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After dinner I was headed out to the driveway with some recycling when I looked straight down the garden path. There was Monty, who I hadn't seen for a couple of days, sitting under the plum tree, bolt upright, staring at me. So I provided the requested dish of food.
Got my new glasses, much quicker than expected. Thinner frames than I've been getting, so I must be careful not to drop 'em or fall off a ladder or anything. Sunglasses are black (with polarised lenses), indoor are darkish red. I can see better with the new ones.
Grocery store trip: Nob Hill. They were out of an awful lot of stuff. I had difficulty getting three different round loaves of sourdough. So in case it's even worse next time we're there, I nabbed the last unexpired bag of our preferred ground coffee, and stocked up on wine for blót.
The Chronicle weather guy is saying this week will be above normal temps, except maybe tomorrow. It was indeed pretty hot. The a/c came on in late afternoon. At dusk, after I finished my dins, I took out some recycling and Monty and Prudence were sitting in the driveway, apparently waiting for me. I saw their mom several times earlier; she's been hanging around halfway up the driveway as if she wants something, but it's certainly not a special feeding or any other attention from me. Maybe she just takes some pleasure in acting put out by my going to and fro, and hissing at me.
Found a Sunday New York Times lying unclaimed in downtown Sunnyvale, in mid-week. Mine now. Strange to see how it's changed. And they seem to have shrunk the text size even further. So I finally got my eyes checked and I need new glasses, and sunglasses. The ophthalmologist is either from here or well acculturated. I walked in in sandals and a tie-dye T-shirt, with a rainbow bandana on my head, and she asked me whether I was "still" working on the computer in retirement. I eventually figured out she assumed I was a techie. Me. ROFL.
And today I blóted for Midsummer, although the wind meant three tries hallowing the drink. Monty turned out to have been watching me; I'd already fed Prudence in the driveway but I took him out a dish of his own.
And today I blóted for Midsummer, although the wind meant three tries hallowing the drink. Monty turned out to have been watching me; I'd already fed Prudence in the driveway but I took him out a dish of his own.
We've already had the first wildfire in the immediate region—in the east San Jose hills. But except for a blip upwards yesterday, the weather so far this summer has been mild: 70s and 80s. (I'm lazy enough to be glad not to have had to go to every-day hand watering yet.) The Chronicle weatherman, of course, spins this as a crushing disappointment for San Franciscans, but they should be used to fog and morning chill, even afternoon chill, by now. And on my morning walk, I keep seeing people in long sleeves—probably transplants from SoCal, or Mumbai.
The runner beans in the side yard are something like 6th-generation self-sown or regrown from the root. They are scraggly. I'd been seeing tiny beanpods on one, but suddenly, down near the ground, there was a full-sized pod. So I sliced it up and added it to my pasta.
This evening Monty and Prudence were there again, but on the roof of the neighbours' shed, sitting watching me. When I emerged with the food, Monty had come down to the driveway and was waiting there ... with his back to me. Prudence was on the fence. He started eating as soon as I shut the side door; I suspect she came down soon after.
This evening Monty and Prudence were there again, but on the roof of the neighbours' shed, sitting watching me. When I emerged with the food, Monty had come down to the driveway and was waiting there ... with his back to me. Prudence was on the fence. He started eating as soon as I shut the side door; I suspect she came down soon after.
The rest of the grass got leaves raked off it and then shorn. I have a decent base tan laid down, of the farmer's type.
The housemate and I took a short walk together—and for the first time I spotted a Tesla with anti-Muskrat stickers. Two stickers, in fact. There are a lot of Teslas around here, and I'd been disappointed that none of them had sprouted stickers, but told myself that several probably belong to employees.
In the evening I took out recycling, only to find both Monty and Prudence lying there on the concrete, looking at me. I hadn't seen them all day. I hope they hadn't been waiting long. I fed them.
The housemate and I took a short walk together—and for the first time I spotted a Tesla with anti-Muskrat stickers. Two stickers, in fact. There are a lot of Teslas around here, and I'd been disappointed that none of them had sprouted stickers, but told myself that several probably belong to employees.
In the evening I took out recycling, only to find both Monty and Prudence lying there on the concrete, looking at me. I hadn't seen them all day. I hope they hadn't been waiting long. I fed them.
Yesterday evening I was washing up while cooking my dinner, with the back door open for the breeze, and kept hearing scrabbling sounds from the back porch room. All I could see through the plastic corrugated roof was black bird bodies and feet. It seems the crows were using it as a slide, or a prizefighting arena, or something.
Today, after dumping some water on the plants outside and before dinner, I did a bit of deadheading and moved on to cut back some of the ivy where it was starting to flow into the driveway. Then suddenly there was a grey and cream patch staring at me with two baleful eyes. Mama Violet bedded down in the ivy. Time to stop clipping.
Today, after dumping some water on the plants outside and before dinner, I did a bit of deadheading and moved on to cut back some of the ivy where it was starting to flow into the driveway. Then suddenly there was a grey and cream patch staring at me with two baleful eyes. Mama Violet bedded down in the ivy. Time to stop clipping.
It's been Friday the 13th. I came really close to getting run over on my morning walk—on one of the crossings by the main park entrance, of course. I got the walking man sign and started to cross, and the driver of the small blue pick-up waiting at the light started turning left right through my path. I sped up, turned to face him and unloaded at him. I don't think he was going to stop till I shouted. He rolled down his window and said sorry in a not very sorry way, rather startled. A pedestrian crossing the street with the walk sign, how novel. Had his dog on the passenger seat, a Border Collie type dog, who wisely kept silent during the brief conversation.
Usually it's a Tesla. But so far it's always that intersection.
Usually it's a Tesla. But so far it's always that intersection.
A few days ago, I was walking and noticed what looked like a clump of oak flowers. I forget what made me turn it over, but it proved to be this girlie:
(Maybe 3" high)
I propped her up against the base of the nearest lamp post. When I next went by that spot, I looked and she'd disappeared, so I figured whatever little girl had lost her, had found her again. But today I was there again and noticed a clump of oak flowers in the ivy next to the pavement/sidewalk ... so second best happy ending, home she came with me.
This is pretty clearly a girl bear. Not only is she very petite, she has two hair ornaments, and one of them, plus the tuning end of her guitar, feature hearts. There's a flower painted around the painted hole in the guitar body. One of the hair ornaments is an ice lolly; the other is an even smaller critter, with a circular body and rabbit-like ears. The guitar and the ice lolly are multiple plastic pieces fitted together: the plate at the base of the guitar strings as well as the tuning block, the white bottom half of the lolly, even the front of its stick is a yellow piece. The hairpiece animal has black painted eye-dots and a raised dot nose; the bear herself has two eyes and a slightly smaller nose, affixed in the traditional manner for small stuffed bears' eyes, but the nose is just a little below the eyes, a snub-nose effect.
Very carefully designed to be irresistably cute, to extract pocket money from little girls—or adult collectors. I suspect she's part of a Japanese line of collectible plushies being sold at Asian malls in the Bay Area. Or maybe she's just a very cannily designed tchotchke produced in such bulk that the detailing doesn't cost too much at all.
Certainly works. Anyone with any nurturing instinct would be drawn to her. But the economic implications make me wince. Remember, she's tiny. (See the book and onions in the background.) She's small enough that she might be meant for a backpack zip or a keychain, but I don't see any sign of a torn-off attachment. And her legs and arms are rudimentary, stiff shapes under the fuzz, probably a plastic frame. This isn't a bear to hug and take to bed, but something to covet, and amass, and leave sitting on a shelf.
She'll go on my shelf now.
(Maybe 3" high)
I propped her up against the base of the nearest lamp post. When I next went by that spot, I looked and she'd disappeared, so I figured whatever little girl had lost her, had found her again. But today I was there again and noticed a clump of oak flowers in the ivy next to the pavement/sidewalk ... so second best happy ending, home she came with me.
This is pretty clearly a girl bear. Not only is she very petite, she has two hair ornaments, and one of them, plus the tuning end of her guitar, feature hearts. There's a flower painted around the painted hole in the guitar body. One of the hair ornaments is an ice lolly; the other is an even smaller critter, with a circular body and rabbit-like ears. The guitar and the ice lolly are multiple plastic pieces fitted together: the plate at the base of the guitar strings as well as the tuning block, the white bottom half of the lolly, even the front of its stick is a yellow piece. The hairpiece animal has black painted eye-dots and a raised dot nose; the bear herself has two eyes and a slightly smaller nose, affixed in the traditional manner for small stuffed bears' eyes, but the nose is just a little below the eyes, a snub-nose effect.
Very carefully designed to be irresistably cute, to extract pocket money from little girls—or adult collectors. I suspect she's part of a Japanese line of collectible plushies being sold at Asian malls in the Bay Area. Or maybe she's just a very cannily designed tchotchke produced in such bulk that the detailing doesn't cost too much at all.
Certainly works. Anyone with any nurturing instinct would be drawn to her. But the economic implications make me wince. Remember, she's tiny. (See the book and onions in the background.) She's small enough that she might be meant for a backpack zip or a keychain, but I don't see any sign of a torn-off attachment. And her legs and arms are rudimentary, stiff shapes under the fuzz, probably a plastic frame. This isn't a bear to hug and take to bed, but something to covet, and amass, and leave sitting on a shelf.
She'll go on my shelf now.
( Cut for nature red in tooth and claw )
... And the rest of the large section of grass in the back is mowed. Five trips to the greenwaste bin to dump out the clippings bag, and the bin has gone from empty to half full. Then I watered. Am a bit knackered.
... And the rest of the large section of grass in the back is mowed. Five trips to the greenwaste bin to dump out the clippings bag, and the bin has gone from empty to half full. Then I watered. Am a bit knackered.
We have an electric mower again. For $50, from a hippy/surfer type who works on motorbikes and a disreputable old banger in the street around the corner, and is about to move. Lighter and a bit smaller than the one I wore out, so I was able to get it out of the boot/trunk after he got it stowed in there. I tested it out, spifflicating a strip of the back lawn where there was a lot of foxtail grass.
We made an emergency trip to Safeway; the dairy-based slurry that the housemate uses to spoil her coffee turned out to be pre-spoilt in the carton. Before that, we got dog food.
Sighted all three cats. Monty was not pleased that I picked up fallen leaves in the side yard.
Sighted all three cats. Monty was not pleased that I picked up fallen leaves in the side yard.
.
