Visit from Jackie

Hello blog friends! Long time, no chat. Matt and I have been super busy. Last weekend we had a visit from Matt's 14 year old niece. She spent the whole time texting but still really enjoyed all the tourist sites and most of the museums to which we took her.

Here we are checking out the sea lions playing under the Golden Gate Bridge:

And here's a beautiful butterfly at the CalAcademy:



We later saw two mating butterflies fly through the air and land on a man's head, proceeding to continue copulating without shame. One stood perfectly still while the other pumped its wings rhythmically up and down. Over and over. On a man's head. I'm glad I ducked.

Also, in case you haven't heard from any of my other social media, but I have signed up to run a half marathon with Team In Training. My first group workout is Saturday at Crissy Field. What a beautiful place to train! Visit my website to find out how you can help.

How are you doing?

(Mis)Adventures in the Mountains

That's Lake Tahoe in the summer! We didn't mean to go there, but alas we had a mishap:



After taking a lovely run/hike around the beautiful Silver Lake, 30 miles this side of Tahoe, we started hunting for a campsite and instead found a flat tire. Rather than driving back down the mountain with a donut, we decided to head into South Lake Tahoe to get the tire repaired.

Of course all the repairshops were closed for the night, and all the campgrounds were full and the hotels $120 (Days Inn), so we pulled off the side of the road and woke up next to this:


Unfortunately Matt woke up complaining of not feeling good, but I did drag him to Fallen Leaf Lake (which I loved in the winter as well).





Then we played some Bocce ball on the beach while we waited for a tire shop to open, but Matt didn't feel well enough to go kayaking.

After we got the tire repaired, we headed home, leaving probably before noon, and not arriving until 5. WORST. TRAFFIC. EVER. I may never drive anywhere again.

So although we meant to spend the weekend hiking and kayaking around Silver Lake, we had a bit of an adventure instead. All was beautiful, though.

(However, I become more and more sure I should never have kids every time Matt gets sick. I have little sympathy and feel sorry for myself instead! I am such a bad wife... Although I did drive 5 hours all by myself.)

City Walks SF #39: The Castro

I can't remember when we did this walk; it was over a week ago now. However, since we practically live in the Castro, it was easy to fit it in after work. The walk featured the main part of the neighborhood along with some shops and a bar we call the Glass Coffin; we were also sent up a giant hill to enjoy some Victorians and views. Yet another part of the City where the rich people live.

And just for fun, here is Matt picking blackberries on Kite Hill, between our house and the Castro.

Just Watched: Away We Go

I enjoyed this movie, even though we had to go see it at the megaplex at the swanky mall. Bleah. And also I can't imagine choosing the Gulf Coast over Colorado, but hey, to each her own. Matt informed me half way through the movie that I am just like Verona. And I can never look at John Krasinski the same way again. But definitely a sweet movie.

We also saw some previews that intrigued me, for once: The Boat that Rocked, Paper Heart, and It Might Get Loud.

(In case you haven't noticed, instead of spending $40 on a TV converter box, we are spending $20 per week on movies. Such a good financial decision!)

Desert Nostalgia

We spent the weekend in Arizona, visiting my little nephew Tyler. He is a super cute baby, but as always, I'm not posting pictures here. All my friends and relatives adored Tyler, but no one so much as Matt. I nearly couldn't get him to come home, and today he told me that he missed Tyler. Oh dear...

We endured the 108 degree heat, mostly indoors and a bit in the pool, but we did luck out enough to experience a lovely monsoon and gorgeous sunset while we were in Tucson. For an hour or so, I missed the desert. But then I woke up to brutal heat and remembered why I don't live in the desert anymore. There's tradeoffs to everything, I suppose.

PRIDE: Parade

We headed down into the city early in the morning after a long night. The train was packed to the brim, but everybody was in a festive mood, happy to squeeze a few more people in, unlike morning rush hour.

Three and a half hours is a long parade, especially when it's hot outside. (Where am I?) The parade started off with Dykes on Bikes, just like the Dyke March, followed by Mikes on Bikes and then a variety of floats and groups. Scroll down and you'll even see Cloris Leachman, celebrity grand marshall.

I was delighted by our handsome mayor striding past me amongst a crowd of people wearing Team Newsom t-shirts. I could have reached out and touched him, but I was so surprised to see him right there, not in a car, not at the end of the parade, that I just stared. He is attractive. And liberal.

After the parade we stopped by the festival at the Civic Center, but didn't stay long. We'd had enough partying the night before. (I also probably saw more breasts and penii than I have in my whole life up to this point.)

What a great city we live in!

PRIDE: Pink Saturday/Dyke March

We watched the Dyke March out on the street in front of the house of a couple of Matt's teammates. I could not believe how many people were there. Apparently every year a group of old women sits on the same corner with their "muff mitts" - oven mitts they have decorated to look like, well, you know. You can see them waving the purple mitts on the left side.






This guy cruises up and down market on his bike with his stereo blaring. Apparently also a fan of gays.

After the march we headed into the center of Castro for Pink Saturday, but we just walked through and took shelter outside the team's bar. It pays to know people. I didn't have the camera, and Matt wasn't with me when I was actually in Pink Saturday, so again, you'll have to use your imagination. Humongous disco ball suspended from a crane, multiple stages, naked people, and more people than I've ever seen anywhere, including Block Parties and all other such spectacles. I truly can't believe how many people attended. They sure don't all live in the Castro. Matt and I stumbled home after midnight.