Who's His Girl?

Before Dawn

My camera makes the pic lighter than it was this morning as Ramona and I climbed up to the Observatory.  I've yet to figure it out but many, many Koreans are on the trails to the Observatory and Mt. Hollywood before sunrise. Hiking and running in the blackness. I hit the trail around 5:30am and some folks were already coming back down.  It was frigging dark and yet this is a daily ritual.  Amazing. I do enjoy the coolness and the fact I can let Ramona off lease which she loves. We keep ears and eyes alert though as I saw two coyotes the other morning.

It is a lovely sight to see the lights of Land of La from the Observatory.

On clear days the best view of LA bar none. You can see all the way down to Long Beach, over to the coast and to the East the San Gabriels. Today it was a bit overcast. Still a nice POV of the sprawl.

Even the Observatory itself has a different glow that early in the day.

Christmas Eve Day

Here in Land of La the advent of Christmas simply means less traffic.  It's divine.  It's only 11am and my day of hiking to the Observatory with dog, stopping at Kinko's and Pavillions, delivering the bags of clothes, etc. to Out of The Closet, and going to the post office is done.  Travel time was nill.  Now that's my idea of a Christmas blessing.  Going to sit back and relax.  I'm sure "It's a Wonderful Life" is on one of the cable channels. Last year at this time I was in Florence, Italy. Sigh.  Ho! Ho! 

The Battle

is lost.  Closet is cleaned BUT more crowded than before. Even after purging the clothes,(3 trash bags full) the shoes, the infamous cleats, posters, ancient Xmas paper, and boxes of whatever there's more crammed into it than before. Sad but what can one do?  I had to bring home stuff from the folks house. Mementos of our life together. Even Mom and Dad.  Okay everyone don't creep out. Yes, their urns are in the closet. I know some of you will find that odd but if you really think about it we are a family again.  Should I have the urns as a focal point in the apartment and point them out....."here's Mom and Dad."  That, dear friends would BE creepy so I'm okay with their urns being in the closet for the time being.   

Exploding Closet

For some odd reason I decided it was the perfect time of the year to clean out my closet.  What in the hell was I thinking?????? Looks like a Goodwill store exploded.  Stacks of clothes and shoes, boxes of who knows what (and why did I save it). We have the stack of pants, jeans and capris that fall under the "you are never going to get your fat ass into those again so don't even try," as well as the "why in the hell did I buy this in the first place" items. I'm also wondering about the guitar.  Seriously, been ages since I strummed a note and I'm not good at all. Took lessons in my early teens and hated it.  Why have I kept it? Just because OR simply hoping that someday I'll find inspiration and learn to play. Better yet will it get the heave ho?  Now there's the question.  Right now it's 50-50.  I've lived here for a long time and have never put up a Xmas tree so why do I have a Xmas tree holder?  I have a ten speed blue Schwinn that I haven't ridden since Carter was in office. Why is it my closet?  What's the old Smith Corona typewriter doing in there? And I'm thinking the rolls of Xmas wrapping paper are as old as St Nick. But the grand prize winner are the softball cleats. You heard me.....soft ball cleats.  Doesn't EVERY 58 year old woman have them??!!  I've heard there's a show on the tube called "Hoarders."  I'm wondering if I'm one. This is madness.

Around Yreka

It's Snowing

Actually Ramona it's only frost. There were teeny tiny snowflakes this morning when we were getting into the car but it didn't stick.

Still along the Humbug Trail (perfect don't you think) are parts that are covered in hard frost. Quite beautiful when you look at it closely.

Burrrrrr!

No Shorts Today

How In The Hell

Did We Get Out Here Madge?

Hurry Up The Water is Cold

Last Time I Let You Led The Way

Goose Man

A perfect stranger to everyone but the geese and ducks.

Return of the Cones

Come Here Often? Oh Go Pound Sand!

Lincoln Logs Party Hats

Nose Hair Be Gone I LOVE Target

LuLu Askew Scary Place

Refuse

Nap

Missed Mine But The Deer Didn't

Did I

Mention the Dragon?

Dolled Up For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Cones But Again

Oh Lonesome Me I Swear It's Just Over This Ridge

Making Faces Dan WHAT Are You Doing!?!

Even The Deer? Home!

Boo

Now THIS is a Halloween House!

Revenge of the Cones

I'm Colorful Tough Workout

Madonna Pet Rocks

Albinos Sharpening our skills

Buzzcut Patriot

Grief

Grief is a funny thing. Sitting here looking out the den window seeing leaves fall from one of the front yard trees I'm overwhelmed by it. It's been nearly 4 years since my best friend died. In that time I've lost my mother, father, another Karen and a high school friend who surprised us all taking his own life. You plod on because you must. When you were younger life was about immortality. Tragedy was contained in the family's "Dear Rodney" letters filled with sad news of ailments and passings. Those deaths were distant. Then you hit middle age and a few more intimate "Oh how sad" moments crept into your life. Still those passings were of people you really didn't know. They were blood but not your inner circle. Again you go forth. Suddenly death's brutal reality hits you full force. Death takes your best buddy. From then on your world of perception and being is altered. Nothing can return those you love to living, breathing entities. Some days you do see and hear them in your head. It's reassuring and yet not. A song, photograph, can be a cue. Boom, tears start. I thought of my Dad's quiet passing in the living room of the house he and Mom had been together in during their last years. I recall the resignation in his voice when 24 hours before he died he said aloud " I guess I didn't accomplish much." It broke my heart then and does so now. Have no clue who he was talking with, he'd been having "conversations" for a few days. Most comments he uttered made no sense but I knew he was visiting "others." At least

I understood that the anguish in his voice when he cried out "Mary, Mary," would soon be calmed. They would be a couple again. "The hour of departure has arrived and we go our separate ways. I to die and you to live. Which is better God only knows." Aristotle.

Gatos

These are Cooper and Emma. Fur balls of love

and peculiarity. Going to be a whole new

ball game when Ramona gets introduced to

them. Kind of know Emma will head for the closet.

Cooper will also disappear for a moment and then

his curiosity will get the best of him and he will reappear to

try to figure out "what the hell is that?"

Ramona will be on leash just in case.

Stay tuned.

Hallow Easter?????

So when did Easter pastels become

part of the Halloween tradition?

Oh wait, that's right. There is no Easter next year.

They found the body.

Yes, I am going to hell!

Making Hay

These geese are in no hurry to head further South.

For over a month they've been hanging out at the

Greenhorn Reservoir. Ramona and I see them every

morning. This hay was put out yesterday at a nearby

construction sight. Popular breakfast buffet this morning.

What's That?