Yosemite October 2010

It was glorious.  I was saddened by health problems of two of my favorite staff.  They are firmly in my prayers.  But it was glorious.
This is a view of the falls from the Ahwahnee Monday morning.

Even the Royal Arches had water trickling down.

The two obligatory pictures of Half Dome

Random shot

The falls on Wednesday

More random shots

Off Tioga Pass Road on Thursday

Really glorious.  We didn't do much, but we were there and it was wonderful.  Since Tioga Road was open, we went to Reno for our last two play days.  We had a blast-especially the morning we left when I played $20 and came away with $80.  It's always more fun when you win.

We made great time coming home on Saturday--got home before Glenn left for work, so he did the heavy lifting, God bless him.  Saturday was not a good sports day--my Cal Bears lost badly and even my Giants lost.  I guess somebody has to.

Sunday was church.  The 49ers won(!) in London.  I won too--I didn't have to buy Halloween candy because I spent the night with my friend Sue in her new apartment.  We watched the Giants win.  Monday, I was supposed to go to a meeting, but we all wanted to watch the game, so we postponed it to Tuesday--which gets me back to my previous post--GO GIANTS!

I am now more or less current.

xxooxx

Where to Start?

It's been a month. I guess I should start with GO GIANTS!  Who ever would have imagined?  Hoped and prayed, yes, but imagined?  Which is why I had an appointment to have my hair cut in downtown San Francisco today at eleven in the morning.  I don't do crowds.  I got on BART in san Bruno, so I had a seat, but it was wall to wall bodies by the time I got off--at Powell, rather than my usual Montgomery, since they weren't even stopping there.  Getting to Maiden Lane and back home was challenging, but I got it done.  The crowd was joyous and reasonably well behaved.  I got confetti in my newly cut hair.  I was perfectly happy to watch the festivities on television when I got home.  You couldn't have paid me Meg Whitman's campaign budget to be part of the crowd at Civic Center.  I'm very happy for the Giants and very proud of them, but as I said, I don't do crowds--even happy reasonably well behaved ones.
So, what have I been doing when I haven't been watching baseball?  I'll backtrack a little and show you my room at Sonoma.  I don't usually take pictures of hotel rooms, but this was lovely.
Here's the name of my suite:

The bar

Part of the living room

The fireplace and the telly

The bed

The comfy chair where I sat and knit

Moving right along, we get to October 20, when Dory and I left for Grand Chapter and suburban Visalia.  It was an interesting Grand Chapter.  You'll have to ask me for more information. I don't feel like putting it out on the web.  Installation was another matter.  Kim and Don said they wanted to bring it in at 2 1/2 hours, and they just about made it.  They cut lots of time consuming stuff and both spoke well and briefly.  I was very proud of them.  Of course, we missed the end of the game where the Giants won the pennent, but the news quickly spread through our section, and I imagine the rest of the convention center.  Dory and I stopped for desert on the way back to Outer Visalia and vowed to sleep till we woke up.  No alarm for Sunday.  We got out before check-out time, and that was all that mattered.  We didn't have that far to go.  North on 99 to Fresno, then northeast on 41.  It started to sprinkle in Fresno.  By the time we got to Yosemite, it was raining heavily.  Not a problem.  We just stayed in the hotel.  We had a light supper in the bar that was just enough for me--soup and sandwich.  Dory took half her sandwich t the room.  We had sunshine in the morning and for the rest of our stay.  The real prize for all that rain was water in the falls and rivers.  I'm used to the falls being completely dry in October.   This looked like spring. 

All right, the program is being annouying.  I'll post this one and start a new one for the Yosemite pictures.

xxooxx

Taking the Waters--again

September was a rough month for me before the explosion and fire.  My sister's anniversary is the 13th, mine is the 30th,  Our mother died on the 21st and now the fire was on the 9th.  Things didn't get done.  It was hard to focus,  It took almost two weeks for the coroner to certify that Lavonne, Greg and Will (and the three legged dog named Lucky) were, indeed, incinerated at the point of the blast.  There was a lovely memorial service for the three of them, at First Pres Burlingame.  There were nearly 1000 people there.  Our little church couldn't have held that many people.  Our church did the work for the service.  All of our living former pastors took part, because they all knew the family.  Pretty much anyone who had ever sung in the choir sang for the service.  I didn't--I've had a scratchy throat since the fire--but it was a big, beautiful, well trained choir.  The Praz group sang, the quartet sang, and Todd (Milam) played a cello piece with piano that he'd written.  It was lovely.  The service was long--longer still because we got there an hour early to park-and then got one of the last spots.  It was during one of our few hot spells, compounded by the heat if all those bodies.
I was REALLY glad I had mu Sonoma stay coming up.  Got there Tuesday, the 28, around 3:30.  Plenty of time to check out my suite and get over to the spa for the Bathing Ritual before Watsu number one.  When I got to the Spa Concierge station, there was a sign up, saying "Welcome Back, Anne."  It made me smile for the rest of the week.  It was 105 degrees F. when I got there.  For the first time in dozens of Watsus, the Watsu pool actually felt cool.  I had Soledad for my first Watsu.  I was lucky to get her, at least once, she was taking the rest of the week off to celebrate her husband's birthday.  I've talked abut Soledad before.  She is warm and nurturing.  I was her last appointment of the day--I think I had a two hour Watsu--and my body was at peace for the rest of the week.
Wednesday morning at 9 I had a massage--not sure how I let that slip through--I usually get my massages with a body treatment or a stone massage.  But this time, I has just a massage, with Samantha.  At 10:15, I had another Watsu with Loni.  I don't know Loni as well, though she seems perfectly nice.  Her Watsu was more of a stretching experience.  I had the first of three spinach salads for lunch (hold the blue cheese), then had a Body Coffee Wrap (smells heavenly). concluding with a Signature Facial,  Then it was time for dinner at the Big 3 and rest up for another full day.
On the 30th, my wedding anniversary, I started off the day with the Bathing Ritual, then at 11:30, a Wild Berry Vanilla Scrub and Massage---quite nice and quite fragrant,  12:45 was my Tandem Massage with Diane and David, two of my favorites.  The only thing to say about a Tandem Massage is that it's probably illegal in 47 states, it feels that good.
When I was thoroughly relaxed, I met Elaine, who had been having a Watsu, for lunch.  Spinach Salad #2.  It was really nice to see her on my anniversary.  After lunch, I had Reflexology with Reiki.  I call that my own personal CAT scan.  It's almost scary how intuitive my Reiki Master is.  She met Elaine for two minutes and had her sized up--knew what was going on with the grandchildren, too.  Diane said it was the clearest she's ever seen my body.  But she knew in January that I was in remission before I heard it from my doctor.  I finished the day off with a Spirulina Body Wrap.  Not at all glamorous, but great for your skin.
And suddenly, it was Friday.  Don't know how we got there so fast?  I did a mini bathing ritual so that I would be ready for my 10:15 Watsu with Laura.  Laura is as gentle as Soledad, but gives great stretches.
This  is was followed by a Rejuvenating Kur which felt so good.
After the obligatory spinach salad and a shower to wash the Rejuvenating oils out of my hair, I had a Thai Massage with Bill--great stretches, a nap on the loggia, and Chakra Reading and Balancing.  That was intense.  Dinner, ball game, Go Giants!, packing and bed completed the day.
Up early Saturday morning so that I could have my bags collected before breakfast.  Since it was get away day, I had my fingers and toes done, then a Hair and Scalp Revitalizer while fingers and toes dried.  I left around 2--happy for the wonderful time I'd had, but sad to be leaving.
So now I'm home, and doing mundane things like paying the bills and visiting doctors.  I haven't really looked out at the war zone since I've been home.  That will take a very long time to heal--wish I could take all of them to the Spa for a little r&r.
xxooxx

Left Heel ad nauseaum

This afternoon I took my heel to see my dermatologist.  She looked at it very carefully, said it ISN'T a fungus infection--so now I've got tons of creams with no where to use them.  There is definately something going on with the skin.  That's what I've been saying--each conversation with a medical person has ended "and it looks funny..."  The Physical therapist is the only one who's picked up on that.  So I got another shot in my heel today then went off to enjoy PT.  I'm a pretty good character spotter--I think my Physical Therapist is a kindred spirit and I really like her.  I may have been sent there to help her in some way.
After PT I rushed up to church for a meeting of the Ruthies.  The Ruth Circle (I think it was called a circle for the first few minutes of its life--then it became the Ruthies) used to be the young women of the church.  I'm about 10 years older than the oldest, but they let me in.  We are now the incipient Wise Women.  Tonight was our regular meeting night, but tonight we met to pray for the Bullis family, those who left us so suddenly and the ones who remain.  I've known Sue since she was about 13 and we played violin and flute duets.  I watched her grow up into an amazingly caring woman.  She was my Deacon when Lee was sick and she took that job seriously.  She mother henned us, made sure we had food when it was needed and companionship when it wasn't.  When I got the infection in my incision and had to have it cut open again to heel from the inside, Sue came up the house when the Visiting Nurses couldn't come and changed my dressings, packing the wound carefully, and acting as though I was doing her a favor.  Susie is part of the unique sounds in Anne and the Bethany Brawlers--we call her the Brawlette, in defference to her gender.
Thank you, God, for giving Sue an amazingly strong circle of women to help her through this dreadful time.  And the helping, for us, is a blessing, a Mitzvah.
Still sad.
xxooxx

Fire in San Bruno

I've skipped great chunks of time, basically because things have been boring.  My left heel is still giving me problems.  I got sent to a podiatrist, who thinks it is tendonitis and sent me to physical therapy.  The physical therapist noticed what I noticed--there's still something wrong with the skin.  She's working on me, but I'm also set to see a dermatologist on Monday.  And so that goes.
Then there's the BIG NEWS.  First and foremost, Glenn and I and our home are fine.  Things could have gotten dicey if the wind had been blowing in a different direction and if we hadn't had such a cold, damp summer, but we are fine.  About 6:15 last night, Glenn was doing the dishes and I was about to step into the shower to get ready to go to Eastern Star.  Initiation, big night.  I heard a strange rumbling, then what sounded like a jet dragging its wheels over our roof, then a bang that shook everything with a sharp jolt, followed by a strange, steady sound.  I thought Glenn had loaded the dishwasher strangely--he thought it was me in the shower.  Then I heard him give a shout.  He said the power station across the street was on fire.  I quickly finished what I'd been doing rather liesurely in the bathroom.  We opened the front door, and this is what we saw:

Actually, what we saw was worse, because I didn't think to take pictures for about an hour.  So imagine the fire ball twice that high.  We quickly realized that it wasn't the power station at all (good thing--not that it hasn't had its share of fires in the 32 years we've lived here).  So what was it?  The speculation was on.  Our across the street neighbor came out and said she heard that the gas station at the top of San Bruno Avenue had exploded.  We all thought about that and decided that wasn't where the fireball was coming from.  Next theory--a plane went down.  That would explaine the noise we all heard--but a plane would burn itself out, and this was not going out.  Besides, the FAA had not gotten any reports of missing planes.  Last and right guess--a ruptured gas main.  Here are more pictures--as close as I ever want to be to something like that:

We could see houses burning pretty much from the start.  I'll refer you to the news and the internet for the grim details.  Our street became a parking lot with people coming and looking.  I had to shoo several people away from our driveway.  We were never evacuated, but if we had been, it would have been a madhouse.  There are only two ways in and out of our tract.  It took them a few hours to get the gas shut off and the main fireball fineally went out.  By then, most of the houses in the neighborhood were fully engaged.  Late into the night, it looked like "The watchfires of a hundred circling camps" of the Battle Hymn of the Republic fame, as houses were allowed to burn out.  It was just too hot to send the firemen in safely.  The first truck on the scene was from a fire station down the street a bit from the explosion.  It was so hot, that the windshield on the fire truck cracked.
When I went to bed--very, very late--I could still see smoke coming up from hot spots, but I felt we were safe.  This morning, it just looked like a war sceen.  I had to go out a couple of times, and I had to take really alternate routes to get where I was going.  I've lived here a long time and know my way around pretty well.  As of this writing, there are three members of our church, from a family of five, who have not been located and are presumed dead--three generations.  I won't be at church on Sunday--I'll be in the East Bay attending my 45th high school reunion.  Glenn said he will go.  He doesn't want to, but he will be there.  Glenn is such a fine man.  When we realized that it wasn't the power plant, but a neighborhood across Skyline Drive, Glenn said that was where our friends lived and was worried about them from the start.  We're all praying for a miracle--isn't denial the first phase?
I have a happy weekend coming up--two weddings wrapped around the reunion.    The first wedding and the reunion are in the East Bay, so I'm spending tomorrow night at the Claremont Hotel.  I was there for my high school grad night, been to a wedding reception there, and done brunch a few times, but I've never stayed there.  I was actually going to spend two nights there, but I have to be at the rehearsal for wedding number two in the early afternoon tomorrow, since I'm fiddling for the wedding.  I wasn't planning on taking the violin with me, but I'm not really sure I'll have time to come home and get it, so i guess it's going for a trip too.  I expect I shall be one tired old lady on Monday.
The phone rang pretty constantly with people from far and near checking up on us.  I finally posted on Facebook that we were not burned to a crisp, and still people have been checking on us.  That is comforting.  So if I haven't told you lately, and lest I miss the opportunity, I love you, dear readers.  Be well.
xxooxx

Left heel, disease two

So my gouty left heel isn't gouty after all--at least this time.  Saw the Physician's Assistant today and she diagnosed a fungus infection, for which I now have a cream--twice a day for 2 weeks.  It already feels better.  It doesn't look much better, but it feels better--doesn't hurt to touch any more.  How did I get that?  Who knows--just lucky like everything else.  I saw my doctor in passing and rejoiced with her that she's now wearing real shoes on both feet.  What a long, hard battle that was for her.  Answered prayer.  Sometimes it just takes a little longer.  Just in case I failed to mention it in January, she's been fighting a foot infection since December.  There was a possibility that she could have lost the foot, so real shoes on both feet is a wonderful thing.
I shall now retire with Mailie Dobbs, book four.
xxooxx

I know, I know

It has been a long time, but life has been, basically, boring with nothing to report.  Not that I've done nothing or lived in a vacuum.  I had a birthday (enjoyable day--lots of Facebook greetings, phone calls, dinner with my son), had a visit from my sister where we went to see "The Birth of Impressionism" exhibit at the deYoung, and went to a workshop, so I had a weekend out of town.  Around and about all of this is the knitting--matching sweaters for my hairdresser's children, an afghan for Glenda Hope's Network Ministries.  Then there were the occassional committee meetings, some workouts at Curves.  I'm trying not to be a hermit.  Oh, then there are the books!  I'm working my way through Alexander McCall Smith this year.  I LOVED the Number One Ladies Detective Agency series.  The Sunday Afternoon Philosophy Club was well written but not as page turning.  Portugese Irribular Verbs and its companion stories were a hoot and inhaled quickly.  I'm taking a break before 44 Scotland Street because I have recently been introduced to Maisie Dobbs (NOT AMC).  There are seven books in that series, and I am on number three.  Well writen, engrossing, page turning.  I have quickly become very fond of Maisie.

Health--I'm feeling adequate.  Not great but not bad.  I saw Dr. Chee (oncologist) today.  Not bad, not good.  My CA125, a not very accurate number for me as I believe I've blogged, is slightly elevated--enough for a scan soon (like I'm waiting to hear what they have set up for me even as I type).

The left heel has something going on--have an appointment for that on Thursday.  This is one of those weeks where my social life is composed of appointments.

I'll try to be more timely--and more interesting.  I'll post after we get the scan results and know better what's going on now.  Till then

xxooxx