Daffodils! - Sunday 3/4/2007

Why so early, daffodils?

I fear for their safety. I question their sanity.

Home Appreciation Day - Saturday 3/3/2007

I was so exhausted because of work stress and lack of good sleep that by Friday night I couldn't be roused to join Hydra at the hoot (essentially an acoustic music jam). I left work early, drove home, ran errands and was in bed by 4:30. I didn't get out until 8pm when hunger drove me to the kitchen. Back to bed by 9:30. Slept until 6:30 Saturday morning.

Another 2 hour nap Saturday afternoon. Very unusual for me.

I need to do things differently this week, and not let myself get so tired again. It's dangerous. I start losing things and making stupid mistakes.

On Saturday I appreciated my darkened bedroom, and the view outside the window, and this lovely marble vase Braveheart gave me.

My Booth Without Me - Friday 3/2/2007

Rude awakening.

Someone else may consider my booth her own. My booth may actually be carrying on with all manner of strangers. How many others have staked a claim on it in how many other hours of the night?

Yes, my booth was carrying on with another woman when I arrived at 5:00 a.m. on Friday. I hope no hint of territorialism showed in my eye when I said hello to her.

I took the booth opposite. A whole new perspective on the morning.

Kevin the Thursday/Friday waiter said, "I didn't know you were going to come early!"

"Neither did I," I replied as he slid my tea set-up onto the table, "I couldn't sleep."

As soon as the other woman left, he cleared the table and asked if I wanted to move. Ha. No. Thanks. I think I can handle it.

Tucson came in a few minutes later and took his usual booth, the one behind mine. "I thought about taking yours," I joked, "Just to mess you up." He laughed and ordered his usual oatmeal, coffee and whole wheat toast. He's tricky, is Tucson. Sometimes he changes up and orders rye.

Inspired by my new digs, I veered from my usual oatmeal and hot tea or once-a-week poached eggs, rye and fruit into the realm of the omelet. (Maybe it's all this French I'm steeping myself in?) Egg beaters, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and a side of salsa, with fresh fruit. No toast. Whoo hoo! Watch out for the wild woman across from #57 (my booth number).

Grumps came in all extra-grumpy because someone was in his booth, too. Fee fi fo fum! "There goes your whole day ruined," he said behind his hand as he passed my table.

My goodness, I hope not!

Grumps lost a lot of my empathy the other day when he talked about how he doesn't want to travel. He says he's made all kinds of money in real estate because his father passed it down to him. "My old lady mentioned going on a cruise," he said. "I told her bye-bye."

"Grumps," I said, "They've got egg-whites and tomatoes on board. You should go." Grumps will not be moved. Pah.

I had a decent hour and a half of writing. When David came on at 6:00 he took away my plate. "Wow," he said, "You had a full breakfast today!"

Sigh. One is given to wonder whether to be proud of constancy or embarrassed about predictability.

The oatmeal is cheap, hot and good for me. The defense rests.

Moony - Thursday 3/1/2007

I don't know why the moon looked so full last night when Hydra beckoned for me to come out into the backyard with the Nikon. It didn't look this full this morning, and when I check the lunar calendar I see that it's not full till tomorrow.

Anyway, the hillside was reddish and the moon was roundish, and I thought I'd share.

She Shoots, She Scores! - Thursday 3/1/2007

It's amazing what pleasant insistance will get you. I used to be such a wimp.

I went to AAA today to get my International Driver's Permit and to pick up whatever goodies I could score based on my Premiere membership. We have this top o' the line membership because we have a travel trailer, and at this level, AAA promises to tow our rig up to 200 miles at no additional charge.

Annnnyway, I go up to the main desk and tell the nice young feller that I want to get my permit, and could I pick up my free Europe books and maps there. "Oh, no, I'm sorry, there's a charge for our Europe materials. But they'll know more about that in Travel."

Okie dokie.

I meet Barbara in travel. She takes my picture (which makes me look jaundiced and horrid) for the permit. She asks if I would like another shot. I tell her that I could waste her whole afternoon and it wouldn't get much better. I honestly don't take a good photo. When I was young and fit and met a friend of Hydra's mother for the first time she exclaimed "Oh, she's so much prettier than her picture!" and then clapped her hand over her mouth. Yeeeys. Thank you.

Barbara's inputting my city of birth. She's never heard of it, which is odd because she hears of most places. I tell her it's about 35 miles from Fort Wayne, IN. "They have an airport there, and everything. Very high falutin'." She smiles.

"Acton," she says, "You do have a commute, don't you?"

"Yes, I've found my remote town here. We lived in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks before moving out there."

"Hollywood..." she murmers.

"That was twenty-five years ago," I say.

"Well, it was pretty good back then," she says. Not true. But a it's a nice idea.

"Well, I was pretty good back then," I say, "So it was easier."

She laughs out loud.

When I inquire about the maps and books, Barbara tells me that, yes, there are some select books available, but no maps.

"Oh," I say pleasantly, "Could you double check that? I just looked online and it said books and maps were included."

"Hmm," says Barbara. "Let me check on that."

Barbara comes back with a stack of books and maps. Barbara then offers me an AAA sucker from her secret stash.

"There's a rumor that they're sugar free," she tells me, "But I don't believe it. They're too good."

I tell her about the houseboat on the Seine in the heart of Paris that we are planning to stay in for 3 nights. She would like to know how that works out. She'd love to have something unique to offer her clients.

I will let her know. I love passing on good things.

Back when I was pretty good and living in Hollywood I wouldn't have been so persisant. I wouldn't have gotten the two Frommer's guides and the cool maps.

But I think I might have gotten the sucker for good behavior.

Who's Minding the Store? - Wednesday 2/28/2007

Apparently, these guys are.

There were two other law enforcement vehicles in the lot besides these when I got to Bob's. From various agencies.

Nobody messes with Bob's.

Kahn-gah-rue - Tuesday 2/27/2007

Apparently the only really important French word beginning with "k" is kangaroo. I feel that I have this word securely memorized and that I will surely find numerous occasions upon which to use it when I arrive in France later this year.

Maybe in conjuction with the French for "The mineral water is delicious?" Isn't that just the kind of banter our garcon will be hoping for when he finds the trois Americaines at his table

Knowing Hydra, I doubt I will need the phrase "My husband is serious," which is included on the CD.

My mother, however, may want to pay particular attention to learning the phrase "My daughter is intelligent

You know. Just in case she should need to defend me for any reason.

Gak! - Monday 2/26/2007

Um.

Who took the shaker top off of the oregano?

Thanks.

Thanks. So. Much.

Hydra Gets Into It - Sunday 2/25/2007

Rockin' out in the living room. Getting ready for Friday's hoot and our mid-March music/camping weekend

Me, I was lying on the floor in front of the fire, reading and writing. And taking a moment to think of my dad, who would have turned 77 today. He was a good man.

Dueling Blogs! - Saturday 2/23/2007

So. Last night we went to Noël Alumit's publication party/reading at Skylight Books. What fun!

Hydra, our friend Aesop and I went to dinner first and shared the discussions of film and literature that we look forward to with him. Got to the bookstore about half an hour before the reading to find a standing room only crowd! We snagged the last few chairs they broke out of their secret stash. I couldn't be happier about the obstructed view, since it meant he had such a great turn out!

Please consider attending one of his other two readings in the L.A. area. You won't be disappointed. You won't feel nervous for the author--as is sometimes the case with readings--Noël's more than comfortable in front of an audience. Great reading of really engaging material.

You can catch him at Vroman's in Pasadena on Friday, March 2nd and at Book Soup on Saturday, March 3rd. These are terrific venues. Arrive early so you can get a seat, buy his book, and cruise some other great reads.


Noël warns us he's taking a photo for his blog. The light wasn't great and I had my little Kodak with me.



How much is that author in the window? Noël also talked about how both of his book covers feature naked butts. He wants to make sure his next book features no ass photos.

I've thought about it long and hard since then. I've decided that if they put the rear-view of a naked woman in a cowboy hat on the front of my first book, I won't complain. And when people ask if that's me on the cover--which Noël assures us, they will--I'll just shrug and smile self-depricatingly and let my fans think what they may.

Lovely Morning - Saturday 2/24/2007

Lit a fire, made a pot of tea, grabbed my copy of Beloved to finish re-reading, opened the shades to let in the mountain view to the right of this shot. Blissful morning reading, making notes about Basura Canyon (tentative title of the book I'm working on), cuddling Dodger the Grey.

About as good as it gets.

Killer Commute Antidote - Friday 2/23/2007

Worked from home on Friday. Nice not to have to drive in and back. The weather turned out to be beautiful, but snow had been predicted. Just as well. It was a nice, calm day.

When Hydra came home, we looked at the Yellow Pages for a restaurant we hadn't been to. Went to a new Korean BBQ place in Lancaster. Very nice. I love all the litttle seasoned side dishes. Not so thrilled with my chicken...just so-so. But great atmosphere and yummy extras.

Which I would have taken a photo of for you, lined up on the table in peaceful white bowls, if I hadn't left my camera at home.

Pergatory - Thursday 2/22/2007

At the beginning of my commute. I knew it was going to be bad. After another interminable day an interminable drive. Two hours. Will I get any credit for this at the end of my life?

I just tried to relax and repeat my little mantra - I love my job. I love where I work. Luckily, I had Toni Morrison reading me Beloved, which is one of my favorite books.

Bad me, I stopped at Carl's Junior on the way, I was so hungry. Looked up the calories later. Oh. my. god. Never again.

Obnoxious Tipping? - Wednesday 2/21/2007

I hope not. I actually still have a couple of creatively folded bills from my last waitress job which was--oh good grief--eighteen years ago! Funny, because I still feel like waiting tables is one of those things I have given up like an addict.

I am a recovering waitress and I guess I always will be. I still think of myself as essentially a server who is just not doing it now. If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to live off of creative pursuits, I would probably apply to work in a coffee house again. I love talking to people and I think I'd curl up creatively if I didn't have a lot of contact with others.

This is a one dollar bill folded into a ring and slipped over another, rolled, dollar bill. Perhaps the fact that it's about a 55% tip will alleviate any annoyance. When you sit at a table for a long time, and expect refills of your tea, you should consider that you are kind of renting the table, not tipping by percentage.

Work Home - Tuesday 2/20/2007

There was some talk that we might have to move offices because of an increase in the rent, but it turns out that the increase was reasonable and we're staying. Good. It was interesting to contemplate the positives that a change can bring.

But it also made me feel nostalgic for this corner where I've worked for the past eight years. There's a grocery, a Trader Joe's, several restaurants, four coffee houses and Bob's Big Boy within walking distance. It's clean and safe feeling.

That's my car behind the bench.



Nice logo, huh?

Rainy Days and Mondays - Monday 2/19/2007

Dodger doesn't like the way the sky seems to break apart and fall to the ground on rainy days. When I sat down with him next to the library window, he stared for a few seconds and then dove headfirst into my lap. It's safer there.

Better yet, the Trader Joe's bag on the kitchen counter. This flash photo doesn't show how dark and cozy it is in there. He's crouching behind his breakfast dish here.

He has now sufficiently recovered to resume the remodeling (tearing up the inner of two bags).

This rainy day Monday isn't getting me down. Day off! Rain and writing go together for me. Will run some errands, get some lunch and enjoy feeling cozy indoors myself.

Time, Timer, Timest - Sunday 2/18/2007

Sometimes I feel it slipping away, and it scares me.

This usually happens when I have not worked for a couple of days on whatever writing project is supposed to be my focus.

Herding Class at Drummond Ranch - Saturday 2/17/2007

I love when this happens! You do something you've never done before, and a whole world opens up to you. Sheep herding! There are people doing this with their dogs all over the place.

Braveheart and Luverly came up to our neighborhood to participate in a herding class at the Drummond Ranch. This is Luverly and Lulu getting started. Lulu's border collie blood informs her approach.


I had a great time with my new camera. Clicked off 129 shots without having to stop and reload film, or worry about all the dust when reloading. Also, the big camera gives you the same sort of entree that a clipboard does. You look like you know what you're doing and people let you do it!

Working! Isn't it cute how Lulu's back feet are off the ground? They were airborne in about a third of the shots. Hydra and I found this quite funny when reviewing the photos.



Rounding them up.

This is one happy pooch!

This guy is a working cowboy. He's a friend of the ranch, and was picking up this puppy to take home.


Janna Duncan runs Drummond Ranch and trains dogs. She was very friendly, and has the respect of the dog owners we talked to while we watched.


Hydra made a friend!

I had so much fun taking pictures, talking to people, watching the dogs work. It was a truly fun day and I want to go back to the ranch to take more photos of the dogs working. Great practice for taking action shots.

Breakfast of the Damned - Friday 2/16/2007

Well, maybe not damned. In fact... I hope not damned.

Breakfast of the overworked might be more appropriate, but where's the drama in that?

Friends, I worked 6:30am-5:45 pm yesterday, ate fast food on my drive home (which took till 7:30) and fell asleep on the couch at 8:15. Right in the middle of our TiVoed Boston Legal. Sigh.

This morning I skipped my writing time and went straight into the office at 5:30. It's pilot season, so I'm working on a couple of extra scripts beyond my usual work load, plus the film I picked up in November is now shooting (Juno)--which means sending me work--and a new series is starting up. (Army Wives for Lifetime.) When a new series starts, they often need to populate a whole street with businesses, which is what's happening.

If it weren't for the upcoming three-day weekend I would now blatantly solicite your tokens of verbal sympathy. But now it's Friday evening, and there are good plans ahead.

Yes, that's a triple espresso trying to balance out the banana.

Hmmm - Thursday 2/15/2007

Apparently, Bob comes from a town where the gene-pool is rather... limited.

This probably explains the chili spaghetti.

More Fun Than It Looks Like - Wednesday 2/14/2007

Hydra and I hiked across some open land to get to a restaurant for dinner last night. It turned out that there was a big ravine in our way. Hmm. Then found that there was one on the side of us, too.

When we got close to the restaurant we had a choice of going several hundred yards to where the ravine bumps into the road and has been managed with bulldozers or climb down through it. We climbed. It was about five feet deep, 12 wide at the top and 3 wide at the bottom. Good thing I didn’t wear my pumps!

Sadly, the food at La Cabana is not as good as that at Don Cuco’s (which is three miles away…maybe a Saturday hike?).

But we had fun hiking back. It was completely dark--hence this fabulous photograph--so we kept to an established horse trail. Had to walk right next to the backs of a bunch of houses at one point, and there was a German Shepherd just going bats three feet away behind a chain link fence. No matter how compose one remains--"Good dog, gooooood dog"--this sort of thing rouses one’s adrenaline!

It was good exercise getting back. About 15 minutes each way, and all uphill on the walk back. Good to burn off the margarita!

Birdlife - Tuesday, 2/13/2007

My best raven shot yet! Hydra and I went out for a hike as soon as we got home and this guy was kind of toying with us. Hopping and flying ahead of us for a little bit. Taken with my "old" Kodak point and shoot, which will probably be a part of my life for a long time in spite of the new Nikon. It's light and smaller.

Now, see, this is some kind of hawk. Wider wing span than a raven.

And it doesn't absorb all the light. Ravens seem to cut black holes in the sky.

In the Details - Monday 2/12/2007

Detail of a plant outside Hondista's apartment.

Detail of Hondista's napkin holder.

Detail of Hondista's NutraSystem lunch. "You can eat pizza!" Hmm. In all truthfulness, that should be edited to "You can eat a big cracker smeared with tomato sauce and freeze dried cheese!" And this is a double portion. This and a big bowl of broccoli will keep you on track. Right.

Later that Day - Sunday 2/11/2007

Hydra snapped this shot of what I think is some sort of falcon, on a powerline, hunting.

This Color of Blue Makes Me So Happy - Sunday 2/11/2007

Not much else to say, really. It rained last night and the sky was scrubbed clean. Everything that became dusty in yesterday's winds was refreshed. Even us.



I will never grow tired of watching the ravens dip and glide along the currents created by our local hills.

Nikon Goes for a Hike - Saturday 2/10/2007

Hydra suggested that we take my new Nikon out for a hike. Yes! It was a great day for it. We hiked the peaks around our neighborhood instead of sticking to the lower fire road. This makes for a challenging workout, because the hills are very steep and the dry paths are loose and a bit treacherous.

This first shot is looking past "my" mountain toward the Angeles National Forest. I think that might be Mount Gleason in the distance, but you probably don't want to quote me on that.



Yes! The big 300mm lens from my non-digital Nikon works on the new one, just as promised. We were at least 30 feet from this thrasher.


I love grasses. Love the way the wind works through them and the way the sun illuminates them. Once Hydra surprised me by mysteriously whisking me off to the pass near Tehachapi just to see the sunset light up the grassy hillsides. He'd seen it on his way back from Bakersfield and knew I'd adore it. Is that romantic, or what?

This grass only about four inches tall. It was dancing in the wind in a way I always associate with stop motion photography.


Looking back across the neigbhorhood at the fire road we usually walk on. It looks like it's snowing on the other side of the mountain, but it's just wind-borne dust lit by the afternoon sun. Did I mention it was very windy?

Luke, the neighbor's dog, would like us to know that he's up for a hike any time. I wish we could take him with us!

Marx Brothers to the Rescue! - Friday 2/9/2007

Fire extinguisher on the Metrolink train I took to work on Friday.

I can just see the three of them struggling to get the refreshed bottle behind the glass in the cramped quarters of the train passages.

Fogginess Ensues - Thursday 2/8/2007

Was it really foggy outside, or just in my brain? Having stayed up late last night writing for the GBA(s)FC last night, I slept through my alarm.

Did not hear it. Must have turned it off in some semi-dream state. Hydra came in around the time I'm usually leaving and asked if I was going to work today.

Hoo boy.

And here's where I admit just what a great part of my life this diner has become. I walked in a few minutes before six a.m. to a small chorus of "You're late!" and some ribbing. I stopped to talk to the print shop guys, who usually arrive about 45 minutes after I do and by the time I got to my usual booth, my hot tea and tall ice water was already there.

Only had half an hour to write this morning, but it is so good to have this habit. I have Elegant's invitation to do NaNoWriMo to thank for that!

Now she's talked me into contributing to 100 words. Which my writing group pointed out is about the opposite of NaNoWriMo. It's good to run sprints as well as distances, even in writing.

Early Hours - Wednesday 2/7/2007

The lights outside Hondista's door as I left her place. Another of the kind folks who save me the drive home late at night on a writing group night.



Sunrise over Riverside Drive in the moments between breakfast writing and work.

There's a New Kid in Town - Tuesday 2/6/2007

Ooooooh! What a beauty, huh!? The new Nikon D80 arrived! I worked from home in order to be there to sign for it.

Very exciting. But I was sooooo busy that I worked 6am-5pm with just a half hour break to do some killer DVD pilates and heat lunch to take back to my desk. Left the battery charging when I left for my writing group around 6pm.

It's now Thursday, I'm just now updating my blog, and I haven't had time to load the software, so still no shots from behind this lens. Something about saying I would update more regularly invited an avalanche of day-job work.

Plus I worked on my story for Maht's contest over at The Moon Topples. (Go over there and read and vote when you get a chance.)

Priorities are such a drag sometimes.