May old stuff be remembered

Horrible wet gray day for walking about, but it was done. Not many souls about on foot, except for what seemed like a high number of iffy-looking guys humping along furtively in one particular area. Maybe drug-related, but it wasn't conducive to lingering along the sidewalks. The old folks at home got pie and company, and a cheery holiday afternoon.
Neighbors who weren't decided on it did finally have a little celebration of their Blue Moon wedding in Hawaii. The night could not have been much further removed climate-wise, but we all warmed up their home with love and affection.
Into a new decade, and may it be less miserable than parts of the last one.

More of up

Luckily my oldest climbing pal was able to squeeze in another little session at the fake crag, so off we waltzed for some vertical therapy. Her teenaged son just got his driver's license, and seems to be faring pretty well; may he continue. I wouldn't want to be in that position as a parent ever again.
Evening saunter out for some sushi; the chefs comped us a wonderful appetizer, and our server told us about her hopes to write a novel. Sweet youngness and energy.

Wringing it in

Squeezing some fun out of the day, one way or another; fresh hairdo for one, walk and workout for another. No rain yet, just increasing drear.
Sweet walk in the latish evening with the beloved spouse, just to get in some fresh air; the rains trickled in.

Fighting the flab

By scaling the slab; a friend and I headed over to our indoor crag and beat ourselves up pleasantly. She's been unable to get in more than once a week for a while, and is eager to get back into the swing of the ropes. We talked to the guy in charge of route setting for all the gym branches, and he told us their bouldering only gym down in Tacoma should be ready pretty soon. It will be worth an excursion some rainy day in the near future.

Tolerable

Might be the last day of sunshine for a bit, so we walked to do our errands; the hardware store tour takes you over some nice terrain. There are still small hardware stores in several neighborhoods, accessible on foot, and just as likely to have whatever odd little gadget you need as any of the big box horrors. Each little store seems to possess its own particular flavor and specialities. We wound our way home as the temperature started going down with the sun.

Unexpected perfection

So we are further blessed thanks to global warming with another fine, warmish, not full of snow and wind kind of day. All get out for their constitutionals, and we head out to a holiday dinner later. The nearby lake is thronged with people, kids trying out their Chirstmas bikes, trikes and scooters, adults lagging along trying to work off the new poundage they've added. It's heartening to see such enthusiasm.

Even better

Such a gorgeous xmas day; in the sun it's warm, and the first walkers get out, along with our cat. The rest of the day is a pleasant, quiet family affair, simple gifts and food, no rowdy drunken bullshit.

What day is it?

Holiday weirdness continues, but we'll manage. We got the tree up, we're working on its already installed lights, and watching part of the SF Ballet's 2008 version of "The Nutcracker." We had a wonderful afternoon walk, in weather that looks like Southern California's coldest clear days. Everybody has a little something to open.

Gradually

Eased into a short but sweet gym session, finished with a route a bit too hard on the fingers, but what the hey. We're starting to hear about people going off to sunny warm places where there are tall rocks.
The sun is supposed to be staying up longer each day, but once again, it seemed to slip behind a cloud bank and disappear early. We grab what light we can.

Bleah to the world

Not a swell one, but things are slowly improving. Maybe everyone will be well by Friday. We won't be privileged to stay in nine million bucks' worth of vacation home on Oahu, as our President and his family will be, but we'll keep things festive regardless. News bits have mentioned he has thought about buying it; I instantly wonder how the fuck he could afford that? Maybe a little gift from Big Pharma.

Only way to do it

Since Christmas-themed songs and bastardizations of them start polluting the air sometime after Halloween, I have learned to tune them out or I'd be nuts in no time. But yesterday's holiday band concert, with live versions of all kinds of holiday music from klezmer songs and Gustav Holst to Vince Guaraldi's arrangements, rang true and sweet. I don't want to hear them any other way.

Scraping up that wall

Little bit of a climbing workout early, before the big show; the gym became packed after about an hour and a half, everyone getting in some of their last licks before another major eating holiday. Felt as if I did okay, trying to get up some puzzles. Mantle, hoist, high step was the theme for me on one particularly devilish problem. Then off to the band concert, with cheerful anticipation.

Reunited

Beloved spouse returned safely from a business trip; we are relieved. He's revving up for the big concert tomorrow, which should be most enjoyable. we all just settle in with a lovely big roast chicken for dinner.

Gray holidays

Compared to last year's freezing, icy, snowy mess, I'll take cold and gray. Hairdoing went well, and our nonegenarian's stylist loaded us up with gifts which we can't really consume. We wondered if she was redistributing items she had received. It was sweet, but they need a new home.

So tired

Cold viruses evidently affect people's brains, and wackiness ensues. Welcome getaway in the afternoon, although it wore me out, bouldering for an hour or so. Good to get out and walk for a while, the day was mild and not so wet.
Got a few small pieces of holly with berries from a neglected hedge, and we are holiday decking.

Soaked

So what else is new? If you're here for the long haul, you have to endure the climate. We go from paradise to purgatory so quickly this time of year.
I'm glad we are at the top of our hill, so all of it drains somewhere else...

Drear and chill

And predicted to worsen; we either succumb to its dire effects, or rally. Indoor marching about was in order, and chair exercise. If we were into tatting, the place would be festooned. Late afternoon delivery of a surprise from a friend provided a sugar rush, unnecessary but enjoyable.
Not far away a venerable Northwest maple which was almost a century old was cut down. One of its dying limbs has long hung over the sidewalk like the embodiment of doom, and the homeowner told me as I walked by that he'd been worried about for some time. It was an amazing old hunk of life that defied gravity for as long as I can remember.

Mending

Hope this isn't a jinxy thing to observe, but we seem to be improving around here. Managed a wee gym session with a friend, and other than my whacking the heck out of one hand, we had a fine time, grousing about how hard the moderate routes seemed to be becoming. Consarned whippersnapper routesetters...

Nightmare

Well, I shall never be a nurse. We'll leave it at that. Support and cheering up from beloved offspring and his girlfriend, or I would be far more bummed.
They took me out for a bite of sushi, and the chefs gave us some homemade apple pie with scrumptious coconut ice cream on the side. It doesn't take much usually to feel a bit better.

Skunked

Health issues with our eldest, so no climbing today; this doesn't help my outlook, but not much can be done.
We manage to get through the day, and hope for a better tomorrow.

Scrapey

Felt like a day for hanging on by one's fingernails; just an overall presentiment of something or other. Hair doing was all right as long as it lasted, but our nonegenarian was rather wiped out afterwards. Could be the colds or whatever kinds of viruses that have swept around us for a while have finally settled in. A good night's stint under blankets should help.
Another cat mugging, this time from one that rocketed out of nowhere and stood looking up at me with what appeared to be shock. Then I glanced across the street, seeing an automatic garage door closing, and wondered if the animal had been trapped inside and just released. A mundane mystery.

icy grip weakening

So the weather pundits say; during an afternoon walkabout, I could almost agree, but in the evening, once again we needed our Michelin Man down jackets. Not detecting so much aggressive holiday marketing while out and about, and not as many houses are illuminated at night. Perhaps a general belt-tightening is occurring. The most aggression I encountered all day was from what looked like a thirty pound long-haired Siamese, who flounced down some steps and rammed into my leg, then paraded away more swiftly than it looked like it could, after sensing my awe and obeisance to its majesty.

Do you, my poppet, feel infirm?

Germs, germs, everwhere, and not a drop of relief; we younger healthy ones are getting whacked, but not the oldest. She's decided she has acquired universal immunity over her scores of years. It seems important to keep oneself aired out and exercised, unless bedridden. Luckily feel too crummy to bother with holiday baking, which temptations are not necessary. Too easy of an excuse to eat cookie dough.
It's bizarre to me that our neck of the woods seems to have become cop killer central; almost all my experiences with the local force have been positive. The two shooters have in common their racial background, one different than mine. But more importantly, they were both mentally ill, one not detected soon enough, the other one, ignored. With budgets local and national plummeting, this lack of intervention is going to worsen. The criminal mentality is spreading.

What the hey

Got an invite from another friend for climbing, so off I went to meet with her for a session. Perhaps a reach too far, but it usually makes me feel better overall.
Again with the deep freezing all day; not sure the ice melting compound is actually melting much out there. The sun is a brilliant tease, and certain members of the household keep falling for its deceptions.

Not so roaring twenties

Sunny day for walks, and a pretty good session with a climbing partner; she and I are trying our best to keep at least a minimum fitness level. Swell walk and meal with beloved spouse, although we were practically flying back up the hill in order to keep warm. It's a dry cold...

Chilling till it isn't

We're slipping deeper into a big arctic deep freeze day by day; at least most of the ambient moisture's been frozen out of the atmosphere so it doesn't congeal on our walking surfaces. But it's painfully cold for the nonegenarian, who doesn't like to wear a hat upon her coiffed hair, and it takes some coaxing to get at least a rain bonnet up there. The sun shining isn't enough these days. It's so cold the cat's sticking by the heating vent.

Icey and dicey

Slick on the front porch and steps in the morning; we scrounged up just enough rock salt to make the steps safe by late morning, and off we went, to the sunny side of the street fro a couple of nice jaunts.
Short climbing session, just all right; a relatively unknown acquaintance joined us, and it's interesting what such activity can reveal about a person. I'm willing to try again, but I was a bit taken aback by her imperiousness. It takes some reps to work out things about people.
Evening visit with good friends, and musings about what lies ahead; I lost the wreath race this year.

Fogbanks

They rolled in and out all day, then as we wanted to go out, an icy cold downpour swept over the area; some were caught in it, and luckily it didn't last long. Colder and colder it grows, and we hunker down for the evening.
Think I'll pass on reading Alice in Wonderland yet again. I looked over the volume of Carroll writings, and not a word captured me.

Gauzy

The look of the skies, and getting colder; off for a solo bouldering workout, taking an uneventful bus ride to the destination. No drunken crazies or odorous and ominous souls on board. Evening outing with beloved spouse, to a business's anniversary celebration held at the aquarium; wonderful party, lots of different people in attendance owing to the nature of the business. Fun to eat sushi while watching the octopus pose in her big tank, munch on scallops and crabcakes as the reef fish zoomed around. Most generous of the owners to put it on there, and it was nice to get invited.

Moon mad

After a perfectly gorgeous day, the scheduled appearance of this lunar delight was as fabulous as last night's; the corner market feller wondered aloud what was going to happen as a result. Not sure what he was thinking about, unless it was the mayhem that's been going on around the region for several weeks. Don't think the moon could do much to worsen that craziness. We just persevere in our daily stuff, trying to ignore any criminality occurring anywhere close.
Finally tried the new organic roasted mole sauce; it was amazing, quite a nice kick, even cut with some vegetable stock. Not sure it would be as good straight out of the jar.

Clear skies in the morning

They lasted all day, and into the night, with an almost full moon appearing in a dark lavender sky; even buzzed people out in front of a nearby tavern were exclaiming over it as they took a break to smoke in the fresh cold air. We got in our walks, and the weekly hairdo for our nonegenarian, who was chipper and cheery, owing to the unusual amounts of sunshine she was imbibing. Even the mercurially-tempered family cat seemed happy, as he strolled along hunting for odors.