Tuesday

Met Diane for lunch by the library at noon. Incredibly, we didn't break up until 5:00. Yes, we sat and talked for five hours. About what? Everything under the sun: present activities, family, people we knew, the past (childhood, early married live, and how much alcohol is in wine opposed to beer, travel, our various aches and pains, BCNN groups, and more). I said I'd go to Happy Hour next week, but I'm not sure if I will; it starts at 4:00 and I have rehearsal at 7:00. Hm...maybe I can swing it.

A few minutes after I walked in the door, Suzanne stopped over. Vickie's birthday is on the seventeenth and S. wants to have something for her--possibly a dessert. We checked over my rehearsal schedule and she'll figure out a day when I'm not booked. 

Something rather amusing came up: Larry called me to ask if I had any knowledge of a $69.95 continuing fee from Spirit Airlines for membership in "The Club." (This is where you get special treatment before your flight, with food and drink, a comfy place to wait, and so on.)  He noticed it on his credit card and when he called Spirit, they mentioned my name. We decided it must have to do when, three years ago, Larry (who has thousands of bonus miles) insisted on paying for my airline ticket when I visited. He gave me his credit card number and, presumably, that's how my name came up. I think I may have experienced "The Club," but I certainly wouldn't have added it without his urging. I was going to use this blog to investigate, but Larry called again to say they had refunded the amount. Crazy world. 

Monday

Determined to get back to my walking routine, I took my cart to The Market for broccoli and other stuff and walked both ways, instead of busing back. That got three miles in and I'll continue today, as I'm meeting Diane for lunch at the library (well, behind it in the small parK). After, I'll either bus to town and stroll around or walk to Wal-Mart and back. Walked first to the post office to send off to the Tokyo Tot (ha--in two months, he'll be the Tokyo ten-year-old) the little booklet for "junior rangers" I  had picked up in Morro Bay. While at the P.O., I ran into Bridget* from BCNN and we had an enjoyable chat. 

After lunch, I tackled the patio, specifically the ivy geranium. When I tied it and the trellis the other day, the shape didn't look great. I deadheaded and discarded the faded blooms and tried to arrange it a little more attractively, but I'm not so sure I succeeded. It still looks a little droopy:

Ken texted me that Karyn had cancelled rehearsal for last night--okay by me, as I'd just as soon skip getting home at 10:00. Julie called to see if I wanted to go to the BCNN dinner on the 27th--yes, indeedy, and she'll pick me up. She's not going to Happy Hour on the 19th, though, so I'll have to figure something out about that. 

For dinner, I stir-fried onions and mushrooms, added leftover carrots and sweet potatoes, and had that concoction with shrimp. 'Twas yummy.   

Yesterday was this darling girl's fifteenth birthday--happy birthday, Violet!

*I'm pretty sure I mispronounce Bridget's name, as she's from Germany and that's an Irish name. I've mistaken her for Denise who was in my acting class, as they're both small, thin, and about the same age (mid-seventies). Interestingly, Denise has a slight accent, too, as she's from France. 

Sunday With My Tribe

Did some household chores in the morning, then turned my attention to the patio. I was horrified to realize the fallen ivy geraniums had taken one of the lilies down with it. I cut off and brought in what was left:

                                                     

I then tied up the trellis and ivy geraniums; also propped the remaining lily plant:

The geraniums--both the ivy and the other--need to be trimmed and spruced up, that's a cinch, but I'll save that for another day.

Ken picked me up, as usual, a half-hour early, so we had plenty of time to sit and wait for the others. They came and we commenced four hours of rehearsal. I continue to be amazed at Karyn's directing skills--and people skills, for that matter. Here's a scene--we're still in the rough, early stages--and a pic of Karyn before we left, delivering her overall notes for the session:

The guy in the middle, Spence, is a semi-professional and is just terrific. He's well over six foot and can't weigh more than 160. He lives in Santa Barbara and comes all this way to rehearse, so is he dedicated or just nuts?  

Before this, Karyn had the whole play performed and stopped the action as soon as she saw something she wanted changed or corrected. This is the step-by-step formula for directing, of course, along with plenty of sidebars. Karyn herself is not a conventional beauty, but she's so appealing in her intelligence and knowledge of the genre, combined with her warmth and sense of humor, it's a pleasure to follow her lead.  

One thing that isn't a pleasure is the 7:00 pm (to 9:30) call time for tonight. That means it will be close to midnight before I get to bed, but I'll grin and bear it. 

Saturday: Ojai And Geraniums

Left at 10:00 or caught the bus to Ojai. I met up with Vickie as I was coming out the gate and we chatted while she walked with me for a time. Got to Ojai at noon and Mike and Ellen picked me up. We had lunch, then Mike, Violet, and I walked to a nearby store for the hundred bucks Mike had won on some silly lotto thing. He then treated us to an ice cream cone at "The Jolly Cone."

We loafed around, talking and laughing, until Mike went to the gym and the three of us played Blokus (I actually won a game, thank Zeus). Greg was still in Santa Barbara, so Mike and Ellen fired up the barbecue; here, they look a little dubious about it:  

However, Mike put chicken thighs on and slathered them with the barbeque sauce he had bought at Sunset Farms, where we stopped on the way back from Morro Bay. They were excellent and so was the rice Ellen made, plus a few sides. Greg got back from five o'clock mass and made up his own, as he keeps to an all organic, semi-vegan diet. 

After, we played some more cutthroat games of Blokus, then the four of us went outside to wait for the Access Van to take me home. Said goodbye to Mike and Violet; today, he's flying back to Singapore and she'll enter camp.  Mike will be back in twenty days to pick up Violet, so I'll see them again then. 

These are the lillies Ellen gave me for Easter several years ago. When the gate was installed, I had to cut them to the ground because it swings inward. But glory be: They came back to life and are beautiful; two more are about to bloom. 

But all is not sunshine and roses. When I got up and opened the patio blinds just now, disaster had struck :

I don't know how it happened, but my vining geranium had fallen on the lillies. They're on a trellis and it must have been insecure or something. Hope I can fix it without too much problem.

Rehearsal today is called for 1:00 to 5:00, so should be pretty intense. Ken will pick me up and take me home. 

Friday

For once in my life, I skipped T.O.P.S.; called Cheryl to tell her not to pick me up. I just felt like catching up with ordinary life, so shoot me. 

I stripped the bed, washed whites, then a color load before breakfast. Cleaned up a bit and did various mundane chores, then went over to Von's for bread. Great Clips is right next door and impulsively (I'm nothing if not impulsive), I stopped in and got a trim. It's not great, but looks okay.

After lunch, I bused to town; bought myself a blouse and a pair of jeans. On my return trip, I got off at the Loma Vista Road location of The Market for blueberries, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Home, I prepared the carrots I had bought the other day at the Ojai farmers market. Just scrubbed and trimmed them, added some chopped onions, seasoning, and olive oil, and popped them in the oven. Had them for dinner with chicken and a sweet potato. 

Ellen called and we made arrangements for today: I'll bus to her place, we'll have lunch, then the six of us (or five if Greg has other plans) will have chicken on the barbeque for dinner. I'll then take the Access Van home. On Sunday, Mike leaves to go back to Singapore after taking Violet to camp. He'll be back to pick her up at the end of the month. 

I swept Suzanne's and my shared front walk (she does it most of the time), deadheaded the geraniums, and puttered around overwise. Jumped in the shower, washed my newly trimmed hair, and settled down after a quiet, but satisfying day. 

I love this picture, which somebody put on Facebook. It's the Ventnor beach from the ocean, an unusual vantage point: 

Wednesday and Thursday

Whew--I'm just going to run over what all went on during the last two days:

Mike picked me up, we drove back to Ellen's, then he, Violet, and I left for Morro Bay (Ellen decided not to go). It's about a five-hour (four-hour, six-hour) and we took the scenic route--gorgeous, of course, but hair-raising, especially over the San Marcos Pass. Got to the fabulous Madonna Inn and had an early lunch:

                                         

We were a bit early, so walked around the charming town of Morro Bay, then check into The Inn. This is a pleasant, but fairly ordinary motel, right on the water and with lovely views. (The cost, I might add, wasn't so lovely from a consumer's point of view, but Mike was payin', so--😁.) We went to the area around the big rock, of course--the area's claim to fame--and the veritable garden of cairns. to which Violet contributed:

Here she is again with the smokestacks that seem to balance out the rock:

She and Dad also fed the squirrels that live on the rocky beach. For some strange reasons, they also thought the ugly, slimy sea otters that infest the harbor were cute, too--ugh!

I'm not sure why, but after Mike traced on the sand, some lines from Shelley's poem, Ozymandias, came to mind: 

My name is Ozymandias, King of kings,/Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!/Nothing beside remains. Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck,/boundless and bare/The lone and level sands stretch far away...HA! 

The next day, we explored a bit of the beautiful natural area:

On the way home, we stopped in nearby Los Osos ("the bear") for brunch at a Japanese restaurant Mike had remembered from when he was there years ago:

 We then explored a bit; Mike bought this shirt--I wish they had had one in my size:

Stopped in Santa Barbara on the way home to chat with Carolyn and Claire, then continued on the Ellen's. The four of us walked to The Farmer And The Cook for dinner (Greg was working), then played a fast game of Blokus before the Access Van picked me up. 

Mike is taking Violet to meet a friend in Universal City in L.A. and I'm going to devote today to catching up with ordinary life, aside from skipping T.O.P.S. Happily, I slept well and didn't get up until 6:15, have stripped the bed and done two loads of wash, now will get back to normal, at least for a time. 

Tuesday

Talk about a plenty of action day: Mike appeared at my door at 6:15. He hadn't texted or called me first, knowing I get up early, but still--! No prob, although I was stlll in my bedclothes and hadn't had breakfast yet. I dressed and we zoomed off to Ellen's for breakfast.

After, we hung out for while, Greg and I went to Bart's  Books, then Mike, Violet, and I (Ellen and Greg declined) went to the Fourth of July parade. It was kinda fun, but hot as hell, and it lasted two hours.  Some pics from the parade:

Back at El's, who had slaved in the kitchen while we were at the parade, Greg fired up the barbeque* while Mike read in the backyard:

. About 2:30, we had a great meal of salmon, sea bass, hamburgers, and sides. Later, Violet and El played digital chess:

After that, Mike and I joined them for several cutthroat games of Blokus:

That lasted until after 7:00, then El drove me home after speculating about getting me back in Ojai. This entailed getting Uber and Lyft on my phone and lots of other discussion. When we discovered driving me there via Lyft, I put my foot down. Finally, I went next door and asked Susan if she'd simply take me to the transit center and I'd get a bus. She asked where I was going, I told her and she offered to drive me to El's. I refused unless she's take some remuneration, which she finally reluctantly accepted, so good.

*It was nice of Greg to ask me to call Jim and invite him, too. I did, and he was grateful to be asked, but in his typical fashion, declined, saying he "wasn't pulled together" and so on. After we hung up, Greg called himself, but Jim--ever the way Jim is--still declined. Okay, another time.

IMPORTANT: Well, maybe not to the world at large, but here it is: We're leaving for Morro Bay at 8:00 am this morning for an overnight stay. I will not be taking my laptop with me. That means I won't be posting on this blog until maybe Thursday night or Friday.