Sunday, May 31, 2009

Birthday Shoes

















I found my birthday shoes at Ross Dress for Less (across the parking lot from King of Thai Noodle).

Nike Hightops $21.99!
Vans Mint Check $19.99!

We walked to the Eagle's Nest on the Coastal Trail this evening. Now I'm doing my favorite thing: sitting at my computer while Tom makes dinner.

I actually dreamed of sitting at my computer last night. In my dream, Mabel, our wonderful black and white cat who died a few years ago, appeared. A nice dream to have on the eve of my birthday.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

It Wasn't Me!

















The recipe said to use a 9" x 13" pan, and it came up one piece short.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Dance Party & Auction


Saturday, June 6 at Creativity Explored, my favorite art gallery.

The cupcakes are low-fire ceramic by Miyuki Tsurukawa. They're silent auction items.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Go Inside (version 2)

I posted Go Inside a few days ago. (That was our writing prompt on the day I substituted for Abbie Rockwell's writing partner.) I sent my 12-minute piece of writing to Abbie and she sent me hers. I haven't been able to get Abbie's piece out of my mind, so today I asked her if I could post it. She said yes!

The students who take piano lessons like to perform for their classmates during the music lesson, on the piano in the music room. I save time at the end of the lesson and have them come to the piano, ask them what they will play, who the composer is, and tell them to start when the students look attentive.

The performance often brief, often the simplest of beginning piano pieces, but the class learns to be an audience, to be still, to listen. I tell them to listen to the first musical statement, then listen to hear if it comes again and it almost always does, even if only because of a repeat sign in the music.

The performers get exposure and practice performing and the listeners practice audience behavior. I tell the squirmy ones that inside them a quiet place waits to be discovered and that some of the students, like Fabiola, who sit so still and calm, content, already know where to find it.

“Is it hard to sit so quietly, Fabiola?” No, she says, and smiles from stillness. Damien puts his arms in and out of his shirt and rocks his knees up and down. “Damien, where’s your quiet place?” Poor Damien, wound up tight and angry, unsettled, without a drop of stillness or content. I want the music to pour into him and pin him down, draw his attention away from the hamster running on a wheel inside him that never stops, want him to rest from the inside out and relax enough to enjoy the music. He sticks his finger inside his cheek and makes popping noises, then Carlos copies him. Madeline starts her piano waltz and the others settle, listen, show what a good audience they can be. Damien rolls his eyes and groans.

˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙
I want to be Fabiola, don't you? Ever since I read this I've tried finding that quiet place. Last Friday in the middle of the night, I was sure I found it. It was nice and it lasted a few seconds.

But honestly ... with a name like
Fabiola, how could you go wrong? Fabiola Davick. How does that sound?

On the Couch


Monday, May 25, 2009

Pt. Reyes With Eric and Deb


Sand at Pt. Reyes (macro setting)

Thursday, May 21, 2009

More Facebook Graffiti










I love this program. It's refreshingly simple–no gradations, no layers, no size choices.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Go Inside

I was a substitute writing partner again today and the title was Go Inside.

The photo is of the Coastal Trail this evening ... all I can say is, it sure helped to go outside
for a little while.

Mom, who has always been prone to depression, seems to be having an extra hard time lately. And her memory is off the charts. Her despair rubs off on Aggles and me.

This week Aggles sent me a book, ostensibly from Mom, called "Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation."

On the title page is something that Aggles prompted my mom to write. It turned out like this:

"Ha Birthday, Linda! 2000
Read this Book!
And start meditating"

Mom has always been more than generous with us. Before she put the birthday card in front of Mom for her to sign, Aggles asked, "Mom, do you want to include anything else in with this card?"

Mom said, "What do you mean?"

Aggles: "A birthday check, maybe?"

Mom: "Oh. I guess so! Thank you for reminding me."

Aggles: "How much would you like to make it for?"

Mom: "... Seven dollars? Do you think that's enough?"

Aggles: "It's up to you ..."

Mom: "Well how about eight then."

Anyway, when I got the book, I opened it up. This is the page and paragraph that my eye went to:

(page 91)

"We want to look everywhere but inside ourselves for our problems. As long as we do that, we will never get to the root of them. Several years ago, my practice took a real turn when a certain conclusion became overwhelmingly clear: there is no escape from suffering. Realizing that fact gave me a whole new energy for practice, a kind I'd never had before."

Just so you know: I hate it when someone tells me to look inside myself for answers. I hate it and I hate it!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Keds: $6.99

















This morning when Tom took a stack of videos back to Blockbusters, I ran upstairs to Ross. Look what I found! I wore them all over the store to make sure they were comfortable while I looked at towels and sunglasses and kitchen knives.

Then I stopped by the bathroom because we had decided we were heading straight to the Coastal Trail.

That's when I noticed I didn't have my purse. I had no idea how long I'd been without it. I saw a security guy and grabbed him; then I ran past all the cashiers, none of whom had had it turned in.

What was in it? $105.00 in cash, my phone, my camera, my keys on the martian key chain Barbara gave me 5 years ago, a $50 parking meter card with $41 left on it, a $65 Neiman Marcus gift card from an underwear gift that didn't work out (unlike the Bjorn Borg), my drivers license, my credit cards, my lucky beaded bug from Sally.

I remembered putting it down over in the shoes a while back, so I fought my way though the aisles to the little trying-on stools with the built-in mirrors. There it was, sitting in plain view on top of the stool where I had tried on my Keds. Everything was in it.

Last year I accompanied Anne to the Apple Store to stand beside her while she bought her first computer, CS software, Wacom tablet, etc. Suddenly I realized that I had put my purse down somewhere in the store while checking my e-mail–and that it may have been hours ago. (We were there all morning.) An Apple employee went back to check the stock room, and found that it had been turned in. Everything was in it that should have been.

I can no longer carry a purse; I can't stretch my luck anymore. I hate purses anyway. I need to figure out another way to carry things. Does anyone have a good solution?

Friday, May 15, 2009

Colorful Friday

















If you live in the Richmond like I do–or Seacliff, Western Addition, Pacific Heights, Laurel Heights, or the Presidio–you can visit the new Academy of Science Museum today, tomorrow, and Sunday for free. (Otherwise it would be 50 bucks for two). 

The fish are magnificent! I turned off my flash and shot these through the glass.

And another colorful thing happened. A FedEx envelope arrived this afternoon. Inside was a pair of Bjorn Børg underwear. This is the best underwear in the world. When Barbara went to Holland at Christmas time, they were all the rage there and she sent me a pair. By mistake, Tom put that pair in the dryer on Blast Furnace and they turned into size extra-small. Extra-small isn't my size. So I begged Barbara for a size extra-large for my birthday, which is May 31st in case anyone is wondering.

Apparently Barbara's little sister Carla read my wish on Facebook. She sent Barbara a birthday present–Barbara's birthday is May 3rd–and included an extra pair of Bjorn Børg underwear in Barbara's birthday present for me. Do you believe this little sister Carla???


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Books





















































Did you know you can install Kindle software free onto your iPhone? Of course the books are still $9.99 each–but if you simply must have a certain book immediately, you don't have to own a Kindle in order to download the book from Amazon.

You can carry around even more books than the girl on the left. This can come in handy if you live in an 1,100 sq. ft. home that includes 2 offices.
© Linda Davick

Monday, May 11, 2009

Power Pills

















If your friend is going away for a week and is very apprehensive about it, you can set up a power-pill box for her. Label the powers for each pill on the back of the box. Your pal can take one every morning she's away, and at night she can count the pills that remain to calculate the number of days left before she gets to come back home. Jordan Almonds work well; so do Peanut m&m's. It's part abacus, part medicine.

bye, Anne!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Mom Report













Mom was named Resident of the Month for May. The Terrace asked Aggles and me to do a write-up about her to put on the bulletin board with some photos. Aggles and I were both running on empty. So Tom sat down at his computer and here's what came out:


Martha Evans is a sixteen-time Senior Olympic table tennis champion. When she was in her 70's she became a ping-pong fanatic. In her early 80's she was a Senior Olympic gold medalist in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. She has a big bag of medals hidden in her closet.

She won Chattanooga and state championships for her age group from 1980 to 2005. Traveling to state tournaments in Nashville, Memphis and Fiery Gizzard, she demolished all her opponents with a wicked forehand and a sneaky backspin. She moved to the Terrace with her table and paddle and proceeded to take on all comers including residents, staff, and visitors brave enough or foolish enough to challenge her serve.

As if table tennis were not enough, her other accomplishments include:

• 30 year membership in the Hiking Club, with expeditions led by Ken Andrews to Big Sur, The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite.....
• Adventurous trips to foreign lands including a river barge trip in France, a trip to Vienna and travels to Canada, Nova Scotia and the strange but wonderful city of San Francisco.

Growing up in Chattanooga, Martha played piano in several music groups. She fell in love with Kenneth Evans during WWII and they married when the war was over. She sang, gave piano lessons, and later taught speech therapy in Hamilton County Schools. She has two daughters, Linda and Margaret.

Some of her favorite things about the Terrace:

• The musical groups that visit
• The plays that Debbie organizes
• The blossoming cherry tree outside her window
• That dogs are allowed! (her favorite resident is Charlie)
• Dinner time

Some of her favorite things about Chattanooga:

• Riverwalk
• The Barn Nursery
• The Pumpkin Patch Playground
• The Aquarium
• The Tennessee River Gorge

Tom, Aggles and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for writing this report. We're not sure about the Fiery Gizzard part, but it sounds very dramatic.

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Pick a Color, Any Color














My credit card has a hernia. I didn't sign up for the spring writing class. But Jane asked me if I would substitute this week for a writer whose computer is in the shop. I was happy to; and if today's prompt (Pick a Color, Any Color) isn't absolutely on target, I don't know what is.

Color is my middle name, and here I am painting our bedroom and bathroom walls white. And the trim color? White. Super White, to be exact, from Creative Paint on Geary. Before I settled on Super White, I brought home 5 samples of different whites. You can buy little mini jars of paint samples for $3.00 apiece, and try out the white, in different light, until you get it right.

I bought Super White in eggshell finish for the walls, and in semi gloss for the trim and doors. I also bought a 3rd quart of high gloss for the bricks around our fireplace in–you guessed it–Super White.

My friend Anne did not want her business card printed on white stock. She does not like white because it shows dirt; and nothing looks worse than dingy white. But nothing looks better than clean white! I didn't say it aloud.

The first time our next door neighbor Emmy came over to visit, she looked at our white couch and demanded, Whose idea was THAT!!?? Meaning Tom must have chosen it, because a woman knows better.

We both chose it! So what if it needs a little spot cleaning at the moment. It can wait. It still looks great.

My summer-weight down jacket that I wear for walks on the beach is white. I always dread running into Anne–she and her dog often walk around the same time we do. The jacket is a Ross Dress For Less special and if I had only known what a perfect jacket it would turn out to be for $19.99, I would have bought 5 or 6. The cuffs and pockets are FILTHY!! I pick up all kinds of junk on the beach; and sometimes even jog in the jacket, and it is a white wreck. Even though I can throw it in the machine, it's still a mess. And I know Anne eyes it with disdain.

But today let's hear it for white! Diapers! Notebook paper! Converse tennis shoes! Pristine white that lives a good life.

p.s. I ran into Anne on the beach today. I was wearing my white jacket. I was humiliated; I had been collecting sand samples for Luci's son who is doing a science experiment and my white jacket had never been filthier.

p.p.s. Stray, your jar of bright yellow hair color goes in the mail tomorrow.

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Come On, Guess!





























I spent the weekend prepping the bedroom and bathroom for new paint, and started painting. Guess what color the walls will be? Guess what color the trim will be? If you're the first to guess correctly, you'll win a little jar of bright yellow hair color.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Don't Worry














I'm not in Mexico. Just walking home from the N-Judah yesterday!
















Note to Mary Ann: OMG, it does look like the Warhol flower watch!! Do you sell that in the gift shoppe? I must have one!