Happy Halloween

We have three terrific new neighbors (above). They just moved in across the street. When we offered them more than one Snickers bar apiece, they politely declined. Can you imagine?

Boo!

Two spooky things happened at Green Apple Books today. First, I ran into my counselor Gene MFT outside. That wasn't really too scary – it was fun, actually. Then once I got inside, Janet's book jumped off the shelf at me. Actually I was very happy to see it, too! I did those pictures seven years ago.

Beautiful Planet

6:41 p.m. Earth. Did you see our tiny moon this evening?

Special Agents

Deborah Warren and Rubin Pfeffer

I got to meet Rubin and Deborah of East/West Literary Agency today. Not only did I get to meet them, but I got to eat ravioli and drink wine with them. We talked a little about this Children's Book Proclamation. Here's one part of the proclamation I liked: The tidy ending is often dishonest. And I got a kick out of this part: Even books meant to put kids to sleep should give them strange dreams.

The only sad part was that Judy had to fly back before dinner.

Little White Dog

I had the feeling this little white dog appeared out of nowhere to tell me that life will be easier in the spring.

Speaking of Lighting the Night ...

Don't ever buy track lights at Home Depot and attempt to start installing them at 5:30, or this may happen to you: we have one outlet in the kitchen that works this evening. (My studio is now in the kitchen.)

Luckily Kristin informed us about Free Candle app Thursday night. At least I have that! And a flashlight.

p.s. Don't ever buy track lights at Home Depot and attempt to install them no matter what time it is.

Light the Night Walk

Mary Ann, our fearless leader

A candle for Dad, a candle for Kristin's mother-in-law

The streets of San Francisco during the walk

Back to where we started at Union Square

Me and Mary Ann

The train home suddenly stops (underground) as an earthquake is announced.

Thank you again, friends who donated and friends who thought about us tonight. Mary Ann and her team raised over $5,000.

p.s. The train started back up. Then it stopped cold again – underground, of course. After that it screeched on toward home. Tom chased it down Judah Street and rescued me at 19th Avenue.

Found

Walking Man

6:56 p.m.

Oh no. PLAGIARISM!

I just realized that this is almost exactly the same photo I took four days ago. But isn't the blurry color kind of nice? I like this one better.

p.s. Is that really how you spell "plagiarism"? I would have dropped right out of the spelling bee.

The Recycled Book Recycled

Remember this book?

I gave it to Anne and now look at it.

Remember that it used to be blank?

It is no longer blank.

It's kind of a diary of the past week.

And past presents.

Anne knows how I feel about sea glass.

Me and We (and Mimi)

This one's called Wearing Stripes

Cat Tail

Anne recycled the stickers I used when I gave the book to her.

One last de tail

Dinner Guest

8:28 p.m.

Blue Boy

12:26  Do we have anything for lunch?

6:37  Sun sets right on time according to Tidelog. And I found love.

It's Getting Dark Earlier

6:30

7:00

7:01 and the streetlights are on

Sea Glass from Saturday

... on top of the announcement about the Creativity Explored opening. Hmmmm ... does the announcement bear a striking resemblance to the book cover up there on the right?

Friday's Beach Find

Delicious, Messy

Gina took me to Limon to celebrate two books being accepted for publication. It looks like I'll be a published writer for 5-year-olds! Gina's already a published writer, though her readers are a little older.

After a delicious and messy dinner, I made Gina accompany me to the opening at Creativity Explored (above), where I almost fell over in the middle of our photograph.

the cover: a detail from One, Two, Tin by John Patrick McKenzie
© 2010 Creativity Explored / permanent marker on laminate

Here's something I bought at the show that I love: a book made out of recycled paper. An oversized postcard from a recent opening at the gallery is folded in half and stapled to make the cover. It was $5.00 and they have more if you'd like to buy a whole truckload.

A Little Help from My Friends

So nice to find this (from Gina!) in the mail on a day like today.

Today was one of those days. How many times did I listen to the lynda.com tutorial on creating layer-based slices and have it pour like sludge into one ear and out the other – and then evaporate completely? Later Barbara texted me that Steve Jobs had died. I had no idea that his death would affect me so extremely.

A House Boat?

480 square feet

looking out the back window

returning later... does the dock feel a little bit like Barbary Lane?

Dreamy

Peter and Anne invited us to go to the Flower Market with them early Friday morning.

Tom jumped at the chance. Peter told me about the nice cafe where I could sit and drink coffee, so I went too.

For breakfast would you rather have a dozen eggs or a dozen roses?

Peter bought 100 asters (among other things).

Earlier in the week Peter had placed an order for a box of gardenias. Even though they smelled heavenly, the seller didn't think they looked gorgeous enough so he threw in a second box. Anne decided that we should have the extra box! (Those aren't the gardenias below, those are something else.)

To make a long story short, we drove back home with a car full of flowers. Below is my first attempt at flower arranging.

From: Linda

Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 10:19 AM

To: Lucille

Subject: gardenias?

Lucille, hi!

How are you??? 

Do you like gardenias?

Let me know.

To: Linda

Of course I love gardenias ! It's a flower, isn't it? I can't think of a
rhyme for gardenia or I'd write a poem.

To: Lucille

Can I bring some over to you today some time? (Or just drop them off?)

To: Linda

Gardenias are filling two bowls.

The fragrance is intoxicating –
Well, maybe not exactly like a martini

But I’m one very happy lady.