Mama

This is the traffic back up waiting to get into Burbank's Forrest Lawn Cemetery to pay respects to Mothers, Grandmothers, Wives, Sisters on this Mother's Day. The line was at least a mile long.

Me, I took Mom's urn from the closet and placed it in the front room. 

We chatted.

Bronson Canyon Mystery

So I'm out and about early this morning taking the dog for a walk in Bronson Canyon.  We haven't done that trail for awhile and it's close.As we headed up the trail a guy drove up in a white truck and opened the padlocked cross arm that blocks vehicles from entering the trail head area.  Since the dog was off leash I immediately thought, Ranger, grabbed Ramona and put her on her leash.  Trust me EVERYONE has their pooches off leash on this trail but that's not the point of this post.  When we returned I first thought it was a movie crime scene set as now there was a 5 ton, 4 SUVS and 1 truck. As I got closer I noticed all the vehicles except the 5 ton had police light bars, CA exempt license plates and NONE of them had any logos to identify who they were.  Dressed in fatigues, 3 men and one woman were carrying boxes from the bunker and placing them on the truck. It was all very curious and none of them cared about the dog and I as we sauntered by.  I noticed a couple ahead frantically putting their hounds on leash so I said, "That's not the park rangers.  "Are you sure" the guy asked.  "Absolutely," I replied. "Whomever they are don't want us to know.  No identifying logos on their cars and they are armed." "I wonder who they are and what they are doing" his female companion asked. An older man with his dog now approached and had apparently overheard our banter.  "Years ago someone told me it's an evidence locker." We were all curious but we all departed.  I put the dog in the car and retrieved my camera. Walked back and snapped these pictures.  At one point I heard the woman say, "Look here's a sword."  It's bizzare that the stuff would be in a bunker in a city park. It's bizarre all the vehicles were unmarked but as odd as it appeared to be I'll surmise it was a simple retrieval of evidence for some governmental agency.  

Yosemite

As I said the natural beauty never fails to please the senses.

Perfect weather. Too much food and drink.

Nice long walks. Loads of laughter. A wonderful two full days.

Heading outside late at night in my socks and jammies to search for the Orion constellation was fun. Never found it of course, but after living in LA for over 20 years where you see two stars and planet at most, it is such a simple pleasure to look into the night sky and see the billions of them that are actually out there.  The couple above were waiting for the free shuttle. I assumed they hiked into Mirror Lake. Was nearly certain he'd gone to the big Yosemite in the sky but saw them the next morning outside the cafeteria. Alive and well and ready for their next adventure. 

Spell Check Anyone?

No wonder the California education system has gone to hell!

When Pigs Fly

And apparently they have. I'm typing while on hold for Southwest Airlines.Their music sucks. Especially when it's conflicting with the jazz I am listening too. Gorgeous day here. Rain had been predicted earlier in the week but there was only a smattering. Instead some of the prettiest-on-a-clear-day-you-can-see-forever-weather blessed the megalopolis. Work had me out on the road and it was so pleasant I didn't even complain about the stop and go traffic. It's Good Friday part of the Easter ritual and for us pagans it means NO WORK. PAID HOLIDAY. Besides there is no Easter this year. They found the body. Didn't I write the same thing last year? What has happened to Southwest Airlines? Used to be when you called you got someone immediately. I've been on hold now for 8 minutes. I'm trying to book a flight to the Bay Area and I must do it via an agent as it's a free flight. Not something that can be done on line...oh wait. OK all booked. Flying into and out of San Jose Int'l. Friends will drive up in front, I'll hop in the back seat and off we will head to the green valley and granite slabs of Yosemite. Nothing better as the waterfalls will be at crescendo level and the huge crowds will have yet to arrive. Last year's visit was great. Imagine this year's stay will be just as spectacular. It's Yosemite. How can it not be lovely?

   

Spring, Sprang, Sprung

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Oh The Pain. The Pain!

Is there anything worse than dental pain? I don't think so. Am dealing with an infection beneath an old root canal. When I say old I mean old. I'm thinking this one has been there since big hair bands.  Had 3 options: 1. try to repair the original root canal. 2.) yank the tooth  3.) surgery  Opted for the latter not because I'm brave but because it makes the most sense.  The thought of trying to repair an old faulty root canal gave me great pause and if they yanked the tooth I would have lost the bridge it is part of. Surgery set for tomorrow morning. Since this all began late on Saturday I've reunited myself with the magic of codeine.  Tylenol worked over the weekend but Sunday morning around 3am I wanted to chop my head off. Thus the need for something a wee bit more powerful.  A better life through chemistry so to speak.  

Does Pope Ben Know?

Phallic Enough

Oh come on. What were the architects thinking?

And it's a Target!!!