Sunday, August 30, 2009

The fog has returned and the weather is reasonable now. Am setting up my house for my daughter's family, moving beds, thinking about food, making plans.

Did a load of wash. I am so grateful to washing machines and driers. It makes laundry so much easier.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

The quince tree in the back yard is filled with fruit, ripe pungent. And I don't know what to do with these fruit. I let them ripen and fall to the ground. I am more then willing to give them to anyone.

The fires, smoke and heat continue.

Friday, August 28, 2009

At some point in this hot day the house is warmer then outside but both are almost unbearably hot. And the smoke fills the sky from the fires in the valley.

The only thing to do is sit around and wait until the heat passes. I use a wet wash cloth to cool my skin.

The fog will return.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

didn't sleep well last night so I have been dragging myself around all day.

Waiting for the sun to go down so I can go to bed. Sleep is such a mystery.

Now how is it that I put my self to sleep again?

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I've just finished reading DREAM HOUSE by Charlotte Nekola. This is a Graywolf rediscovery book published in the 1990's. " with courage and lyricism, Nekola probes behind the happy facade of her 1950s family" Publishers weekly.

It's exciting to discover a new writer and to enjoy a good book.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Report from Monterey Wharf #2

Tuesday mid morning
Blanket of dull fog hanging over everything draining the colors.
Sign: Albacore $2.50 a pound

Five foot piles of nets and small buoys covered with blue tarps.
A young gray gull squeals at the retreating white gull, feed me, feed me.

Men in trucks talking to other men, blocking the few cars moving on the wharf.
Trucks unloading supplies to the restaurants.

No one fishing or swimming.

One line of cormorants flying low over the water.

Monday, August 24, 2009

I am still learning my new computer and the updated programs. I miss my 2000 word. I struggled with printing labels with the 2007 word. Too hard. I stopped at least 25 times before I had actually labels to print.

And the computer works too fast for me, making changes that I don't want. It's like learning a new language.

Learning to drive my new car is much easier then learning my new computer.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Monterey wharf #2 report

Sunday mid morning, cool fog

the men have taken over all 6 tennis courts.
A family of Canadian geese are bug hunting in the ball field.
A migrating flock of phalaropes are bobbing near the wharf.

Lots of bird poop, old and new.
Big dog poop on the sidewalk waiting for the inattentive shoe, not mine

Famileis have spread thier beach blankets and are waiting for the sun.

Long line outside of Rosine waiting for breakfast.
Smell of bacon fills the air.

dogs, baby carriages, little kids, couples not talking to each other.

Saturday, August 22, 2009


Spent several hours at Community Hospital this afternoon on chaplain rounds. Saturday afternoon, parking lot with lots of vacant spots. The corridors were empty. Sounds of TV drifted out of the rooms.

Everything is so clean and shiny and contained. The outside world can be seen through the spotless windows, flowers, trees, sky.

Sometimes I forget how sick people are.

Friday, August 21, 2009

I am sitting at home, the hospital chaplain beeper on the table. It's my three days a month that I have volunteered to be available for any unexpected deaths or dying.

I've started reading a new book A SHORT HISTORY OF WOMEN, A novel by Kate Walbert. So far I am really liking it.

I wonder if the beeper will ring tonight.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

I drove my new car to Santa Cruz for lunch with friends. The car is becoming more familiar and more comfortable. Lunch was fun

The nine year old neighbor boy came by my house to tell me he liked my new car, particularly the wheels. He was the fourth guy to say that my new wheels were hot. I just don't see it but the guys do I am driving a cool car.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Monterey wharf #2 report

Wednesday mid afternoon

volley ball game on the sand with a net.
A oouple are kissing in the shadows of the cypress tree.
Low tide

One long streamed kite is pulling at it's string.
An older man with a heavy metal nose ring, Is it medical or sexual?
The ocean is crowded with brown floating jelly fish again.

half o dozen fishermen at the railing
knobby headed sea lions floating by the wharf.

Parking cop writing out tickets.
Gusty winds chasing the fog, I have to hold on to my hat.

A praline and cream ice cream on a sugar cone.
For me!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Looking at my new Honda element I realize how small it really is. But when I am driving I feel like I am driving a monster truck. I have lost the confidence to parallel park downtown. The parking places looks too small to me when I am driving.

This is going to take some time to develop my confidence in driving and parking again.

This day five.

Monday, August 17, 2009



For days now I have been working on transcribing a talk given by a friend. I struggle with the words, what is he saying? I play over the same line again and again until I can put something down. The sound of words is so different then the written word.

This morning I finished and emailed the completed piece out.

Yea, I'm done

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Monterey wharf #2 report

August 16, 2009
Monterey Wharf #2 report.
Late morning

Gusty winds and restless fog.
Baseball field is empty except for three embarrassed Tennis balls.
Lots of one person sail boats being set up on beach.
three people sanding on their surfboards, paddling out on the calm sea.

A bunch of juvenile pelicans sitting round the end of the wharf.

Lou Lou's grill is crowded.
No one is fishing from the wharf.
A diving boat is loading up with air canisters.

A floating dead pelican is being pecked by gulls much to the delight of the children at the railing.

Crabs are moving over the exposed wet rocks.

I am suddenly hungry for french toast, bacon and eggs.

When the fog leaves the sky continues to be dense with smoke.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

As the morning fog disappeared the smoke became visible. More smoke from the Santa Cruz fires. A thick haze dimming the pine trees, muting the bay.

I drove my car to Carmel not sure I wouldn't hit something. I am struggling with learning the true dimensions of this car.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Here is my new car, It seems so big. I am just getting used to driving without a clutch. I love it and wonder if I will ever learn to drive it well.

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Fire season, the sunlight is orange and ashes are falling from the fire near Santa Cruz, 50 miles away. No blue sky. The reports are scary not for me but for people near the fire.

Spent the afternoon with the 7 and 9 year old kids. We walked up to quarry park and piked black berries, threw rocks and looked at the trees moving in the wind.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

About ten feet from my bedroom wall the high school girls gathered to talk before going to school today. Their voices filling my room with words, sounds, laughter.

As I was leaving I said hello. I asked if they were smoking and two said yes, just cigarettes. I reminded them about the danger of fires in this dry weather and they said they would be careful.

I wonder if these girls were aware of how beautiful they are.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Monterey wharf #1 report

August 11, Mid morning walk, cold, foggy.

High school kids on the street, school has started.

Huge antique auto auction being set up behind chain linked fence in the plaza. Dozens of wood paneled station wagons. I want one.

Gigantic auto transported tying to maneuver around Monterey Streets.

Picked up two donuts at Red's and sat on a bench facing the wharf while I ate them. Families and couple walking by taking pictures of the sail boats and the wharf. I guess it is picturesque.

Sea gulls calling as they flew over.

on the wharf, most gift stores open with racks of marked down fleece jackets. Some were being bought on this cold morning.

A group of old Italian men were sitting around a table outside a closed restaurant talking up a storm.

Smaller trucks were being unloaded for the restaurants.

The wharf is getting ready for the day's tourists. I am going home.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Went to the Town Hall meeting with Rep Sam Farr this evening. I got there at 5:15 for the 6 o'clock meeting. The auditorium was filled. There was no room.

So I sat outside and watched the various protesters march and shout around. When tv cameras came everyone become more active. It was basically good natured and like a circus.

Went home and listened to the conversation on the radio. So many people are fearful aand anti government. Of course I think if they don't agree with me, they are wrong.

I kept tying to listen to what the dissenters were saying but it didn't make much sense to me. Sam Farr was kind and thoughtful and respectful even when he was tired.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

It's hot, the fog has retreated. The sky is hazy with smoke form the fires in the mountains.

The alarm bell has been ringing at the high school for the last couple of hours. The flowers are beginning to droop, the tomatoes are ripening.

I saw Julie and Julia last night. At the end the audience clapped.

I am restless and want to do something. I've already gone to Whole foods to pick up food for the week.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Monterey Wharf #2 report
August 8, Saturday early morning

Cold drippy fog covers the wharf. Sun is shinning on the hillsides.

Kayaks are on the beech waiting for customers
A cluster of strong young people are gathering on the wharf. The Samoan Outriggers Club is gathering together. Later I see outriggers gliding through the water with their crews paddling in unison.

A few fisherman are standing at the railing. One is trying to snag a star fish with his hooked line.
Several blue aluminum cans are rolling along the bottom of the shallow waters. I don't see any fish.

A lone large dog is guarding something near the end of the wharf. I avoid him and walk on the other side.

A single sea otter is rolling gently in the water in the inner harbor. I don't see any jelly fish. The surface trash is piling up on the edges of the harbor.

Visitors with exposed legs and arms are shivering at the outside tables at Lou Lou's Grill.

Sounds from the park two blocks away drift over the wharf. There is a Bronco league world series generating a lot of excitement.

Friday, August 7, 2009

lying on the couch looking out my front window I notice the tall sun flowers looking back at me.

I am reading the SIGN OF THE CROSS by Colm Toibin, a collection of essays on Europe in the 1990"s I like it.

Thursday, August 6, 2009


I am now becoming familiar with my new computer, approaching it cautiously so it too will not break. And with a toothpick I am scraping off the dried oatmeal from the big spill on the little computer. Maintenance is the challenge with machines.

We have been having warm balmy days, what a treat.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

I did go out and buy a new computer this afternoon. I give up trying to make the old one work. It's sitting in it's box on my dinning room table. Tomorrow I will start putting it together. sigh.

Also spilt a bowl of hot oatmeal on the keyboard of my small computer this morning I am slowing picking out bits of harden grain from between the keys. It's still working but a bit sticky.

My luck with computers has to get better.

Monterey wharf #2 report

Monterey wharf #2 report, August 4,2009, Tuesday
8:30 am, the fog is clearing, sun is coming out, few people on the wharf. Smoke in the distance from fires. Dead skate on sand near water line. A solitary gull is picking away at the flesh.

A dead young cormorant is floating near the wharf.

A visiting two masted sailing ship from Woods Hole is tied near the end of the wharf.

Two old Italian men are taking out their sewing supplies from their truck and heading toward the long pile of old torn fishing nets.

In the inner harbor a bloom of brown jelly fish is floating in the water, the surface of the water is littered with paper, debris, oil slicks. The jelly fish are spectacular. The few people on the wharf stop to watch them.

It's about 60 degrees. There are some ripples on the ocean surface further out. Very few birds but this is August.

Two men with fishing poles are on the north side or wharf.

My favorite cafe is closed on Tuesdays

When I look into the shallow parts of the harbor I see no animal life.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Why is it that computers can make me so crazy? I just don't understand the rage I feel as I once again work with this fixed computer.

Now two repair people have said it is fine but it doesn't work for me. I feel so helpless. Of course I can just buy a new computer but still I want to know what I am doing wrong.

I have asked a computer friend to come over and spend some time with me this weekend. Maybe I will understand someday how these things actually work.

Monday, August 3, 2009

I think my computer is fixed, I think my computer is fixed. I just picked it up at the second place I took it. I have plugged it in and then left the room. It's been several weeks since I have been able to use it.

I can't start it up today because if it doesn't work I will scream. I am so surprised how emotional and frustrated I can get over this machine. Luckily I have this small netbook as a back up.

I am such a coward. Maybe I will wait for someone to come to my house and have them turn it on.

For months the large bag of potting soil lay by the fence. Finally today I opened it and began filling small pots with the moistened soil, 25 pots.

Then I went through the yard taking clippings of most of my plants including the many geranium and lavender plants.

Now these pots are filled with these clippings and if they grow I will put them in the ground when the rains start in late fall.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Spent the morning in meetings and then came home and took a nap.

I'm reading Colm Toibin's book, BROOKLYN and am enjoying it. Life is great when I find book I can love.