Birdy loves and loves

So, in the absence of any dark tunnels to go into, here is some gratuitous Birdy footage. This is also so Madeline can see how much our baby has grown since May.

She loves and loves.

Birdy doesn't realize the bird totally sees her.

Note the snail trail...

Gee thanks

Yesterday I went to Safeway. I picked up yogurt, razors, bananas, dandruff shampoo...you know, the basics. When I got to the counter the checker asked how I was in a very soft voice. I gave her the normal, "good, and you?" She bagged up my things and tore the receipt from the register, glanced at it, and said, "thank you Mr. Dandruff," in the same soft and normal voice.

I don't think she noticed her slip. Or maybe she meant it. I love the Safeway.

More about mines and ghosttowns and rope swings soon...

Zoo

I went to the San Francisco Zoo for the very first time this Sunday. So while most people were being smothered by rainbow flags at gay pride downtown, I enjoyed the sleepy lions and silly gorillas.

The chimps were mellow. One hid under a blankie.

Just like Bird's Landing, there are peacocks roaming free.

I don't know if this is a kangaroo or a wallaroo.

The polar bears made me feel sleepy.

One of a pair of four year old sister bears

The lions reminded me of Birdy when she's being nice.

The silverback gorilla sat in a plastic bucket and acted tough.

I want to go back when there are no grown men making bad animal sounds at the animals

Gay 10K

On Saturday morning I ran the Gay Pride 10K run in Golden Gate park. The sad part was that I ran 6 minutes slower than last year. 53 minutes as opposed to 46. Boo.

Before the race I had to go to the bathroom (yet that kind). I went into the men's room and there were 6 stalls all in a row all without doors. There was a guy sitting in the corner stall so I waited for that one because it had the most semi-privacy. When I was done there was an entire row of dudes with their pants around their ankles all sitting in the doorless stalls! I really set an example apparently.

No I don't have pictures. Ew.

Grand Canyon here they/we come!

The engagement party was the perfect ending to a great day in the park. Neither Ms. Marchman nor Ms. Madsen wore pants, the soundtrack was dazzling and the diamonds sparkling.

Look at those beautiful rings

A toast to one long gone malicious cat and two lovely ladies

Dance with me Angelina!

I don't think Dani ever stopped smiling all night

Allegra, why don't you eat the papusas I brought instead?

Oh, and there was this head.

MyHeritage - ooh la la

The first time I tried MyHeritage it told me I looked like Heath Ledger, which I can totally deal with. Last night however the news wasn't so good. Um, and this is a really bad photo, OK??


Dani looked like Condoleeza Rice so I guess Paris Hilton isn't so bad. Allegra was Kate Winslet.

Update: This is what Birdy and I really look like. We just have to redeem ourselves.

Bird's Landing, Collinsville, Wind Turbines

Well, Allegra and Dani said it before me, but Collinsville (unincorporated), Bird's Landing and the wind turbine farm were truly amazing.

I will have to visit Shirley (ex Bird's Landing postmistress turned Tavern owner) again for more stories about drug busts, FBI paranoia, Clint Eastwood movie reenactments, runned down peacocks, drinking E clampus vitus dudes and their plaques, and abandoned puppies that end up perfect.

North Bloomfield and Malkoff Diggins

I never blogged about a major part of the the Yuba trip. So now I do. A and D both posted great photos too (way back closer to when we were actually there).

North Bloomfield is the town that supported Malakoff Diggins and giant the hydraulic mining operation in Tahoe National Forest that devastated parts of the forest. The town was a bit touristy for my taste with restored buildings housing "old" bottles and barber chairs, etc. The real treasures were down the street a ways closer to the mine site where we found a swampy mine adit as well as a crazy drainage tunnel that we were too freaked out to go more than 100 feet inside (if that).

This is a little cutesy for me. These were here during the gold rush. Yeah Right.

Dani got in trouble for not looking over the horizon correctly.

This is the type of gun that they used to blast away the mountains which decimated the wild life and trees.



A lone Manzanita of course.

This mine adit is currently filled with goopy water. When I knelt down beside it I thought that a swamp monster was going to bite me.



The drainage tunnel is constantly running and drips on your head just to scare you.

We Skype after steak/veggie burgers

Allegra and Dani joined Erika and I at the homestead for steak, veggie burgers, asparagus, vegetable kebobs, sausages and beer. It was a lovely meal. Then, even lovelier, Madeline Skyped us!

So how hot is it?

Can you tell that I've had a few beers? Why is my voice so high?

Muddy Buddy very muddy

Alicia and I ran/rode the Muddy Buddy race yesterday way up in some hills which I forgot the name of. We were late so we don't have an official time, but it doesn't matter because we are both winners anyway. I started off with the bike which doesn't shift or break very well and Alicia ran. The way it works is that you switch off running and riding at each obstacle and at the end swim/crawl through a huge mud pit together.

One thing that struck me was the attitudes of some of the racers, a lot of whoops of encouragement which is not my thing, but fine, and also strange competitive comments. For instance, one woman who I rode by on a downhill was running. She said to me, "you can go faster than that," with a you're-a-wussy tone. Whatever, my bike has no breaks, I can go as slow as I want [expletive].

So regardless of my poor attitude about poor attitudes it was a great time.

Yes, those are our socks. We walked through cow manure in them after the race to get back to the car.

Grand Opening / Squid songs

Three Cheers! My aunt Jean has been accepted into the Carmel Art Association. Last night was the opening night for the three (just three!) inductees! So I took some distorted photos of her work and also of the guests, friends and family from around California.

This one is actually my bathroom in my old studio on 25th, and one of two of Jean's paintings to sell. When it was pulled off the wall there were all these gasps. It was among the favorites of the show.

This was the other one that sold.

Jean and Jerry and Phyllis

Anita, John and I (I'm the one with the gigantic nose). Jean, Katie and Jerry in the background.

Virginia and John talk art

Jean got flowers and a squid song!

Oh my god. Where did I leave my wine?

Jean sparkles

I unfortunately didn't get any good shots of my mom, Carol, Terry, Phyllis, Holly, Pam or Diana. Jean, have you uploaded your pictures yet?

This is mine cat

Birdy does a little floor dance on a square of sun every afternoon when I get home from work. She misses Madeline.