A Week's Worth

450 Sutter

In the lobby looking up (450 Sutter Street)

Everybody knows that 450 Sutter is the building downtown where all the docs in the world have offices. I had to get up early this morning and take Tom there for a certain procedure that you're supposed to have every five years once you turn 50.

When he checked in, the assistant asked who would be picking him up. Tom said my name and she wrote it down.

"What relation is she to you?"

"She’s my grandmother."

When the nurse opened the door and called Tom's name, he pointed to me and said, "That's her."

He then disappeared into the bowels of the operating room. I left 450 Sutter and walked around downtown for a couple of hours. I was staring at the huge screens in the lobby of the St. Francis Hotel when the nurse called and said Tom would be ready to go home in ten minutes. I raced back to the building. I jumped into the elevator and crossed by fingers that everything was all right.

When I burst into the waiting room he still hadn't come out, and they wouldn't even let me go back to see him. Sometimes he asks them not to let me go back to the recovery room because he's afraid I'll try to question him while he's still under the influence of the anesthesia––you know, things about his past. Apparently he had trouble finding his socks and that's what took him so long.

When he finally stumbled out and saw me he said, "Is Nixon still President?" I knew then that everything was all right, and it was. We celebrated at Crepes on Cole with the giant Florentine Crepe and house potatoes.

Found in the Sand

5:31 p.m.  (Not funny!)

5:53 p.m.

work in progress

Leaping Lemurs! Lunch at the Zoo

msmasmushly, me, RR, Hannah, Gina, Kristin, and Jade

The Familiars. That's what RR is reading, and her friend Hannah is reading A Series of Unfortunate Events (the fifth book).

I got The Interestings in the mail today! I'll let you know how it is.

Oh. Animals. Let's see. I think the gorillas touched my heart the most. Seeing them in person like that makes me want to read The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate's book written from the point of view of a silverback gorilla living in a shopping mall.

Back to School

It's always kind of scary attending a class for the first time. Any class. No matter how old you are.

I always want to arrive late. Not really late, but I like to be the last person who's "on time." I donno. I like to have a seat in the back, on the edge of things.

The good thing about this particular chair is that it happens to be right by the snack table. I think I'm the only one who's had a cookie so far?

I'm excited. I feel kind of dumb. There are 14 of us. It's fun to look up and see everybody else looking down, writing. It reminds me of that feeling you got when you were in church and the congregation was in the middle of a prayer--when you would open your eyes and peek around, and see everyone else with their eyes closed, earnest.

It smells good in here. Maybe it's the ginger cookies. There's a big unopened jar of salted nuts. Will anyone dare crack the seal?

The class is called Writing Children's Picture Books: More than Just Child's Play and it's taught by Shirin Bridges.

My Beautiful Hairstylist

Sounds like a movie, but luckily it's not. Lesley is a real person who cuts and colors hair. Her own hair is messy and her lipstick perfect. She wears tennis shoes. She doesn't feel the need to be entertaining. (No larger-than-life, kooky personality.) She cuts hair! She's fast! I don't leave exhausted.

Other bonuses:
1. Crepes on Cole right across the street.
2. Free parking in the neighborhood.
3. Her cuts last.

Sea Stuff

Back on the Beach

We've taken a break from walking on the beach while Tom's eye got better. The bright light out there was a little harsh on the old eyeball, and so for a few months we've been walking in the woods instead (along the Coastal Trail). But there was no sea glass to be found in the woods! Luckily, now it's summer. The fog has rolled in and the light is much softer. Look who we ran into our first time out:

Walk

"What are you doing back there?"

6:02 p.m.