Picked up this beauty in Laguna Woods. It's an agave "blue glow" and, it has a pup growing off to one side. So, this time next year, I'll have two "blue glow" agave plants. Although, now I need some bigger pots along with some succulent soil.
Picked up this beauty in Laguna Woods. It's an agave "blue glow" and, it has a pup growing off to one side. So, this time next year, I'll have two "blue glow" agave plants. Although, now I need some bigger pots along with some succulent soil.
A quick trip to Laguna Beach before school begins. Attended the Sawdust Festival. Played some mini golf. Pampered the diva.
May Grays and June Gloom. Still, I’d live here. And, I would totally take up lawn bowling.
End of Spring Break
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This is what the beginning of Spring Break 2026 looks like. Went to dinner with the folks at Zócalo. Had some tasty tacos and a cold local brew. Got some new cushions for the outdoor seating. Running assorted errands. Finishing some neglected chores.
Glamorous stuff. As I drove around town today, I thought about spring break trips years ago. All those trips to Baja, and the times we had. I thought about that as I drove to pharmacy. How times have changed.
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Maggie moved into my house about four years ago, when my parents downsized. This photo was taken the first week she lived with me. She was nine in this picture, approaching ten years old, and she couldn’t understand why she no longer had acres of vineyards to roam. And, she was stubborn about it. Plopping on the outdoor furniture was her favorite way of irritating me. Thus, the photo of her in a patio chair with an indignant look on her face.
Her face has a lot more gray hair now. And, she’s slowed down considerably in the last few weeks. She lost almost half her weight in the last two months, and she became increasingly disoriented. The lethargy of old age took over and she no longer enjoyed things like walks or chasing squirrels. Her quality of life dropped dramatically in the last few months, and she couldn’t even muster the energy to jump on the patio furniture. I confess that I was hoping she would defy the house rules one more time, just to show me that she could.
I’m sure there’s a metaphor in there somewhere about taking care of aging parents, save the part about chasing squirrels. But last week, I spoke with my father about Maggie’s condition and he agreed that it’s time to say goodbye. So, Dad and I took her to her last veterinary appointment today. I didn’t think it would be so hard saying goodbye, but that little dog made cry. Maybe she taught me to have patience. Maybe she taught me that even unruly creatures still need love. Maybe she taught me that being ungovernable is a really fun way to get through life. Maybe that’s the metaphor. RIP Maggie.
Arrived in this V8 beast, with manual-crank windows and no heads-up display. I was fighting for my life in this cab, for over 8 hours.
the outbound trip Sparks > Laguna Beach
Almost two weeks have elapsed since my last post. I need to get better about that. I need to get better at a lot of things.
Sunrise and sunset. I appreciate them a little more lately. It’s been a rough week, but I’m down about 7 pounds since first of the month.
Another long walk, and more rain. Thankfully, I didn’t get soaked. A mix of sun and rain all day. Around 1:30pm, a cell rolled through with thunder, lightning, and a bit of hail.
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4 miles today. Picked up a new pair of walking shoes on New Year’s Eve, and broke them in this morning. Harvested the last of the tangerines. The hot tub has a slow leak and one of the fence posts on the south side of the backyard is failing. And, I’m taking the dog to the veterinarian this afternoon because she’s been wheezing the last 36 hours. 2026 is off to a beautiful start.
]]>When you start buying in bulk, your habit becomes a lifestyle.
Reflecting on 2025, and reflecting on dissertation research. I feel like my research topic has shifted several times this year, and that shift seems like a perfect metaphor for this year. Shifting direction. Shifting gears. Shifting objectives.
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Napa, St. Helena, & Calistoga
*earlier this month
]]>Some years, the days between Christmas and New Year feel like living in an alternate universe.
High winds and heavy rain showers on Christmas Eve, with more high winds and rain on Christmas Day. Two of the NFL games were on Netflix, and the evening game was on Amazon Prime Video. Not sure how I feel about that arrangement, but it was delightful spending time with my favorite people.
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A nice night out: Sam Horne’s Tavern, Folsom Hotel (formerly Sturm’s), and Plank
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Limoncello Cranberry Spritzer and meatballs. Heavy fog and loud spaces. A murder-mystery to solve. Still fun after 20+ years.
]]>The fog has lingered for weeks. And, the tangerines are ready to harvest. These are the things I think about before I fall asleep.
2025 Holiday Party
]]>Mealy bug infestation a weeks ago almost devastated a few of my succulents. Neem oil seemed to fix the problem. I’m happy to see that they are now thriving. 🪴
Is it a credenza? Is it a sideboard? It is definitely a lot of parts. Assembly took about 4.5 hours total. Also got some nice, ceramic dinner plates made in Romania and a jar of lingonberry spread.
Day trip. Through the backroads and fog of Sonoma county on the way there. Sunshine and traffic on the return.
Cooper Black 24pt
A quick trip before the seasonal snowstorms interrupt travel over Donner Summit.
]]>An especially bright orange sunrise, with marine layer and smoke from the fires to the south
August 2025
