The Right Idea

The guy has it all figured out. Sunday is a day of respite.

I concur. Lazy hazy day.

A Day In The Life

Merely a reflection of a Saturday morning hike with the pooch. We didn't do one Friday because of jury duty so today's made up for it. Started at Ferndale. The first part of the jaunt was up to the Observatory.  Started out at 5:30am. Not dark but the June gloom overcast wasn't letting the sun shine.

Up the trail we go

Closer but is that a critter?

Almost there.

Put the leash on because we saw a park ranger. The 

top of Mt. Hollywood is our goal.

That peak in the distance. 

Some hydration for the hound

And we are off top of the second hill.

We take the steep shortcut for the cardio.

A group of 12 year old kids were being encouraged to run up this.

I tripped them.

Closer

Nearly there and what's the crap on my lens?!

Victory and a smile because she knows she gets a treat.

Ramona wants to take the other shortcut down.

So we do.

Takes us to the main trail back to the Observatory which is barely visible.

A nice long and winding trail to enjoy.

Notice the tongue. Still a ways to go. Me?  Sweating like a pig.

Meandering back down.

Civilization close by

Ferndale straight ahead.

Where to next?  Let's ride.

A nice 2 hour trek. Saw Councilman La Bonge who gave me an invitation to his swearing in on the 21st atop Mt. Hollywood. Don't ya love it!!! A swearing in people will have to hike to. I'm honored and will do everything I can to attend.

Otherwise it's a typical Saturday. Have run errands. Day is done.

Freedom

Playing the lottery.  We've all been excused!!!!!

Courthouse Observations

I'm in the jury room of the Stanley Mosk courthouse
in downtown LA. It's nearly 11:30am. Been here since
7:30am. We've been welcomed, had a history lesson, filled
out and turned in forms, received instructions, been told the
do's and dont's and are quiet as church mice as we wait to be
called. People are sleeping, reading, texting, tweeting,
emailing and staring into space. No whiners this time,
the self important why do I have to be here malcontents.
Great!!! No drama! I'm going out on a limb and saying nothing
if anything is going to happen until after lunch. around 9:30 we
got  20 min. break. I took the escalators to check the
hallways outside the courtrooms above us. They were filled with
jurors not from our group. I'm thinking these are folks from
yesterday's pool, still waiting to see if they are the chosen ones.
If I am correct I'm so playing the lotto.

Death of a Friend

Sorrow reigns. Our favorite watering hole has closed. No one knew until late yesterday when Mdme. Frankenheimer called and heard, "This number is no longer in service." Panic set in.  She called me and I jumped in the car.When I arrived I saw Cafe Des Artistes locked up tighter than a drum. Peering through the hedge I could see that all the patio furniture had been removed. Heavy sigh!!!  I composed and sent an email to notify folks of our sudden loss. Geoffery's response was quick and emphatic.....

"I'm FREAKING OUT."

RIP CdA. We will keep your memory in our hearts.

Adieu.

Personal Favs

Took a lot of pictures on the trip. After much culling and for a variety of reasons these are my favs.

Mom's Home

Do you think my cats were pleased I was back?  Cooper and Emma enjoying the moment.

Here Come The Judge

Why do we always complain when we get a jury summons?  I got mine just before I left for Europe. They wanted me to report the day I returned. Called in and negotiated this week of June.  As instructed called yesterday and my group does not have to report on Monday. 1 down, 4 to go.  In all honesty I'm okay with being summoned.  It can be an inconvenience but looking beyond the "why me," moan and groan I find it a small bump in the road. It's how our system of justice works. I can live with that.  In fact I was once selected. Oddly enough I felt proud.  Everyone of us took it seriously and I rather enjoyed comparing reality vs. media portrayal of courtroom proceedings.  The trial was overseen by a witty and focused female judge who knew her stuff.  The prosecutor, sad to say, gave me first hand insight into why O.J. got off. The man did not impress while the defendant's attorney was fiery, well spoken and on her game. A bulldog. I recall thinking, "I'd hire her in a nano second."  Long story short there was a mistrial on the 2nd day. The first witness uttered something on the stand that I didn't hear but the defendant's attorney jumped out of her chair so quickly demanding a mistrial that I was startled.  As we left the courtroom and hurried down a flight of stairs one of us shouted, "what did the woman say?!" A fellow juror yelled, "when he committed homicide!!" Perry Mason or not I know that utterance could taint your opinion of the defendant. Order in the court!!!

Peticure

Somebody needs a nail job.

5:17a.m. PST

My internal clock is out of whack.  Arrived back in LA at 2 something PM on Monday. Slept most of yesterday. That's good and bad as I need the rest but I also need to get back on California time. Awoke at 2am this morning. Not good. Great for the pre dawn sojourn with the hound as noted in the pic above. Now it's 7am. Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. 

Might I just say a few things before I climb back into bed.  First, I need to win the lotto, discover buried treasure, marry a sugar daddy or write a hit show. I want to live in London and those are the only ways I'm going to achieve that dream. Second, customs management at LAX is the worse! Plenty of TSA folks to check your passports to let you in to claim your luggage but only 4, count them 4 agents, to check your paperwork once you've gotten your luggage and wish to exit. 6 planes landed at the same time and the lines of people circled the interior facility 3 times. Insane. The best part was when I finally got to the customs agent. He saw I'd visited Turkey and London and unbelievably thought 

I was declaring that I was bringing turkey into the country. NO JOKE!!  When I said, "Istanbul," he said, in broken English, "Where?"  I said, "Istanbul, Turkey, the country, Turkey!" He asked, "No Turkey???" I replied, "No Turkey," and I was allowed back into the USA. Surreal. 

Third, Smart wool socks are the best thing going. Fourth, The Oyster Card is brilliant. Fifth, Airborne is pure magic.  Sixth, take a cell phone. Oh and traveling, making new friends, reconnecting with old ones, and a willingness to explore make me happy, happy, happy.