to Lockwood Valley and pulled off on dirt road headed for a campgroup to let Olive run. But the gate was locked so we took a walk along the road, Olive had a great time and it was very pleasant back there.

So, cool, windy and, in the sun, warm. A Sunday.

Gusts of 40 miles plus

Yes, that is tonight's prediction. Right now it is freezing in the house because we didn't start the fire until now and it still hasn't taken off.

Gusting and low 40's which is no big deal to northerners but, here, it's cold. And this house is silly cold. I just got the fire going and it is stuffed with wood. Good to be home today even though five hours went to doing weekend work for my Internet job. Once that ended I got inspired to finally finish Olive's Website. I've gone really far over to the other side. So far I can't see the shore.

Wind pushes out all sorts of stagnanations. Perhaps that will happen to me. I could use that.

Each day and each day the weather shifts but the sun comes up, the moon comes out no matter how slight. So me, I slide around too much. Really have been working to stay connected here and in connecting to what I want, to the goals. Not as foreign as it used to be.

Perfect outdoor cafe day

It was a perfect day for lunch at Santorini and that's where we went. Warm but not too warm and sunny and no need for the heat lamps.

I think I posted something yesterday but I didn't. Surprised me just now. But time flew and so did I more than once this week, I was out of the house found of the five days which is really unusual for me. Well, maybe not in the last few weeks but next week traveling only one day and then two weeks off. Heaven.

So, maybe some rain tonight, we have a fire, Olive is sleeping after a day at the Ranch and Ricardo after a day teaching. Things change, the weather and one's live and the world speeding toward who knows what.

Choppy ocean and windy

I had the ocean side window on the plane back from San Francisco. And it was a choppy ocean wave day. A high tide was in at noon today.A great beach day because the beaches were basically empty, all the way down the coast. And the coast was visible all the way down with only small puffy clouds that created shadows below them and very light mist which made the ocean view romantic.

I spent breakfast in San Francisco at the Cliff House hotel, learning about online video marketing, which few companies have gotten right. Chasing vapor. The what's new vapor that once you get sort of right migrates to something else. It's all very interesting and requires incredible flexibility and funds.

Nothing stays still and so much moves on before it actually deepens, becomes something shallow and fast and novel. we move on quickly now and the more we do the more I see the future of retrofit, of all school, of the win being simple and basic.

We are changing without discussion.

Started sunny but quickly got cloudy and cool

Olive and I started the day by going to Zuma Beach and walking. It had been months since we did Zuma. She did well which means that I had many opportunities for training. Next time definitely have to run her on tread mill then go to Zuma so we start out with her energy a bit more mellow. I was really at the Point Dume State Park today and not really Zuma proper. It was beautiful that early in the morning and cool then sunny and I was sweaty. But happy that we'd kept a pace and did an hour. Flat hour of walking much better than the up hill of the ranch the other day. I have to watch hiking up hill still. But my knee did survive. Tomorrow I can take her somewhere after I get back and if my schedule doesn't fill. I am off for breakfast in San Francisco and a conference on Online video. I am hoping this is really interesting. I leave at 4:30am for the airport but get back at 2pm so that won't be bad either direction.

And just like the getting cloudy and cooler I've been grumpy. Easy to get angry when something gets complicated. Julie got on my nerves today as did Heather. They get hyper about things and it gets to me. Even though I had a good morning and got some strong cardio on the walk. Anyway, always have to watch the frustration and temper.

Windy sunny cool

That would appear to be the forecast for the week. Perhaps some showers if we get lucky. I am not clear where i spent this day or on what. Hours freaking out about the wedding and then just spending the money and just reserving. I just feel resentful about it. I have to do Tai Chi and Yoga and walking and meditating to get through these feelings. You go to some things because not doing so would set off a bomb in the family. I have to remember Ryan as a child and honor that. As an adult he is closed off completely. I decided that it would be better if Ricardo came with me because facing that event on my own seemed wrong. Resentment in the windy sun.

Storm approaching or is it?

At times I wonder about the shifts in forecast, for most of the week the report was that it would be raining now but it isn’t. It is, however moving in that direction. By that I mean it has gotten colder and there is wind out of the north and the day went from sunny to completely overcast. But is it moving in that direction?

The weather is emotional and that makes it impossible to predict with consistent accuracy. If it is dealing with some powerful trauma then you’ll get pretty much what the forecaster says. But there are many times when you don’t because as time goes by things sort themselves out, take another route, or just play themselves out.

Sunny and cool and beautiful

I worked from home and was really busy. Meetings stacked back to back. But out the windows was a day in high 50s where the air sparkled. No clouds then puffy clouds. Then meetings and meetings. And a curious conversation with Hildy.

Cloudy over the Grand Canyon

Heading West again which is a relief even though I would have liked to have stayed another day in Chicago and gone to the new Modern Art Museum. But it was a nice trip. Julia and Heather were good companions and the Conifer meeting was very interesting and engaging. I was happy that what appears to be coming out of it will be more than valuable and can set direction in several areas.

Chicago is beautiful. And cold. Not unbearable however, but uncomfortable when we walked from Conifer’s offices toward the river to Frontera Grill for dinner. I didn’t pack my scarf, gloves or hat which was a mistake. But later walking back to the hotel after dinner it wasn’t as bad but I did get a scarf, plain and lovely and I’ll wear quite a lot I think. 

The man in the middle seat (stuffed plane again) has a holy card as a bookmark. The woman by the window calls anyone working class a redneck and apparently Maryland has more than their shall and you can tell them by the way they put cars up on blocks in their yard.. 

The women in the opposite aisle just met, but the one who says she’s a preacher and needs an inordinate amount of attention (which is probably a preacher-like quality) talked constantly.  Now she is quiet but I have a feeling not for long. She brought out an entire luncheon and shared it with her seat mates who were more like her captives. Well, that says more about me because I would have felt like a hostage to her religion and her food and her absolute and bludgeoning need to be center stage.

The folks next to me come and go from Chicago to South Pasadena to their Grand daughter's. They are happy to be where it is warm. They are sleeping now as are many people. Just that point in the flight.

Now over the desert Southwest it is just haze. There is a river which is most likely the Colorado, snaking over the brownish landscape. We are at Needles and we will arrive about 30 minutes early. We are angling to the south and likely to enter over the San Bernardino mountains.  It won’t be long before tray tables ect. have to be in there full and upright positions.

Cloudy over the Rockies but in the broken open areas snowy peaks

 I am on the way to Chicago. I love Chicago because I stay in the downtown around the Water Tower and the architecture is superior. There is the pleasant drive from the airport to the hotel, Westin in this case, Four Seasons last November. I look forward to seeing Solider Field which is nothing like any other sports field I’ve ever seem.  I do have a fondness for Dodger Stadium because I lived across Elysian Park from it for years.  Seeing it each week from the plane surprises me each time; how much acreage it is, how it often seems like an island and surrounded by a grayish sea. How small the park is in comparison. But everything like parks and elementary schools shrink with the years.

This flight has no dogs on it which is sad.  Just humans sardined and working to entertain themselves, sleeping the flight off, or talking with new friends that they have an urgency to tell everything about their lives, the way one does on the first few dates with someone you’ve already decided you’ll date for a long time. 

It was bumpy over the Rockies which is normal. Flight Attendants need to sit down and everyone has to stay buckled up even though everyone is always supposed to stay buckled up. 

The woman who acted as if the airplane was her living room is now listening to an iPod and it must be deafening since I can hear the beats and the singers sounding like muffled fleas and she’s in the aisle ahead of me in the window seat and I am in the aisle seat.  People have had their fat laden crispy snacks and they are nodding off, the exception is a woman looking at the “Classic Case.” Not a criminal case but a bookcase in the Shaker catalog.  She is going through the catalog very slowly, really reading it, looking at the detail and the measurements. The way she is going about it she could fly to Europe and still have some pages left. She has one of those U shaped pillows people carry with them, it’s two shades of navy blue, dark and darker. She’s moved on to the “Colonial Cupboard” which is a deep green on the outside.

We are following the path of snow. It is the first of March. It will be snowing in Chicago when we land. Despite all the sweaters I’ve packed and my winter coat, I will still freeze.  I am now Southern Californian and I don’t have the blood for the weather I am about to encounter. And, I don’t have the clothes. The sweaters I packed are sweaters to wear in the cool damp of San Francisco or Seattle not what Chicago’s lake effect will be dishing out. 

It’s the first of March but that isn’t cause for joy in a year of El Nino.  I keep wondering when El Nino was discovered because before they named it, it was just a year with more rain and more snow than the year before.  Now it is a sinister kid that dump trucks  wet snow in different parts of the country, takes out power to millions, causes tree limbs to fall and kill the innocent walker, breaks records, it warms up the oceans, and brings waves that deposit sand onto Pacific Coast highway at the low beaches and stops traffic. 

Where ever we are now it is uniform cloud coverage.  Just the way it feels to be on a long flight.