Happy Birthday to Me

It's been a good birthday, even though I had a meltdown at lunch. I'm probably not ready to talk about the meltdown yet, but it involves teeth (not mine) and a trailer court for over-55's at Princeton by the Sea.

Around 3:00 I gave it up and went to bed. At 5:00 Tom opened the bedroom door. There I was under the comforter gripping the New Yorker which he'd pulled out of a recycling bin.

"It's your birthday! What are you doing?"

"Reading about mental illness. There's this fascinating article about a woman in her 50's named Linda who doesn't even have a clue that she mentally ill! ... uh ... Oh. Never mind."

After a walk on the beach, a lovely salmon sandwich with corn on the cob, and a chance encounter with Jonathan Franzen, I'm on top of the world again. This article–Liking Is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts–is my birthday present to you.

I never get tired of it*

Doesn't it seem like after 62,415 meals that you'd get tired of eating and drinking? 62,415 is the exact number of meals I've had in my life so far. (I eat 3 meals a day and I've never missed a meal.)

Ryan, our next door neighbor, works at the seafood counter at Lunardi's and about once a week he'll bring us something good. Tonight it was fresh local salmon and fresh crab. Tom made guacamole and a salad. He also made a spicy sauce for the crab. He heated a loaf of gluten-free bread which I ignored at first, but then ate like crazy when I remembered we had real butter in the fridge. I made a shortcut sangria out of pomegranate juice from the farmers' market, water, and zinfandel. I put a handful of blueberries and raspberries on top.

It was, in ten words, the best dinner I had ever had in my life. But every night it's the same story. Whether it's crunchy peanut butter on toast or fresh salmon–every night I have the best meal I have ever had in my entire life. I know, I know, it doesn't add up. And it's amazing that I don't weigh 400 pounds.

*Prompt of the day for Daily Write Round Robin. A new class starts on July 17.

Happy Birthday, Tom!

We started out the day at Cole Valley Hardware. Not only is this Tom's favorite place in the whole universe, but when it's his birthday they offer him a big discount. I was very patient.

Then we headed down the coast to Moss Beach and the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. Tom took the New York Times and I took my notebook and three new pens. (I have a phobia of being caught somewhere without something to write with.)

Usually we put a quilt down up above Moss Beach on the cliffs, but today it was so windy that we walked down the wooden stairs to the beach and lay in the sun wrapped up like mummies. Then I took off my shoes and walked to the tide pools. The weird coral and shells and stones you find on this beach are very different from the things you find on our beach.

Then, the highlight of the trip: Barbara's Fishtrap.

Do you really want to know what I had for dinner? A crab sandwich along with a couple of beers. That's what heaven means to me. And we even got a seat by the window.

Back home for cake and coffee.

The Present! (An Anne Herbst.)

The Week That Got Away

One important thing I learned this week: You don't really know a person until you've watched a baseball game together.

That's Peter, above, walking into Vanida Thai with a bottle of Zinfandel. We had a hot, sweet meal and then headed back to his and Anne's. Anne was in New York. The Giants were playing Florida, so Peter rolled his gigantic screen over in front of the table and we watched. We had a great evening and after 6 years we feel that we know Peter in a whole new way.

And you're not going to believe what I spotted on the street while we were walking to the restaurant. Yep! That's it. The very painting above. Anne is going to be very upset. She had flown all the way across the country to see some Van Goghs and here we are a block away from her house.

My color palette this week.

Beach finds

Tuesday: Family gathering (not ours, Emmy's). Seafood gumbo.

And finally. Opening June 10th at our very own Boa Theater. Midnight in Paris.

Couple Test

That's what a Julian Barnes character says. I say that grocery shopping is the first true test. If you can stand to be in a grocery store with your friend, then there's a good chance that there could be a breakfast in your future. If you can have fun in a grocery store together, go ahead and get married.

What's a good clue for you?

Holly's Bowl

This bowl was in a mysterious package that arrived in the mail this week. Holly made it! I love it so much that I've filled it and emptied it countless times over the past 3 days. After I've filled it I'll feast my eyes on it–then I'll empty it out and look at it some more.

First it was cherries. Then it was popcorn (kernels). Then it was tea. This afternoon I filled it with my finest jewelry (photo). At the moment it's sitting beside my computer holding the sea glass from yesterday.

On the Sea Wall

Dream Writers

If you could write like any writer in history, who would it be?

Who would I want to write like? I thought you'd never ask. If I could write like any writer in history, it would be a cross between James Marshall (above, from George and Martha: Tons of Fun) and Raymond Carver. When my friend Roger introduced me to Raymond Carver I almost had a heart attack.

What It's Like

This is what it's like when you look down and find a piece of sea glass. Isn't it exciting?

Poster Child

A suspenseful story about Mimi and my poster.

Proofs

It's always exciting to find proofs on your doorstep! The first set of proofs for Janet Schulman's Valentine book arrived yesterday. I've piled a backlog of beach glass from the past week on top of my dedication to her. (She was as crazy about beach glass as I am.)

I Could Live Here

A tiny studio that Tom designed for a composer. Is it not sweet in every sense of the word?

Two Women of Refinement

Gina parked the car and when we walked up the steps we found ourselves in the Academy of Sciences instead of the de Young. So we decided oh well, what the hell, let's eat here at the Moss Room instead of over there. But first, let's handle a snake.

It was Gina's belated birthday lunch. It is not easy to treat this person to lunch, let me tell you.

We staggered across the music concourse afterwards and took in the Balenciaga show at the de Young, then stumbled back across the concourse to pick up Gina's leftovers which we had forgotten. (As usual, I didn't have any leftovers.)

Then we drove across the neighborhood to the Legion of Honor and looked at the Pulp Fashion show: you know, Isabelle de Borchgrave, that woman who makes dresses out of paper. Everyone but everyone had been raving about it and pressing me to go. What can I say? I have to tell the truth. It was impressive but I liked the fish and the snakes at the Academy of Sciences better.

After the Pulp Fashion show–finally!–it was time for a mid-afternoon snack. Here we are below, outside the museum having cappuccino and almond cookies. It looks like we're in jail but we're really not. When we schlepped back inside, guess who we saw exiting through the gift shop? Mary Ann! And she looked fantastic. I bet she had a date tonight with Husbando–one of those dates where they eat cheese sandwiches in the car and then go to a play.

My Friends & Me

When I reached the point where I'd drawn 500 Facebook Graffiti, I chose my favorite 100 and made a print. Here are the details if you'd like to have one of your very own:

• Printed using 12 luscious colors of archival ink on heavyweight fine art paper

• Size: 24" x 36"

• $100 includes shipping Priority Mail®

Important News Bulletin

Masking tape comes in pink! I found this at the Packaging Store (not the package store) on Howard Street. They said they didn't have any colored masking tape, but I could smell it! And I found it, too, along with lots of other treasures including a small _____ that I filled with _____ for Barbara's birthday tomorrow.