Happy Birthday, Tom!

Get a loada these Little Black Books. I made one for Tom's birthday.

At the Cliff House we sat by the window and watched whales. The first time we'd ever seen them!

On the way out we watched TV. The Giants are now in first place.

No, Wait! I Changed My Mind.

I decided to come back here.

Moving Announcement

I've moved
over here.

My New Site

Finally. I have a new web site.

I also have new watercolors, given to me by Cricket, who lives across the street. She's trying to get me to do something called plein air painting. That means painting outside among ants and wind and sand.

Back from Safeway

Advance Copy of My New Book!

Allyn Johnston, my publisher, always wraps up the very first copy of your book in a way that makes receiving it even more exciting than it would be anyway. I say "always"––Say Hello! is only my second book with her. But I'm busy working on a 3rd!

Email From Katy

It's on the way to a place where I sometimes have pie...    photo by Kate Ledford

Mail-Order Life

Isn't it exciting when you mail-order something and just can't wait for it to arrive because you know it will change your life when you finally have it in your possession? You track the package every few hours because you cannot wait to acquire the vibrant new personality that comes in the box along with the product you ordered?

... And then, how when you finally have the package in your hands and tear it open, the new way of being never quite materializes and your life basically remains the same as it was the day before?

Today I was having one of those days where my life was exactly the same as it was the day before, and not in a good way. I desperately needed my package to arrive and when I tracked it for the 11th time, the Tracking Details said: Your package was left at the front door.

I raced out of my studio, threw the door open, and there it was.

And this time it worked. I ripped open the box and stepped into the shoes. I wore them all day. My whole world changed and so did my personality. Everything around me is more colorful, and I'm now a lot smarter and nicer.

Found: turtle

The sea wall by Balboa Street 

Downs and Ups

Msmasmushly told me about this exhibit, Fancy Animal Carnival, at the Civic Center Plaza. She told me to go right away. And today since my boss was away I decided to play. I read a little about the show before I ran to catch the train to the Civic Center where 19 of Hung Yi's animals awaited me:

His animated and personified interpretations of animals are based on symbols that, in Taiwan, are traditionally believed to be lucky. He also decorates the modern sculptures with traditional Taiwanese patterns and texts that are believed to bring about good fortune.

Next I read: The exhibit will be up until May 7.

I was furious.

Round Pig by Hung Yi

xxxxxx
Then I remembered. Anne had told me that she had just finished a new painting, so I drove straight over there instead. After a visit to her studio, I felt like I had regained my luck and good fortune. I mean, she had seven dazzling paintings I hadn't seen!

My favorite new painting by Anne.

And then, since I happened to be halfway to the Apple Store already, I drove on over and tried on some watches.

Some Kind of Wonderful

by Nicole Appel.

Pure Vision Art's mission is to provide people with autism and developmental disabilities opportunities for artistic expression and to build public awareness of their important creative contributions. (via)

Shopping trip

For a Good Time,

go here, and design your own shoes.

Mimi's Kitchen

There he is! On the wall above the piano. With enough space for 24 friends.

Ocean Beach   7:05 p.m.

25 Years, 25 Birds

A Beachcomber's Dream

Even I have to admit that this is a prize worthy of a 6:58 wake-up call.

My phone pinged at 6:58 this morning.

Who the heck would be texting me at this hour on a Sunday? 

My editor, that's who!

Allyn

The dragons are out early this morning.

Me

You have GOT to be kidding me. The find of the––not the decade––the find of the CENTURY!!

Allyn

NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN ALL MY BEACHCOMBING YEARS!

Karen's 20 Years of Living in San Francisco Party

Karen, who I met in TIAPOS, is top middle. On around the clock: Doug, Tom, me, Mush & Barb

xoxoxoxo

Karen should tell you what the celebration's about in her own words:

This month marks the 20th anniversary of me moving from Philly to San Francisco. It all began 21 years ago when my sister was visiting London and she turned on the t.v. She saw a woman with FSH (my form of muscular dystrophy) on the news talking about the benefits of working with a massage therapist named Meir Schneider, who lived in San Francisco. I bought Meir’s book (The Handbook of Self-Healing), I started doing his exercises, I went to a workshop he led in NYC, and then I had a private session with him. I was intrigued. One month later, Meir’s newsletter announced they were looking for a volunteer with FSH to spend 6 months getting free treatment while a grad student at SFSU documented the effectiveness of his treatment method. I couldn’t just leave my job, fly across the country, and start getting massages from this guy I barely knew. Could I? I called Meir and he said, “We pick you. Come on out.” Six weeks later I was in San Francisco, and after 6 months I knew it was where I belonged.

I am a scaredy cat by nature, but I believe in taking baby steps and following the bread crumbs. My sister turned on the t.v. I bought a book. I made a phone call. I bought a plane ticket. I stepped through fear. And now I am home.