Slightly Off Kilter

Treasures 2008_52

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• Primary-colored star-shaped candies, spilled down the steps at the Train station. Pretty.

• The crescent moon, with Jupiter and Venus just below and to the side.

• Listening to murrmurring kitty dreams

• A fuschia sedan (seen on the freeway)

• My Squishable Allidile Crocagator scarf

Treasures 2008_44

These are my Treasures since my last posting.

• A bed full of cats on a Sunday afternoon.

• The whistle of a train in the distance

• freshly grated nutmeg

• movies: The Librarian: Quest for the Spear

• "Cock and Bull" Ginger Beer

• cats on my lap, snuggling

Treasures

These are my Treasures for the past several weeks.

• Two chickadees in the trees in our front yard. So cute. So fearless.

• a hummingbird, buzzing blossoms nearby (chirp)

• watching the eucalyptus tree down the street swirling and dancing in the wind

Treasures 2008_31

These are my Treasures for the past three weeks.

• Waking up with a kitty

• Watching a pigeon bringing twigs to build a nest, next door to the diner

• A periwinkle blue Mercedes convertble. Periwinkle was one of my favorite crayon colors as a child.

Treasures 2008_28

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• The colorful lamp we found at a garage sale

• Yellow Happy face balloons at the car dealership

• a spiderweb stencil on a black PT cruiser

• The produce dept at the grocery store - fresh smells, bright colors.

Treasures 2008_26

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• pastry hedgehogs at Dim Sum

• a trumpet tree — red trumpet vine growing 30-feet up through two hemlock trees

• someone's ringtone: the 1812 overture!

• 8-bit tarot

Treasures 2008_24

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• Another customer at the diner was served a scrumptious-looking waffle with strawberries and a small Matterhorn of whipped cream. Oooooo.

• 3 ravens in our backyard, flapping from tree to tree. Bebop was entranced.

Treasures 2008_22

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• A cooling breeze

• A soaring hawk

• Albioni's "Adagio"

Treasures 2008_20

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• Rich, home from a long-weekend out-of-town trip.

• Toffee Banana

• Long John Silvers Seafood Shoppe - now just a few miles from my house!

• Positive feedback from some co-workers whose opinions I respect.

Treasures 2008_17

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• Hot Pink iceplant, blooming in profusion, brilliant in the sun.

• Bright green shoelaces

• One white rose

Treasures 2008_15

These are my Treasures for the past fortnight.

• Squirrel making a tummy on Rich's desk, head under the monitor shelf, all upside down and fluffy. Rich says he does this a lot. I asked "How do you work?" Apparently it's difficult...(Rub the tummy!)

• A splendiferous magenta rhododendron

Treasures 2008_13

These are my Treasures for the past two weeks.

• Watching the kites and the parasails at Ocean Beach.

• The server is up! MySQL is running. My weblogs are back!

Treasures 2008_11

These are my Treasures for the past few weeks.

• We met a Shiba Inu - cute little doggie, out for a walk with her person past our house. Her name was Keiko. A week later, we met another one!

• A woman at the CalTrain, wearing a full-length chocolate-brown velvet skirt. Yumm.

Treasures 2008_07

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A lovely springwarm day.

• Lunch at Los Panchos in the City. The woman who runs the place always remembers our order, even though we only come in every two or three months. How does she do that?

Treasures 2008_06

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• My glow-in-the-dark lightbulb "glowbrick".

Treasures 2008_05

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Squirrel and Raven are working out how to play so that both of them enjoy it. Teddy Bear Fight!

• License plate: 2H2ODGS (the plate holder said "Portuguese Waterdogs")

Treasures 2008_04

These are my Treasures for the past two weeks.

• Lots of snuggles with the cats this week.

• Oooh. Aaah. Droooooool. The new MacBook Air is highly desirable.

• Bacon and tomato sandwiches on sourdough bread.

Treasures 2008_02

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• More rain (with less wind). I like rain, especially when I'm at home.

• Our server is working properly again.

• Mitten Rd in Burlingame. One of those great words: mitten.

Treasures 2007_52

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Rain making diamonds in the gutter chain on our front porch

• Rain pattering on the sunroom roof.

• My co-worker's home-made peanut butter cups.

Treasures 2007_50

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Camry odometer: 155555

• My new iPod Nano, nicely engraved with "TWiki Champion, November 2007" (with many thanks to the friend with the engraving rig.)

Treasures 2007_48

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• The stuffed animals at squishable.com

• The just-rising sun, a blaze-orange ball peeking over the horizon

• Now our grocery store has striped awnings!

Treasures 2007_47

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Success at the Job! The new TWiki is up and running!

• A four-day weekend.Very relaxing.

Count Your Blessings

Irving Berlin, 1954

• Richard, my spouse and best friend
• Bebop, best fur buddy and Cat-in-Charge
• Mezzaluna, fluffy princess and looneycoon
• Squirrel, nap buddy and snugglepuss
• Raven, tummy meister and Monster-in-the-cave

Treasures 2007_46

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Squirrel, snoring on my office floor. Bebop, on Saturday morning, bumping me. Snuggle the cat. Raven playing "monster in the cave". Mezzaluna being silly.

Treasures 2007_44,45

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A snail on the front passenger window of the Camry one moring. There was enough condensation that I could follow his trail - up by the left rear tire, across the top of the back window, forward along the edge of the roof to the front passenger window, then down the window.

Treasures 2007_43

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A bird! I held a bird. Such a soft little bird.

Bird!

At around 1pm, today, I heard one of my co-workers, Martin, say "That's a bird". Then another co-worker said "It is, it's a bird". I said "Where?" They said "Over here".

And there was a bird on the light fixture next to the wall. An Oregon junco. How did he get into the building.? Hey birdie, what are you doing in here? ...
       Continue reading "Bird!"

Treasures 2007_42

These are my Treasures for the past week.

The Halloween decorations at the house down the street.

Inflatable hearse (click for larger image)

Treasures 2007_41

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Half a cherry pie - ruby red fruit and golden crust.
  Cherry isn't my favorite flavor of pie, but it Looks simply gorgeous.

• Dim sum with friends

Treasures 2007_40

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Rain!

• Working from home; surrounded by fur. Cat by my left hand. Cat above the keyboard. This is the way Work should be.

Treasures 2007_39

These are my Treasures for the past week.

• The pile of golden pumpkins in front of the supermarket

• Hot red bean soup

Treasures 2007_38

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Thump! Large pink kitty toes on the shower door. Hi Bebop.

• Two pink blossoms on the miniature rose bush (after years with no flowers.)

Treasures 2007_37

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass,
it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. -- Henry Miller

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• An enjoyable time at the Craft Fair

• A red-tailed hawk, wafting over the freeway

Treasures 2007_36

Everyone's future is, in reality, an urn full of unknown treasures
from which all may draw unguessed prizes. - Lord Dunsany

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Sunrise - a blaze-orange incandescent disc in the sky; a blaze-orange shining ribbon on the bay. Never say that color isn't found in nature; it is... only not very often.

Treasures 2007_35

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• pelicans, pelicans, pelicans

• an otter in the water; seals on the rocks

• a bronzegoldredpiurplebluetealgree car. Nice paint job.

• a grey VW beetle, license SPYDRET with two fuzzy tennis-ball-sized stuffytoy spiders on the back ledge.

Treasures 2007_31

Good heavens, of what uncostly material is our earthly happiness composed...
if we only knew it.
What incomes have we not had from a flower,
and how unfailing are the dividends of the seasons.
-- James Russell Lowell

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A friend at work gave me a rootbeer barrel hard candy. Yummm. I haven't had one of those in a long time.

Treasures 2007_29

Anecdotes and maxims are rich treasures to the man of the world, for he knows how to introduce the former at fit place in conversation. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Coming HOME after a Terrible Horrible Awful No-Good Very Bad Day

• "Mango Milkshake with Pearl" (bubble tea)

Treasures 2007_27

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy,
if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you,
if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand,
rejoice, for your soul is alive. — Eleonora Duse

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• FIREWORKS (at Stanford)

Treasures 2007_26

That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest. -- Henry David Thoreau

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Warm soft heaps of fluff (two sleepy cats) in the screen room.

• Sparrows living in the roof of the train station.

Treasures 2007_25

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Bebop and Squirrel, intent on a small moth that managed to get into their living room. Pounce!

Treasures 2007_24

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A hawk, floating in the air, backstroking to hold position, watching for mice or lizards on the ground

• An egret, standing alongside 280, craning his neck (is that almost a pun?)

Treasures 2007_22

That we find a crystal or a poppy beautiful means that we are less alone, that we are more deeply inserted into existence than the course of a single life would lead us to believe. — John Berger, The Sense of Sight, 1980

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A quiet 4-day holiday weekend.

• Being buzzed by a dragonfly in the grocery store parking lot. I just love dragon flies.

Treasures 2007_21

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. — Rachel Carson

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• My very best friend, Richard.

Treasures 2007_20

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

-- Cynthia Ozick

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• My Dad and Richard's Dad - each recently had surgery and both are recovering well.

Treasures 2007_18

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Family - My parents, sister, and brother-in-law. Rich's Dad and stepmother, brother and sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and nieces.

  May those who are healthy remain so.
  May those experiencing setbacks conquer these without complications.
  May those facing surgery regain their health quickly and without difficulty.

  Virtual hugs are yours. We're thinking of you!

Treasures 2007_17

Any man that walks the mead
In bud, or blade, or bloom, may find
A meaning suited to his mind. — Alfred Tennyson

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• The bag of magnetic rocks Rich bought at The Tech museum.

• a hummingbird, buzzing around the flowers on a small palm tree (outside the window at the chiropractor's office) - so close.

Treasures 2007_16

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Ravens in the nearby park, surfing the wind, obviously having a great time.

Treasures 2007_15

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• My new cubicle at the Job.

• Watching each day get light earlier and stay light later. It's almost summer.

Treasures 2007_13,14

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• More spring flowers including some lovely pink carnation-like blossoms

• A "conversation" with a teeny little bird, perhaps a type of Nuthatch? (chirp chirp)

• Relaxing on the couch, covered in cats

Treasures 2007_12

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Spring rain.

• A hawk, drifting over the parking lot as I waited for my afternoon shuttle bus.

Treasures 2007_11

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• DST

• Spring smells! So delightful

Treasures 2007_10

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Two woolly pompom dogs, waiting with their hooman in a car in front of Pet Club

• A patch of yellow & orange daffodils, in the midst of a larger patch of California poppies

Treasures 2007_09

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Waking in the night to the sound of rain. Listening to the rain till I fell asleep again.

• A nice soak in the hot tub.

• Snow on the top of Mt. Hamilton (and Spring down here at sea level).

Treasures 2007_08

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A Monday Holiday

• A rainbow - seen and shared - north of the train station one morning. I stood and breathed chocolate and watched the rainbow.

Treasures 2007_07

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Geese! I saw a full V going by on Monday; only two today but close enough to see their black heads and white collars.

Treasures 2007_06

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Inhale! The train station has been redolent of chocolate this week, morning and afternoon. Breathe deeply. A fellow passenger said "Make you want a cookie...". That it does. Ahhhhhhh.

Treasures 2007_05

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Guittard dark chocolate; a co-worker brought in a 10 lb bar to share!

• Mini "two-bite" cupcakes - and sharing them with friends.

Treasures 2007_04

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Hot turkey sandwiches

• Self-referential inside jokes in books

Treasures 2007_03

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A 3-day weekend

• Bacon and eggs and sourdough toast; the toast just the way I like it, and everything Yummmmmmm.

Treasures 2007_02

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• My fortune cookie: You find beauty in ordinary things. Do not lose this ability.

• Naps and snuggle time with cats

Treasures 2007_01

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A tangerine sunrise

• Lots of love from Bebop when I arrived home after my first full day at the Job after a long wfh/holiday period. (I missed you. Hug me!)

Treasures 2006_44

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Interesting dreams

• Tiramisu with chocolate chunks

• Snuggles with kitties

• Rich coming home from an out-of-town trip

Treasures 2006_43

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A "cream puff" 1955 Pontiac California Cruiser, creamy white over robin's egg blue. Gorgeous.

• The smell of autumn leaves

Treasures 2006_42

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Enlarging my quote collection.

• Writing a Perl script to give me a random email signature.

Treasures 2006_41

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Pumpkin patch - an "aerial" view of a pumpkin sales lot, as seen from the passing train. All those bright orange pumpkins, gleaming roundly.

Treasures 2006_40

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• The Suspicious Looking Device

• A black Scion xB with electric blue pinstriping. Ooooh! What color would look good with maroon?

Treasures 2006_39

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A thin crescent moon over the ridge

• A tangerine sun, rising over the Bay - a bright orange disk above a pinkish orange layer, not so bright that we couldn't look at it. Awesome.

Treasures 2006_38

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Hyperbolic crochet cactii and kelp

  

Treasures 2006_37

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Getting over a cold (yech!)

• I think my toe has finally healed!

Treasures 2006_36

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A Hello Kitty doll in full kimono, perched on the dashboard of a car parked next to me. I want one! (and I found one on eBay!)

• A brown, tan, and cream striped moth, quite handsomely colored

Treasures 2006_35

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Dragonflies, floating above the sidewalk.

• Almond Snickers bars

Treasures 2006_34

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A goofy grape graffito - a large purple blob with goofy eyes and fangy teeth in a big grin; seen from the train

• A 19-early automobile, obviously well loved, painted a bright steel blue

Treasures 2006_33

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A cute little mop dog in the car parked next to ours. What adorable ears!

• The white shirt with a strawberry plant design a woman was wearing in our local diner. There was a ladybug (as big as the strawberry!) on the leaf.

Treasures 2006_32

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Saturday! All day at home! Nowhere to go. Nothing pressing to do. And Saturday is more relaxing when I work from home the preceding Friday.

• The 3-storey Apple logos on the sides of Moscone West, in SF, for this week's Developer's conference.

Treasures 2006_31

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Bright red and yellow watermelons, sliced in halves and quarters, on display at the grocery store.

• Cool breezes.

Treasures 2006_30

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A musical tattoo - a young man at the BART station with a staff of musical notes tattooed on his upper arm.

• Two ducks flying over as the shuttle drove away from the Workplace.

Treasures 2006_29

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Sign on a garage in Palo Alto: No parking except for wagons with horses

• Ground squirrels playing tag on the Stanford campus

Treasures 2006_28

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Four mousies at the feeder! Three little ones and a bug one.

• Bright yellow flowers on tall stalks... most interesting looking.

Treasures 2006_27

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Sidewalk graffiti in SF - "igneous rocks!"

• Fireworks

• A FOUR-day weekend (and only a 3-day work week). I got almost caught up and reasonably relaxed.

Treasures 2006_26

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Meeting a handsome, sleek, black short-haird kitty named Enders. I think Enders has some Siamese in his ancestry. He had a great profile. He was most curious and sociable.
Exploring the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park - all sorts of nifty tropical plants, huge pitcher plants, bright flowers, blooming water lilies, mosses, and ferns. The current special exhibition is the butterfly room where we were constantly accosted by gently fluttering flutterbies.

Treasures 2006_25

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• SATURDAY. Cats in my office. No job to go to. Nothing required of me.

• Catching up — on my email, the comics, my Journal, my weblog, my sleep!

• Napping with Squirrel.

Treasures 2006_24

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A horse, with jockey, rounding the track at Bay Meadows as I went past on the train.

• The Jacaranda trees in bloom in Mountain View in a profusion of purple.

Treasures 2006_23

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Der Feedermaus (nose twitching)

• Our reconditioned flying gargoyle; Rich did a terrific repair job!

Treasures 2006_22

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A beautifully maintained 1931 Chrysler sedan (model unknown).

• Reading an excellent and well-crafted book.

• Cinnamon toast.

Treasures 2006_21

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Sighting a ground Squirrel sitting on the fence as I drove through Palo Alto.

• Snuggling with Bebop (his paws on my shoulder ala Kilroy).

Treasures 2006_20

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A good dinner, shared with Rich's Dad and Stepmother (who were passing through SF). Phyllo, spinach quiche, and my favorite datil...

• A bright magenta car

Treasures 2006_19

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Playing "monster in a cave" with Raven.

• Squirrel slept on my lap - twice! At one point I had Squirrel and Bebop both melted on my lap as I sat on the couch.

Treasures 2006_18

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Someone test-driving a burgundy Scion XB just as I drove past the dealership. I hope they like it as much as I did when we did the test drive!

Treasures 2006_17

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Squirrel and Raven (Happy Anniversaries!)

• Wisteria (alongside a house I drove past)

Treasures 2006_16

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A mostly sunny week

• Bebop raptly listening to mousies at the feeder

Treasures 2006_15

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Delightful scents wafting from an outlet of "The Body Shop" in San Francisco — citrus overlaid with spice and a hint of chocolate. Inhale. Breathe. Ahhhhh.

• An interview in SF and a call from a recruiter (who put my name in for another position).

Treasures 2006_14

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A Sunny day!

• Huge tulips, almost as big as my two cupped hands, in front of a local restaurant

Treasures 2006_13

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Another mousie (wood rat) in the bird feeder (munch munch)

• A little girl's umbrella, bright green with stick-up cloth "eyes" and a painted mouth. I asked her if her frog liked the rain and she said I was silly.

Treasures 2006_12

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Two mule deer near the walking trail

• Bright orange California poppies, soaking up sunshine

Treasures 2006_11

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A rainbow over the Bay

• "Kitty TV" (The PG&E crew was replacing a transformer on the pole across the street. Raven was watching attentively.)

Treasures 2006_10

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Pepperidge Farm peach turnovers; Haagen Dazs Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream

• More white lilac blossoms

Treasures 2006_09

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A nifty small museum I walked through in a dream. It was especially neat because I knew I was dreaming, so I was amused and pleased by what "I" put in the room.

• Naps with the kitties. Squirrel holding my arm. Bebop pillowed on my head. Mez against my leg. Raven did his nap with me sepPURRately; he got belly rubs.

• Purple finches with bright red heads

• The white lilac is blooming

• Another (short) hail storm. Watching ice marbles bouncing in the street. Listening to the racket on the roof.

Treasures 2006_08

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Hail (pea-sized) bouncing on the roof of the house next door, clattering against our windows, gathering in the grass. An unseasonable storm — fun to watch from cover!

• A full-bow rainbow, after the storm

Treasures 2006_07

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A contrail, slicing diagonally across a cloudy sky (quite impressive)

• A big fat yellow moon rising over the Bay

Treasures 2006_06

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A pair of redtailed hawks floating overhead, catching an updraft

• Cocktail shrimp (all I could eat :-)

• A positive (I think!) job interview, followed by a request for references. This is good, yes?

Treasures 2006_05

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week. This week I even have photos!

• The large (pint) jars of pickled ginger on each table at a Japanese restaurant we passed (we should try this place!)

• Three Great Egrets sighted standing alongside along HWY 280 (as we were driving down the Peninsula). [photo; the photo is from the web, taken of an actual Stanford egret, but not by me.]

• Ground squirrels on the Stanford campus

Treasures 2006_04

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Pink blossoms on an ornamental plum tree. Spring is coming early!

• A blue sunny shiny gorgeous early almost-spring day

• Turkey sandwiches on fresh sourdough bread with mayo and cranberry sauce

Treasures 2006_03

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Sparks in the Dark! - stroking sparks from Raven's fur in the middle of the night

• Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice cake donuts (they freeze/thaw out well :-)

Treasures 2006_02

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A rainbow on a sprizzly day

• A woman in the Post Office with a faux fur handbag (all it needed were googly eyes :-)

• The grocery store checker's lilt, as she counted back my ATM cash - twainty fairty sixty ...

Treasures 2006_01

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Fireworks displays welcoming the New Year.

• Cinnamon- and nutmeg-tinted carrot cake

• Our new 2006 calendars - cartoon dogs, wild cats, colorful songbirds, flowers, ...

Treasures 2005_52

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Meeting two cute doglets — a woolly black mop dog and a Brussels Griffon

• A perfect Calla Lily

Treasures 2005_51

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Dog is their copilot - a big white dog in the front passenger seat of a car in the shopping center lot

• White lights and red balls - the Holiday decorations at Pasta Pomodoro

• Urban art - trompe l'oeil palm trees, people, and clouds on the side of a multi-storey building in Mountain View

• Squirrel by my side as I type. "It's snack time. I love you."

Treasures 2005_50

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Nifty "casual" fonts. I found a new one for my Journal.

• Another great catnap: Raven on the left, Squirrel on the right, Mez by my leg, Bebop on my chest. Purrrrr.

• Rain

• A fat full moon, up during the part of the evening when I'm up

• Turkey sandwiches on fresh sourdough bread

• FINALLY getting over my cold and the follow-on cough!

• A response to one of the job applications I sent in, asking about a possible interview on Monday...

Treasures 2005_49

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A brilliantly clear, sparkling, rain-washed day

• A short walk along the upper trail. Lots of little brown birds. Lots of ducks on the water. Evidence of a gopher - a wiggling plant stalk! And once again, someone has decorated one of the pine trees for Xmas.

• A 2 mile walk on the lower trail. Deer spotted by the road on the drive down and again on the way back. Lots of scrub jays and little brown birds along the trail. Seagulls on the lake. Also three bunnies (two chasing each other) and a Steller's Jay!

• Snuggling with my huggybear, Bebop, under the covers before getting up in the morning.

Treasures 2005_48

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A checker at the hardware store with hair reminiscent of macrame - many tiny little braids, every other strand bleached, so they were contrasting tan and dark brown. These were tight to her scalp until the back where all the tiny braids had been gathered into one large French braid. Most compelling.

• Little brown birds in front of Starbucks, snacking on the crumbs from a muffin paper discarded on the sidewalk.

• Lucid dreaming - great production values :-) Lots of scenery, big sets. Such fun to know I'm dreaming and just look around and appreciate the surroundings. All I really remember after waking is traveling (in some unknown conveyance) past a neighborhood of Victorian houses. One in particular was striking, painted a base color of eggplant purple so dark as to be almost black, with lavender trim.

• Snuggling into bed with Bebop nestled on my arm - not a common occurrence. A warm soft teddycat is so nice to hug and hold.

• HOO Hoo hoo - the owls are back in the park across the street

Treasures 2005_47

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Moonlight casting a path on the Bay

• Rich, bringing me a glass of juice when I have a cold

• My cat family, purring around me

• A couple more naps with Raven

• Watching a movie with Bebop

• Mezzaluna curled on my chest, purring

• Squirrel next to me on the back of the couch

• Rain on the roof

• A blackbird taking a bath in a puddle

Treasures 2005_46

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Yes, the rest of the carton of eggs is all double-yolked too!

• Our beef veggie soup recipe. Yummmm.

• Relaxing on the couch, surrounded by cats.

• People flying kites along the ocean beach

Treasures 2005_45

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A double yolk in my breakfast egg. Then - another double yolk in the second!

• Two small groups of mule deer, seen on our drive down the Peninsula and into Stanford.

• Lots of fat and happy ground squirrels on the Stanford campus.

• Two more double-yolked eggs a few days later. (I wonder if this whole carton is double-yolked?)

• Dark Chocolate

• A thunderstorm, at least half an hour in duration, with plenty of lightning!

• Sharing a dark-chocolate covered Cherry Garcia ice cream-on-a-stick with Rich

• Cats sprawled around the living room. Furry tummies upwards.

• Waking up to kitties. Falling asleep with kitties.

Treasures 2005_44

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Frankenblimp. A very cute inflatable Frankenstein's monster at the door into the hardware store. He had little beady eyes (and very close together too). His bolts were at ear level instead of on his neck. He was holding a paper spider from each green hand.

• All the children (and adults) in costume at the Berkely/Oakland Halloween day on College Ave

• Chocolate. The Scharffen Berger factory, redolent of chocolate.

• The hawk, again in the back 40 but closer this time. He's very handsome when he's not wet :) Bebop saw it. Ckckckckck!

• Nuthatches at the feeder. So cute, especially when they go "upside down".

• A fuzzy, frisky, 14-week old Pomeranian puppy, out for a Walk with his People!

Treasures 2005_43

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Two ravens (of the avian variety) sitting on the end of a high pine bough, GRONKing.

• Several walks along our lovely local trails, under blue sky with puffy clouds.

Treasures 2005_42

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• A bright patch of California poppies

• Cottony fog over the soccer field at the school nearby

• My most supportive and wonderful sweetie Richard, backing me up, reviewing my memos, keeping my spirits alive, and simply Being There as my job unravels and blows away on an unforseen wind.

• Supportive and positive feedback from my co-workers

• Retaining my honor and my professional integrity as I unknowingly walk Though the Looking Glass

• Knowing that I tried, I'm still trying, and whether I succeed or fail, in the end I can hold my head up.

• Being able to take pride in a job well done

• Positive thoughts: Look for the silver lining

Treasures 2005_41

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Hugs and snuggles from my four kitty friends.

• My new monitor arm (which concerned me at first but, as I had hoped, once I got it installed aand got used to it, it's really quite grand).

• My wonderful sweetie, Richard, giving me hugs and talking me through a serious upset at the Job.

• Sawyer Camp Trail along Crystal Springs reservoir - a refreshing and soothing walk when I needed it most.

• A gorgeous, sunny, near-perfect day. Just a little haze in the distance. A lovely day for a drive.

• Dinner with friends.

• Three raccoons on the sunroom roof, walking back and forth, nosing about. There was enough moonlight to see them very clearly from below.

Treasures 2005_40

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Birds chirping in the bushes, singing on the telephone wires. Pigeons walking on the sunroom roof, entertaining the cats

• Crystalline days. Not too warm The setting sun glinting off of windows along the ridge in the East Bay. Mount Diablo arising above the early morning fog layer.

• Family rituals. Crunchy mornings. Mezzaluna lying on my chest when I go to bed. Bebop "up close and personal" with Rich and me at meal time. Raven reminding me, as I put on my shoes to go out, that I'm supposed to stay at HOME. Squirrel patting my arm at 10pm - It's time to stop typing. It's snack time!

• Fridays. Weekend rituals. Brunch at Joe's. Splitting an omelette.. Eggs Florentine. Napping with the cats.

Treasures 2005_39

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Squirrel waking me up in the morning, licking my fingers

• A small woolly dog at the hardware store - his entire body was as woolly as Squirrel's rear end.

• Officially sat on by a cat - Bebop gave the OK to our new photocopier

• Rob & Barbara Dicely of Leopards, Etc,, along with Nakuru (serval), Ashakiran (snow leopard), Shoshone (young cougar), Oksana (Siberian lynx), and Kamau (cheetah). I wish we could bring Wild Cat Adventure to your area.

• The "flying chili peppers" in the trompe l'oeil mural at Andale' Taqueria

• The mesquite chicken salad (also at Andale')

• Discovering new features I didn't know were available in one of my favorite (Mac) applications (Circus Ponies NoteBook).

• A snuggly nap with Raven. These are getting to be a regular occurrence!

Treasures 2005_38

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Waking to Bebop walking on my chest, then settling in for a good long cuddle

• A giant blood-orange moon rising over the Bay.

• More peaches, so juicy, so sweet

• Carrot cake

• Raven wrapping himself around my ankle as I was getting dressed

• Raccoon footprints on the sunroom roof

• Fresh cinnamon bread. Cinnamon toast. The company break room redolent with cinnamon.

• The smell of fresh basil as I walked through the produce dept. in the grocery store.

• Naked Lady lilies still blooming profusely in front of a house down the street

• A long snugglenap with Raven

• Crispy onion rings

Treasures 2005_37

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Feeding ducks with the bread left from our dinner (one of the restaurants we like is on a canal).

• An amusing newspaper article typo, discussing
  "... the feral government..."

• Naked eucalyptus trees, so funny: pink and smooth.

• A ten-foot tall hollyhock stalk rising over a neighbor's fence, 5 pink blossoms at the very top. Rich and I looked at it and decided it wanted Sun!

• A perfect magenta bougainvillea blossom, found on the sidewalk.

• Making PHP do what I want it to do.

• A thundering herd of woodrat on the sunroom roof. That's singular, one woodrat; how can one little mousie make so much noise?

Treasures 2005_36

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Woodrats scampering on the sunroom roof, running up and down the window screens. One woodrat in the screen again. He didn't mind the flashlight and he was oh so cute with big ears.

• Roast pork sandwiches with tomato and red onion

• Garlic

• Another four-day work week.

• Tree squirrels noshing at the feeder.

Treasures 2005_35

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Late afternoon sunlight illuminating buildings by the Bay as the fog comes in over the water.

• A warm day with a stunning clear view over the Bay. I could actually make out some of the larger buildings on the Oakland side. It was simply a gorgeous, crystalline scene.

• Appreciating my computer all the more, now that it's working reliably again!

• Good authors and good books, Think what the world would have been like without the printing press, the increase in literacy, and more recently, the paperback book. Read a Book Today!

• Sleeping kitties - upside down tummy up; swirled in kitty cups; sogged on the cabinet; curled on the bed...

• Mezzaluna sleeping by my arm. As I type, I reach over and rub her head.

Treasures 2005_34

Treasures are positive things that strike my fancy, that make me feel happy or thankful or interested. Treasures are memories encapsulated in just a few words. These are my Treasures for the past week.

• Having the network back after a weekend of problems!

• Snuggling in for a nap with Raven, rubbing his tummy...

• Fog drifting over the Bay

• A big yellow moon, slightly lopsided

• New quotes for my collection

• Scottish accents :-)

• Peaches, at the peak of perfection!

• A pigeon and a grey squirrel at the feeder - pigeon outside the barrier, flapping; squirrel inside the barrier, munching. "Nyah nyah!"

• Learning cool new tricks with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Weekly Wrap-up 2005__33

The weather was foggy a lot. Weird summer we're having.

On Monday, there was an adorable toddler puppy in the bank when I went in to make some deposits. His human had brought him in - too young to stay out front! I think this puppy might grow up to be a Golden retriever but right now he's just a puppy.

Another bank (from which I have a line of credit) has changed their statement system. To make it work better for them (emphasis on "them") they added 6 digits to the front of my account number. It now looks like a credit card number.

Unfortunately, it looks so much like a MasterCard number that their statement calculating program treated it like a MasterCard - including different rates for purchases vs cash advances and higher rates over all. ...
       Continue reading "Weekly Wrap-up 2005__33"

Treasures 2005_33