I’m back home in sunny Hooterville. The kitties came running out to see me. Even Audrey the Grumposuarus wanted to be petted, and later crashed out on the top of the armoire as if relieved to no longer be in charge. I cuddled the boys – Audrey does not tolerate the indignity of such things [...]

Well, the conference is over for another year. It was interesting and I learned a lot (though some of it was a little depressing as far as a world economic view), but I’m ready to go home to the kitties and not have to wear uncomfortable dress up clothes for a while. I meandered back [...]

Well, today didn’t turn out exactly as planned… I woke up before the alarm at 5:45 am and made some bad in room coffee, then repaired back to bed to read my fan mail and gradually come to terms with the horrors of waking up. Eventually, I got in the shower, armed with Lush soap [...]

First things first: happy birthday to Miss Jessica, who turns ten today. Ten, folks. Double digits! We are having a family barbecue for her on Friday, since I am currently in San Francisco. Megan told me that she called Jessica last week to ask her what she wanted for her birthday dinner, but Jessica was [...]

You’d think I was still in Hooterville, getting up at 6 am for an 11 am photo shoot. But I had my reasons. I am slow to get going at the best of times, and on this particular morning, I had to make Self look more presentable than usual, since the main purpose of the [...]

The Legion of Honor (or, to use its full title, The California Palace of the Legion of Honor) is one of my favorite museums in San Francisco. It may actually be my favorite. Its setting is beautiful, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge: and it is lovely and classical: a little jewel box for a small [...]

This “day” madness will have to end at some point – how did this happen? – but in the meantime, I’ll just go with it. The sunny days have continued in Hooterville, and in Northern California, sunny days mean cold, starry nights. Lately it’s been below freezing every night, from 28 to 26. The orchids [...]

Evening on Market Street What else would a girl with freshly manicured nails do but take her car to the salon? I know that cars don’t get as excited about primping as certain girls do, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to take Miss Scarlett to the car wash which used to [...]

Good morning, Polk Street! Well, I started the new year off right by heading to San Francisco on New Year’s Day. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the sky the clear, arching blue you only get in California. The sun peeked through the canopy of the ancient redwoods as I drove the long and winding [...]

Well, I’m back on the foggy Coast. I left the jobette on Wednesday afternoon and stopped off in Willits to bring the Chamber of Commerce some brochures. I had never been there before and I was charmed by the fact that the Chamber is in an old train depot, which is still in use by [...]

Grant Street, the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown Well, I’m back home in my humble Hooterville abode, and it’s my birthday eve already. I haven’t even told you about my trip to the City yet. So little time, so much slacking! But then, Slothfulness is one of my special skills. After my meetings on Thursday, [...]

Everything seems to have been too strange for too long. First there was Rob’s difficult trek to his Mother’s bedside, then it was Megan’s birthday and he wasn’t here, then it was Memorial Day and I didn’t have to work but Megan did, so I was on dog patrol, people came up to visit, then [...]

Well, my last day in the City did not go exactly as planned. I packed my bags and the car and otherwise managed to kill a couple of post conference call hours in the early morning. Around 9:30, I set off for Swan Oyster Depot, knowing that they open early. What did not know is [...]

Storm clouds on Polk Street Well, here I am, ending my trip as I started it, with a pre-dawn conference call. I’m drinking reheated coffee from the French bakery, which I bought just for this purpose, figuring that it would be better than the dreaded in-room coffee. So far, I’m right, though I managed to [...]

Conference day dawned cloudy, but not rainy, as predicted. I disguised myself as a responsible adult and hailed a cab. Other than the driver, the whole thing was computerized, with a disembodied voice informing me how to exit safely, and a printed out receipt which said “Happy Cabbing” on it. Is there any other kind? [...]

Well, it’s been a long day. It started at 5:30 am, when my Moonbeam alarm clock kindly flashed its rays over my sleeping face. I almost sobbed as I turned it off in the rainy darkness. Roscoe didn’t bother moving. I was sufficiently caffeinated to hold up my end of a 6:00 am conference call. [...]

This year was about change: getting the jobette; swimming lessons; having to make peace with driving a lot more. Change is good, right? One deleterious effect of working more is reading less. I read 118 books in 2011, vs. 140 in 2010. The favorites of the year were Sue Grafton’s “V Is for Vengeance” and [...]

The trip ended as it began – with work. Right before I left, I got an emergency call from my boss/partner to set up a conference call for 6 am on Monday morning (there goes aquafit). As I stood by the car in the motel parking lot, the wild parrots flew overhead, calling out farewell [...]

Guerilla gardening Yesterday dawned bright and clear. Polker’s was calling my name, and I answered happily by sitting at an outside table. It was delightful to sit in the fall sunshine and watch the people walking by, when I wasn’t flipping through Vogue’s Best Dressed issue or eating pancakes with pecan butter and drinking freshly-squeezed [...]

Yesterday’s meetingfest started downtown on Market Street, which is San Francisco’s Main Street. My firm rents office space from a firm called Regus, which has offices all over the world. You just let them know you’re coming, and you have access to conference rooms and all the other office-y things you need whenever you need [...]