Thursday morning, dog walked and taken care of, very good coffee half way consumed. Leaving Las Vegas today. I now know two things: LV is a city not so attractive if you are alone (unless you are a big gambler) and LV is definitely not a city for dogs. The day for Cooper got worse and worse, as it got more and more crowded. Think of it: his vantage point is less than a foot off the ground. All he sees are shoes and shins. He has huge ears, the noise must be frightening. The colors at night pulse and wiggle and reflect on everything, which must drive his eyes crazy. By the time of our last walk last night, around 8:30, I ended up having to carry him out of the casino and half way down the block because he wouldn't walk, just darted around on his leash like the sidewalk was giving him little electric shocks every second. And to get from our room, at the end of a very long corridor, to the nearest exit in the hotel, is about a ten minute walk, seriously. Ten minutes of torture for him and then all those people on the sidewalk! Plus, to cross a street you have to follow him up the stairs (dogs on escalators, not a pretty sight) and then down and then do it over and over again. It was an exhausting dog day. For both of us. Add to that the heat of the day, you get the picture.
And Vegas is a place to come with a friend or a mate or a love interest or some kind of companion. Alone, it's just not that fun. It's still intriguing and it certainly dazzles the eyes. But waiting in line for a buffet alone? Boring. Playing the slots with no one to laugh with? Sad. Grinning from ear to ear watching the fountains at the Bellagio alone? It would have been better to have someone to share it with. Next time, no dog and a friend. Sign up now!
However, that said, I had a good time. The highlight for me were the Bellagio fountains. In the evening they go off every 15 minutes and last night, after Cooper's last walk, I went over and watched them for an hour. If you haven't seen them, they are worth a trip to Vegas. Intricate, delicate, booming, powerful, whoever choreographs the fountains is genius. The water dances rhythmically and stylistically to whatever music is chosen and the music varies from Sinatra to Elton John, from Aaron Copeland to Tchaikovsky and everything in between. I loved them and will come back to see them again.
It may be too long of a drive to get home today, haven't decided. We'll see what happens along the way. More photos to share, hopefully later today.
Au revoir!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Vegas
Where to begin? What to say? There is nothing that can be said about Las Vegas that hasn't already been said, no words that haven't already been used. Tacky. Opulent. Embarrassing. Lavish. Greedy. Hospitable. Dichotomies abound. But one thing is certain: this is not a good town for dogs. More on that later.
We spent last night two hours away, the timing wasn't right for arrival and my back was killing me from sitting in the car. Today we began early and were at the Hoover Dam at 9:30. You can walk across the new bridge and there are narrative panels explaining the history of the dam, the bridge and the construction. It's quite educational but walking across the bridge doesn't give you much of a visual of it. For that you have to take the road below it, towards the dam itself.
We then drove into Las Vegas and meandered slowly up Las Vegas Blvd to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, home of Pawn Stars on the History Channel. The time was now about 10:45 and the place was packed. It's much smaller than it looks on TV, very small in fact. Maybe they have some other fake store they film in but it was a bit underwhelming. Too many people so I spent maybe ten minutes there. Been there, done it. Called the Paris Hotel to see if we could check in early (regular check in is 4:00 of course) and they said yes! Zut alors! So by noon we were firmly ensconced in said hotel. Nice room, not huge, definitely not a suite but two nice beds, lovely bath. There is such a huge, huge difference between a Hotel and a Motel, not the least being niceness. Cooper loves the long corridors and the comfy beds. Not much else, however, pleases him.
I see why not many hotels accept dogs. It isn't that the dogs are pests, it's that the city center has nothing to offer dogs. There are no grassy areas, no squirrels, no butts to sniff, no cool smells. Just finding a place for a dog to pee takes some time. (Poop? Forgetaboutit. There's no poop in Vegas!) If Cooper was an outgoing, friendly dog (like many I could name) it wouldn't be so difficult, but he isn't. This city is crowded, hundreds of people on the sidewalk all the time, hundreds of feet moving at him at almost eye level. So much noise just walking through the casino. It's freaky, and little Cooper is a little freaked out. He gets quite excited to go for a walk but as soon as we get to the main floor he wants to get back in the elevator and go back to bed. Oh well, as they say in Paris, c'est la vie!
Around 2:30 I was quite hungry so I left Cooper in the room alone (oh no! so against hotel rules) and went to one of the many restaurants here at the hotel, Mon Ami Gabi, where you can either sit on the patio or in the restaurant. The patio was much too hot for me, and the restaurant had huge floor-to-ceiling windows that were pulled back and opened, so it was just like being outside only not in the sun. Ordered steak and frites and a glass of Cote du Rhone. Perfect. And then, the most wonderful thing: at 3:00 the water fountains at the Bellagio started their cycle for the day, and the Bellagio is directly across the street from the cafe and I had the perfect seat! They were incredible! Huge and lusty and very tall and quite loud, arcs of water and water shooting straight up and then sideways, all angles of water. I grinned like a kid at her first birthday party. In honor of them I had another glass of wine and loved every second of the experience. I am going back out to see the fountains again this evening.
There is more to say about Vegas, like my $50 which somehow got stuck in a couple of different slot machines and wouldn't come out. But I have learned that the nickel slots are the way to go. You get a lot more bang for your buck, although the winnings are slimmer, but hey, who cares, right? It's not like that million dollar jackpot is going to fall in my lap, although I don't know why not, somebody's lap has to catch it, mine is as good as anyone's. But we won't go there.
OK, enough for one day. More tomorrow. Here's Cooper at Jenn's in Texas with his wrap made out of a dead toy squirrel.
.
We spent last night two hours away, the timing wasn't right for arrival and my back was killing me from sitting in the car. Today we began early and were at the Hoover Dam at 9:30. You can walk across the new bridge and there are narrative panels explaining the history of the dam, the bridge and the construction. It's quite educational but walking across the bridge doesn't give you much of a visual of it. For that you have to take the road below it, towards the dam itself.
We then drove into Las Vegas and meandered slowly up Las Vegas Blvd to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, home of Pawn Stars on the History Channel. The time was now about 10:45 and the place was packed. It's much smaller than it looks on TV, very small in fact. Maybe they have some other fake store they film in but it was a bit underwhelming. Too many people so I spent maybe ten minutes there. Been there, done it. Called the Paris Hotel to see if we could check in early (regular check in is 4:00 of course) and they said yes! Zut alors! So by noon we were firmly ensconced in said hotel. Nice room, not huge, definitely not a suite but two nice beds, lovely bath. There is such a huge, huge difference between a Hotel and a Motel, not the least being niceness. Cooper loves the long corridors and the comfy beds. Not much else, however, pleases him.
I see why not many hotels accept dogs. It isn't that the dogs are pests, it's that the city center has nothing to offer dogs. There are no grassy areas, no squirrels, no butts to sniff, no cool smells. Just finding a place for a dog to pee takes some time. (Poop? Forgetaboutit. There's no poop in Vegas!) If Cooper was an outgoing, friendly dog (like many I could name) it wouldn't be so difficult, but he isn't. This city is crowded, hundreds of people on the sidewalk all the time, hundreds of feet moving at him at almost eye level. So much noise just walking through the casino. It's freaky, and little Cooper is a little freaked out. He gets quite excited to go for a walk but as soon as we get to the main floor he wants to get back in the elevator and go back to bed. Oh well, as they say in Paris, c'est la vie!
Around 2:30 I was quite hungry so I left Cooper in the room alone (oh no! so against hotel rules) and went to one of the many restaurants here at the hotel, Mon Ami Gabi, where you can either sit on the patio or in the restaurant. The patio was much too hot for me, and the restaurant had huge floor-to-ceiling windows that were pulled back and opened, so it was just like being outside only not in the sun. Ordered steak and frites and a glass of Cote du Rhone. Perfect. And then, the most wonderful thing: at 3:00 the water fountains at the Bellagio started their cycle for the day, and the Bellagio is directly across the street from the cafe and I had the perfect seat! They were incredible! Huge and lusty and very tall and quite loud, arcs of water and water shooting straight up and then sideways, all angles of water. I grinned like a kid at her first birthday party. In honor of them I had another glass of wine and loved every second of the experience. I am going back out to see the fountains again this evening.
There is more to say about Vegas, like my $50 which somehow got stuck in a couple of different slot machines and wouldn't come out. But I have learned that the nickel slots are the way to go. You get a lot more bang for your buck, although the winnings are slimmer, but hey, who cares, right? It's not like that million dollar jackpot is going to fall in my lap, although I don't know why not, somebody's lap has to catch it, mine is as good as anyone's. But we won't go there.
OK, enough for one day. More tomorrow. Here's Cooper at Jenn's in Texas with his wrap made out of a dead toy squirrel.
.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Texas to New Mexico
Short post: left Texas today at 5:00 am, rolled into Albuquerque, at 4:30 this afternoon. (Well, 3:30 New Mexico time.) We wasted 30 minutes early this morning missing an exit, but even erasing that, 11 hours. A long drive. Cooper actually slept part of the time, which was much easier on him. Nothing great about the drive, except north-west Texas is so flat and so unappealing. Buildings near the road, flattened because of disuse and neglect. No color. The highway goes through some small towns that are almost empty, storefronts vacant, broken and ugly. But New Mexico's land formations are much more interesting and it makes the drive at least pleasant and less depressing.
Tomorrow we are aiming for Las Vegas. I realized that in addition to seeing the new Hoover Dam Bridge and the Bellagio fountains, I want to see the pawn shop that is on the History channel. It's called the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop and it's about three miles from the Paris Hotel, where I am staying. If you haven't seen the show, check it out, people come in with everything from original art work to bizarre history relics to old cars to things found at the bottom of the ocean. And everything in between. The guys who own the shop are characters ("just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character") and it would be cool to visit the place.
That's all for now...... more tomorrow. Sin City, here I come!
Tomorrow we are aiming for Las Vegas. I realized that in addition to seeing the new Hoover Dam Bridge and the Bellagio fountains, I want to see the pawn shop that is on the History channel. It's called the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop and it's about three miles from the Paris Hotel, where I am staying. If you haven't seen the show, check it out, people come in with everything from original art work to bizarre history relics to old cars to things found at the bottom of the ocean. And everything in between. The guys who own the shop are characters ("just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character") and it would be cool to visit the place.
That's all for now...... more tomorrow. Sin City, here I come!
.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Texas? Paris? Paris, Texas?
There is an excellent article in the NY Times about Paris, the one in France. Here's the link. http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/travel/27paris-cover.html?nl=travel&emc=tda1
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Paris, France. I have always wanted to live there and I still do, but that dream will probably not ever come true. Too pricey and at my advanced age, probably too difficult to fit in. But still, I think about it a lot and if I had the money, I might actually try it for a year. Or a half. The article is from a woman who lived there for two years and is now coming back to NYC. For Francophiles like me, it is hugely enjoyable reading.
That brings me to Paris, Texas. Seems it is not that far from where Jenn lives, at least not in comparison to how huge the state of Texas is. Not that I want to go there, mind you, but it appears they have an Eiffel Tower! With a cowboy hat! You have to admire a city that would do something as goofy as that.
As sure as I am that Paris, Texas wouldn't be anything like Paris, France, it's nice to know that some sort of Paris is closeby.
Here in non-Paris, Texas, it's Saturday morning, coffee has been consumed, the temperature is beginning to ooze into the 90's and thoughts of doing gardening work are going out the window. Too hot. We have postponed some of that until the sun sets, unless we postpone it to another day which is quite likely. Ah, the life of the unemployed.
.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Paris, France. I have always wanted to live there and I still do, but that dream will probably not ever come true. Too pricey and at my advanced age, probably too difficult to fit in. But still, I think about it a lot and if I had the money, I might actually try it for a year. Or a half. The article is from a woman who lived there for two years and is now coming back to NYC. For Francophiles like me, it is hugely enjoyable reading.
That brings me to Paris, Texas. Seems it is not that far from where Jenn lives, at least not in comparison to how huge the state of Texas is. Not that I want to go there, mind you, but it appears they have an Eiffel Tower! With a cowboy hat! You have to admire a city that would do something as goofy as that.
As sure as I am that Paris, Texas wouldn't be anything like Paris, France, it's nice to know that some sort of Paris is closeby.
Here in non-Paris, Texas, it's Saturday morning, coffee has been consumed, the temperature is beginning to ooze into the 90's and thoughts of doing gardening work are going out the window. Too hot. We have postponed some of that until the sun sets, unless we postpone it to another day which is quite likely. Ah, the life of the unemployed.
.
Friday, March 25, 2011
It's Friday already?
Shocking! Where did the week go? Having done pretty much nothing all week, I feel sufficiently slothful. This morning we are doing some catering cooking that needs to get dropped off in a couple of hours, so at least we have a momentary focus. After that, who knows?
I've decided to stop in Las Vegas on my return journey home. Sometimes I think I am the only person who has never visited Sin City and it's time to remedy that situation. The tricky part was finding a hotel close to the action that allowed dogs. Dogs and gambling must not be simpatico or perhaps it's dogs and the Strip that don't get along. Most of the places that allow dogs are on the outskirts of the downtown area and are of the major chain types of motels, such as Motel 6 and Comfort Inn. I was hoping for something a little better than that and I also want to be within walking distance of the Bellagio water fountains. After a bit of searching I discovered that the Paris Hotel accepts small dogs! We are in luck! The rooms are reasonable and the location is perfect.
I am not much of a gambler but I do love to win large sums of money so I will play some 25 cent slot machines, hoping to win enough money to finance my retirement. One must think positively about one's chances and I definitely am doing that. The roulette wheel also holds some fascination for me so I may put down a couple of bets there as well. But the real draws for me are seeing the new bridge over the Hoover Dam and seeing the water fountains at the Bellagio. A couple of years ago, when I drove from New Orleans, I went through Las Vegas and the construction of the bridge was underway. The bridge, less than a quarter completed, was looming over the existing road like a steel pincher jutting out of the mountain. The pictures I have seen of it look beautiful, so we will definitely stop and check that out. As for the fountains, I have always wanted to see them and now is my chance. Staying at the Bellagio wasn't an option but the Paris Hotel is across the street, so I am happy about that.
Any other suggestions for a single woman in Vegas? Again, I am not a real gambler and definitely not a party person, but it seems there may be enough free stuff (or fairly low cost) to see and do. And there are always the delicious buffets! Cooper will enjoy being out of the car and taking a walk but I am not sure he will be up for slot machines. I doubt that they even let puppies in the casino areas of the big hotels but maybe if I get him a cute outfit, something with rhinestones, he'll get a pass and can help me score free cocktails while we win big bucks.
But the journey to Vegas doesn't start for a couple of days. We have the weekend, part of which will be taken up with a visit to the Lone Oak Winery for their wine club release party. Other than that, I guess we'll just have to see what comes along.
.
I've decided to stop in Las Vegas on my return journey home. Sometimes I think I am the only person who has never visited Sin City and it's time to remedy that situation. The tricky part was finding a hotel close to the action that allowed dogs. Dogs and gambling must not be simpatico or perhaps it's dogs and the Strip that don't get along. Most of the places that allow dogs are on the outskirts of the downtown area and are of the major chain types of motels, such as Motel 6 and Comfort Inn. I was hoping for something a little better than that and I also want to be within walking distance of the Bellagio water fountains. After a bit of searching I discovered that the Paris Hotel accepts small dogs! We are in luck! The rooms are reasonable and the location is perfect.
I am not much of a gambler but I do love to win large sums of money so I will play some 25 cent slot machines, hoping to win enough money to finance my retirement. One must think positively about one's chances and I definitely am doing that. The roulette wheel also holds some fascination for me so I may put down a couple of bets there as well. But the real draws for me are seeing the new bridge over the Hoover Dam and seeing the water fountains at the Bellagio. A couple of years ago, when I drove from New Orleans, I went through Las Vegas and the construction of the bridge was underway. The bridge, less than a quarter completed, was looming over the existing road like a steel pincher jutting out of the mountain. The pictures I have seen of it look beautiful, so we will definitely stop and check that out. As for the fountains, I have always wanted to see them and now is my chance. Staying at the Bellagio wasn't an option but the Paris Hotel is across the street, so I am happy about that.
Any other suggestions for a single woman in Vegas? Again, I am not a real gambler and definitely not a party person, but it seems there may be enough free stuff (or fairly low cost) to see and do. And there are always the delicious buffets! Cooper will enjoy being out of the car and taking a walk but I am not sure he will be up for slot machines. I doubt that they even let puppies in the casino areas of the big hotels but maybe if I get him a cute outfit, something with rhinestones, he'll get a pass and can help me score free cocktails while we win big bucks.
But the journey to Vegas doesn't start for a couple of days. We have the weekend, part of which will be taken up with a visit to the Lone Oak Winery for their wine club release party. Other than that, I guess we'll just have to see what comes along.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Dog days in Texas
I realize that I have not posted here since Monday! Gosh, time does fly when you are deep in the heart of Texas. My days are so, so busy, what with walking the dogs and all. And sitting in the backyard. And watching episodes of CSI: NY with Jenn. We take the dogs to the dog park every day and that takes up a lot of time as well. It's amazing we have time for anything normal, like coffee and showers and the like. Even the dogs are exhausted:
We found an amazing market in Dallas yesterday, huge and very, very upscale. Think Whole Foods only richer. Their wine department was bigger than the wine department at the local Cost Plus World Market! The fresh bread department looked like a French bakery, with more than two dozen different kinds of freshly baked bread. The deli counter stretched at least 20 feet, with more salads than you could imagine, and then there were the hot foods, the salad bar, the olive bar, and on and on. We had a great time and I spent a bit of money. I offered earlier in the week to take Jenn out to a nice dinner but she opted to go to this market instead. I spent way less at the market than I would have on a restaurant, so it was win-win all the way.
We cooked scallops last night for dinner with a spring risotto, molto bene! Here are the dogs, watching us cook:
Tonight some of Jenn's friends are coming over for dinner and I am making my famous pork cooked in milk. Yummm.
OK, that's really a bunch of boring stuff, isn't it? Sounds like "Dear Diary: today I went to school and came home." I didn't even mention the part where we got pedicures and how beautiful our toes look right now. Or taking the dogs to Pet Co for dog food and how Cooper peed in the store! Absolutely no social skills, that dog. I won't even mention the plan for today. Instead, I will tell you about it tomorrow! Tune in then!
We found an amazing market in Dallas yesterday, huge and very, very upscale. Think Whole Foods only richer. Their wine department was bigger than the wine department at the local Cost Plus World Market! The fresh bread department looked like a French bakery, with more than two dozen different kinds of freshly baked bread. The deli counter stretched at least 20 feet, with more salads than you could imagine, and then there were the hot foods, the salad bar, the olive bar, and on and on. We had a great time and I spent a bit of money. I offered earlier in the week to take Jenn out to a nice dinner but she opted to go to this market instead. I spent way less at the market than I would have on a restaurant, so it was win-win all the way.
We cooked scallops last night for dinner with a spring risotto, molto bene! Here are the dogs, watching us cook:
Tonight some of Jenn's friends are coming over for dinner and I am making my famous pork cooked in milk. Yummm.
OK, that's really a bunch of boring stuff, isn't it? Sounds like "Dear Diary: today I went to school and came home." I didn't even mention the part where we got pedicures and how beautiful our toes look right now. Or taking the dogs to Pet Co for dog food and how Cooper peed in the store! Absolutely no social skills, that dog. I won't even mention the plan for today. Instead, I will tell you about it tomorrow! Tune in then!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Museums, burgers and more!
The Fort Worth Modern Art Museum is gorgeous, inside and out. Great structure, surrounded on three sides by vast reflecting pools so it's as if it is floating. Cool, gray concrete walls inside that are rounded and smooth create a feeling of peace and calm. The art is spaced out well and the rooms are large so there is little chance of feeling overcrowded. The permanent collection is great, an eclectic sample of modern art with all the well-known heavy hitters and many not-so-familiar artists as well. There were two special exhibits, one that really hit home with me. Ed Ruscha's exhibit titled "Road Tested" was inspired by his car trip in 1956 from Oklahoma to Los Angeles. Because of his love of driving he chronicled that journey and subsequent ones in paintings, photographs and drawings of gas stations, street signs, apartment buildings, and many more images, mainly along the old Route 66. (Highway 40, which I drove out here, parallels Route 66 in many places.) Being a fellow fan of the road trip, and seeing gas stations that I almost remember from some collective consciousness and photos of Los Angeles apartment buildings built in the late 1950's and early 60's, the entire exhibit hit on some part of my soul, as corny as that sounds. As a kid, a couple of times a year my parents would pile all of us six kids in the station wagon and take a two day road trip, or a two week trip to the High Sierras. I remember those huge gas stations with their Standard Oil and Esso and 76 signs.
So this exhibit was a flip back into the past for me in some ways.
After the museum we went to this cool funky place called Fred's Cafe, a simple name that belies its reality. This is a totally Texan spot, unassuming, very local but fine for out-of-towners as well, a very small inside bar with a couple of tables and a large outside patio area, loosely covered, with plastic tables and folding chairs. Fred's is the place to go to for a burger, big sloppy burgers with great fries, beers and iced tea, live music on the weekends, totally relaxed. Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious, everything good. We had a blast.
This is the outside of Fred's, although now the entire top is covered with a canopy and since the plant wasn't there, I can only assume it is now dead.
Sunday was spent in Jenn's backyard, pulling weeds and raking. It's a huge backyard so it took some time and we filled a couple of big garbage bags with weeds and dead grass. Today, Monday, we are slowly formulating our plan of the day, which will culminate in having one of Jenn's friends over for crab cakes and other tasty treats. This morning when I walked the dogs the sky was gray with fat clouds and the temperature was perfect, a mild 68. It's supposed to be in the 80's this week, a bit hot for this coastal woman, but hey, I'm on vacation! What do I care!
Over and out for now.
So this exhibit was a flip back into the past for me in some ways.
A photo of the museum.
After the museum we went to this cool funky place called Fred's Cafe, a simple name that belies its reality. This is a totally Texan spot, unassuming, very local but fine for out-of-towners as well, a very small inside bar with a couple of tables and a large outside patio area, loosely covered, with plastic tables and folding chairs. Fred's is the place to go to for a burger, big sloppy burgers with great fries, beers and iced tea, live music on the weekends, totally relaxed. Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious, everything good. We had a blast.
Sunday was spent in Jenn's backyard, pulling weeds and raking. It's a huge backyard so it took some time and we filled a couple of big garbage bags with weeds and dead grass. Today, Monday, we are slowly formulating our plan of the day, which will culminate in having one of Jenn's friends over for crab cakes and other tasty treats. This morning when I walked the dogs the sky was gray with fat clouds and the temperature was perfect, a mild 68. It's supposed to be in the 80's this week, a bit hot for this coastal woman, but hey, I'm on vacation! What do I care!
Over and out for now.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Childress to Grand Prairie
The lack of a working air conditioner in Childress drove Cooper and me out of the motel room before dawn on Friday morning. There was not a window in the motel that opened; had there been we could have gotten some nice cool air, but that was not to be. Besides, I like hitting the road when it is still dark, it seems as if one is setting off into the great unknown. When it is Texas, out in the middle of nowhere, it is indeed the unknown, so even better.
As always when driving through America, I spotted many billboards that were of the religious nature. I wonder if Jesus knows how much he saves out here. "Jesus Saves" is a phrase oft repeated but they never tell you what he saves. String? Pennies? Plastic containers? I just don't know. At one point there were two billboards, one above the other. The top one had a photo of a large house and said "The Blade House" and it was for the world's largest knife store. Gosh. Below it, on a second billboard, was a photo of a man's anguished face (maybe he was worried about those knives) and the words "Nothing is too hard for God." Maybe I'm crazy but if that is the case, maybe God could do something about that knife store. Like get rid of it?
We were at Jenn's by 11:00 Friday morning and is nice to be here. Cooper is a bit daunted by the size and energy of Jenn's dog but I think they will end up getting along. If they don't, too bad. Today we hit the Farmers Market in Grand Prairie, which is sort of like saying we bought some produce out of the back of someone's VW bug. The photos show the extent of the produce and the Church Lady's baked goods. These are the largest vendors at the market. There is a guy selling flavored peanuts, a really good (and cheap) honey vendor, a candle lady and a couple of other small tables of food, oil, plants and literature.
In the corner of the Church Lady's table, on the left, you can see a little container of what are CD's. They are free recordings of sermons from the Bible. Free! Like the loaves and fishes! Jenn and I thumbed through them, looking for a "Greatest Hits" recording but we didn't find one. (Had we arrived at the market earlier, perhaps we would have been luckier.) The sermons were not ones we wanted to listen to (no Sodom and Gomorrah) so we didn't get any. In retrospect we should have picked some up for stocking stuffers for next Christmas. What a great gift!
We did buy some overpriced yet delicious cashews with pepper and parmesan and a Church Lady fried apple pie. One must do what one can to support the local economy.
We are going to Fort Worth today to visit the art museum and out to late lunch. The weather is in the 70's, a little cloudy, just fine. It will be a good day.
.
As always when driving through America, I spotted many billboards that were of the religious nature. I wonder if Jesus knows how much he saves out here. "Jesus Saves" is a phrase oft repeated but they never tell you what he saves. String? Pennies? Plastic containers? I just don't know. At one point there were two billboards, one above the other. The top one had a photo of a large house and said "The Blade House" and it was for the world's largest knife store. Gosh. Below it, on a second billboard, was a photo of a man's anguished face (maybe he was worried about those knives) and the words "Nothing is too hard for God." Maybe I'm crazy but if that is the case, maybe God could do something about that knife store. Like get rid of it?
We were at Jenn's by 11:00 Friday morning and is nice to be here. Cooper is a bit daunted by the size and energy of Jenn's dog but I think they will end up getting along. If they don't, too bad. Today we hit the Farmers Market in Grand Prairie, which is sort of like saying we bought some produce out of the back of someone's VW bug. The photos show the extent of the produce and the Church Lady's baked goods. These are the largest vendors at the market. There is a guy selling flavored peanuts, a really good (and cheap) honey vendor, a candle lady and a couple of other small tables of food, oil, plants and literature.
We did buy some overpriced yet delicious cashews with pepper and parmesan and a Church Lady fried apple pie. One must do what one can to support the local economy.
We are going to Fort Worth today to visit the art museum and out to late lunch. The weather is in the 70's, a little cloudy, just fine. It will be a good day.
.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
ABQ to Childress, TX
The last two days we drove more than 500 miles each day, and close to 600 yesterday. Today we did a bit more than 400 miles, an easy day. Through NM into west TX. Not a bad drive. Going east from Albuquerque the landscape was great, huge rocks, tall rock formations, gigantic mountains of rock. On one side were the mountains, on the other side of the highway was a vast expanse of empty land, the horizon at least a couple of hundred miles away. As I crossed into Texas, the landscape became even more empty and flat, for as far as I could see. North west Texas is not pretty. I drove this part of the route last year and was appalled by the dead, decaying clumps of houses along the highway. Even the towns are slowly succumbing to neglect. This town, Childress, is obviously a way-stop half way between Albuquerque and Dallas, so there are at least a dozen motels, many fast food places and a few family owned restaurants. A couple of hardware stores, a Wal-Mart (how appropriate,) gas stations and not much else.
It is 95 degrees outside right now, almost 7:00 in the evening. The motel room is fine but the air conditioning is lame, barely cooling things down. I asked for another room and checked out the AC in that room and it was about the same. I think it is just that the heat outside has made the building like a baking box so it won't really cool down until midnight, if then. Hey, if it's gonna be 95 for the next ten days, I am not sure how that's going to play out for me. If you know me, you know how much I love the heat. NOT.
I felt sorry for Cooper, he gave me a 'heads up' that he had to go out and do his business, but as soon as we walked outside, about a half hour ago, he stopped and turned around to go back into our tepid room. No luck, pup, gotta do it. But it's hot on his feet, there's no grass except prickly weeds so it was a gingerly managed pee and poop. He will be really happy to get to Grand Prairie and not have to be in the car for many days, unless it is to go to the dog park. He also will be happy to run! Not just a short walk but a full-on run! And he can have dog communication with Jenn's dog, Bebe, instead of just listening to me talking about which motel we are staying at. Tomorrow, Cooper will be landing happily. Getting to sniff other dogs, how good is that?
(...time passes...) It's now almost 9:00 and the temp is down to 84 but my room still hovers around 80. I brought in a club sandwich from a family restaurant across the street and it was actually quite delicious. I intend to be out of here by 7:30 in the morning, rolling into Jenn's a bit after noon.
til then.
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It is 95 degrees outside right now, almost 7:00 in the evening. The motel room is fine but the air conditioning is lame, barely cooling things down. I asked for another room and checked out the AC in that room and it was about the same. I think it is just that the heat outside has made the building like a baking box so it won't really cool down until midnight, if then. Hey, if it's gonna be 95 for the next ten days, I am not sure how that's going to play out for me. If you know me, you know how much I love the heat. NOT.
I felt sorry for Cooper, he gave me a 'heads up' that he had to go out and do his business, but as soon as we walked outside, about a half hour ago, he stopped and turned around to go back into our tepid room. No luck, pup, gotta do it. But it's hot on his feet, there's no grass except prickly weeds so it was a gingerly managed pee and poop. He will be really happy to get to Grand Prairie and not have to be in the car for many days, unless it is to go to the dog park. He also will be happy to run! Not just a short walk but a full-on run! And he can have dog communication with Jenn's dog, Bebe, instead of just listening to me talking about which motel we are staying at. Tomorrow, Cooper will be landing happily. Getting to sniff other dogs, how good is that?
(...time passes...) It's now almost 9:00 and the temp is down to 84 but my room still hovers around 80. I brought in a club sandwich from a family restaurant across the street and it was actually quite delicious. I intend to be out of here by 7:30 in the morning, rolling into Jenn's a bit after noon.
til then.
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Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Needles to Albuquerque
What a long day of driving! Left Needles at 7:15 and between stopping for gas and pee breaks and to walk Cooper and to hunt up a mechanic for some over-the-phone advice, we didn't pull into Albuquerque until a little after 4:00, so 9 hours in the car. Crazy.
I have some free travel advice: never get a motel room when you really have to pee. I should have stopped yesterday at Mcdonalds and peed and then found a room. I also should have noted that on the big, tall motel sign (visible from the freeway) it noted "Vending Machines Available." I honestly didn't see that in my urge to get a room and pee, but I can now say with great certainty that if a motel is advertising vending machines, it's a safe bet that it sucks. And it did. After I was in the room for a bit the negative aspects became quite apparent. For one thing the TV was on one of those black trays that stick out of the wall and the screen was smaller than that of my laptop. For another thing, there was one hand towel, one bath towel and one wash cloth and one teeny bar of soap. So generous. I didn't take a shower (too scary) so the towel situation wasn't too important but still, come on. The beds were remarkably uncomfortable and the pillow was like sleeping on something stuffed with clumps of wadded up cardboard. The person or persons in the room above me must have been insomniacs because they paced from one side of the room to the other all night long. It was the sort of motel that has permanent "guests" and they all had tin foil on their windows, quite the charming decorating technique. But hey, it was $39 plus tax! What a bargain! That should have been another clear indication of its worthiness. No wonder we were out of there at 7:15 this morning.
The ride was mostly uneventful. The speed limit in these parts is 75 mph so you can easily go close to 85, although I limit the Honda to 80. There was some beautiful scenery, going through the mountains at about 7500 feet elevation and then in New Mexico some of the red, sculpted hills were quite nice. One of the lights on my dash came on and because the Honda instruction manual warns you to never disregard those lights, I had to find someone in Winslow, AZ that had knowledge of Hondas, a task that was a little trickier than I anticipated. Seems the locals are much more infatuated with American trucks and vans instead of small Japanese cars. But I was persistent and eventually successful and was assured that the engine would be fine without emergency repair.
We are in a fine hotel (i.e. motel) tonight with real pillows and nice sheets and good towels. Cooper is already sleeping, being that he is exhausted after a long day in the car. My decision for the evening is what to have for dinner, since I did not venture out of the motel room last night and am therefore a bit hungry for something other than cheese and crackers and peanut butter. Too many peanut M&Ms were consumed in the car today so my stomach is asking for some kind of food that was actually grown, not produced in a factory. Salad, perhaps.
Onward.
.
I have some free travel advice: never get a motel room when you really have to pee. I should have stopped yesterday at Mcdonalds and peed and then found a room. I also should have noted that on the big, tall motel sign (visible from the freeway) it noted "Vending Machines Available." I honestly didn't see that in my urge to get a room and pee, but I can now say with great certainty that if a motel is advertising vending machines, it's a safe bet that it sucks. And it did. After I was in the room for a bit the negative aspects became quite apparent. For one thing the TV was on one of those black trays that stick out of the wall and the screen was smaller than that of my laptop. For another thing, there was one hand towel, one bath towel and one wash cloth and one teeny bar of soap. So generous. I didn't take a shower (too scary) so the towel situation wasn't too important but still, come on. The beds were remarkably uncomfortable and the pillow was like sleeping on something stuffed with clumps of wadded up cardboard. The person or persons in the room above me must have been insomniacs because they paced from one side of the room to the other all night long. It was the sort of motel that has permanent "guests" and they all had tin foil on their windows, quite the charming decorating technique. But hey, it was $39 plus tax! What a bargain! That should have been another clear indication of its worthiness. No wonder we were out of there at 7:15 this morning.
The ride was mostly uneventful. The speed limit in these parts is 75 mph so you can easily go close to 85, although I limit the Honda to 80. There was some beautiful scenery, going through the mountains at about 7500 feet elevation and then in New Mexico some of the red, sculpted hills were quite nice. One of the lights on my dash came on and because the Honda instruction manual warns you to never disregard those lights, I had to find someone in Winslow, AZ that had knowledge of Hondas, a task that was a little trickier than I anticipated. Seems the locals are much more infatuated with American trucks and vans instead of small Japanese cars. But I was persistent and eventually successful and was assured that the engine would be fine without emergency repair.
We are in a fine hotel (i.e. motel) tonight with real pillows and nice sheets and good towels. Cooper is already sleeping, being that he is exhausted after a long day in the car. My decision for the evening is what to have for dinner, since I did not venture out of the motel room last night and am therefore a bit hungry for something other than cheese and crackers and peanut butter. Too many peanut M&Ms were consumed in the car today so my stomach is asking for some kind of food that was actually grown, not produced in a factory. Salad, perhaps.
Onward.
.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
SF to Needles
Just a quick post. Long day of driving and in order to avoid staying in Barstow, a town I truly dislike, Cooper and I drove another two hours so we could stay in Needles. I have nothing to say about Needles so far, just grabbed the first motel that appeared (I really had to pee) and it isn't a nice one, but it will do for a night. Seriously thinking about NOT going out for dinner, just eating cheese and crackers I brought along, with a glass of bourbon. It's hot outside but there is a noisy air conditioner that I hope cools the room down. I suspect we will be out of here quite early in the morning.
Cooper actually fell asleep in the car for a while late this afternoon. I made a little tent for him, thinking it might make him feel more sheltered. Don't know if that worked, but he did finally shut his eyes and stop panting.
We are taking Hwy. 40 this time into TX, different than the southern route. Went through the Mojave desert, the scenery was beautiful in that high desert way. I am going to try to get to Albuquerque tomorrow, it seems a bit less than 8 hours. After that, who knows..... a ten hour drive or break it up into two days, I have no idea. Heck, that's more than 24 hours from now! I can decide then!
That's all for now..... this internet connection, while free, is friggin slow. More tomorrow and maybe some photos! thanks for following along.
Cooper actually fell asleep in the car for a while late this afternoon. I made a little tent for him, thinking it might make him feel more sheltered. Don't know if that worked, but he did finally shut his eyes and stop panting.
We are taking Hwy. 40 this time into TX, different than the southern route. Went through the Mojave desert, the scenery was beautiful in that high desert way. I am going to try to get to Albuquerque tomorrow, it seems a bit less than 8 hours. After that, who knows..... a ten hour drive or break it up into two days, I have no idea. Heck, that's more than 24 hours from now! I can decide then!
That's all for now..... this internet connection, while free, is friggin slow. More tomorrow and maybe some photos! thanks for following along.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Hitting the road, Yippee!
For all you followers of the blog, you will be happy to know that tomorrow I am once again hitting the road, driving to Texas. It should take me at least a day, perhaps two. Kidding, even the way I drive (i.e. fast) it will take at least three days but I will have great adventures along the way and will report back, hopefully every evening. So be on the lookout for reports on towns, motels, food, drivers, scenery, Cooper, weather and anything else the Travel Gnomes toss in my path.
Now I know there are those of you out there who hate road trips. (Yes, Jani, I am speaking to you.) But I also know there are many who like spending hours in the car, just being on the road. I expect both types to be reading this blog, the first so they can roll their collective eyes and say something like "oh, god, that sounds terrible." The second group will perhaps clap their collective hands and say something like "oh, man, I so wish I was in that car with her."
Whoever you are, whatever your feelings about being on the road....... come on, tag along. Queue up music, Steppenwolf, "Born to Be Wild",..... get your motor runnin', head out on the highway, looking for adventure, whatever comes our way.....
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Now I know there are those of you out there who hate road trips. (Yes, Jani, I am speaking to you.) But I also know there are many who like spending hours in the car, just being on the road. I expect both types to be reading this blog, the first so they can roll their collective eyes and say something like "oh, god, that sounds terrible." The second group will perhaps clap their collective hands and say something like "oh, man, I so wish I was in that car with her."
Whoever you are, whatever your feelings about being on the road....... come on, tag along. Queue up music, Steppenwolf, "Born to Be Wild",..... get your motor runnin', head out on the highway, looking for adventure, whatever comes our way.....
Sunday, March 13, 2011
To market, to market.....
Because I am writing a funky little column for a nationwide on-line local color thing (I don't know what to call it, actually), the concept of farmers markets has been on my mind lately. The latest one is here, but you might have to scroll a page or two to find it: http://www.examiner.com/food-and-drink-in-san-francisco
The Alemany Farmers Market, which I visited yesterday, is not just the oldest one in SF, it is the oldest farmers market in California. Started in 1943, it was a way for people with war-time "victory gardens" to sell their surplus home-grown crops to those who did not have means or space to have such a garden. In other words, once everyone on your block had all the zucchini they could use from your garden, the farmers market was your next stop. You could sell that zucchini and anything else you grew in abundance to people in other neighborhoods, and in turn you could get oranges and apples from their trees. Vegetables in exchange for fruit, all grown in the same square mile.Zip forward 68 years and what do we have now? A huge "locavore" movement, where people want to eat food produced as close to home as possible. This is what the original farmers markets were all about. Just think, the local food movement was born out of the need to share what came out of one's garden. Then, as the 1950's and 60's rolled along, all that fresh food was put on the back shelf in favor of frozen and processed food, which was (or so the marketing department wanted you to believe) much more convenient and better for you. Jolly Green Giant frozen green beans or canned Del Monte green beans had to be better than those from the garden because, well, just because.
And now the local and seasonal food movement, the darling cause of elite foodies, is back. Not for the same reasons, not because of an excess of produce and the need to share it, but because it is "the right way to eat." I don't argue with that, but it just cracks me up, how so many think this is an original idea. Ha!
But back to the farmers market subject. The SF market at the Ferry Building is, as we all know, an obvious example of the physical beauty of fresh produce. Stroll through it on a Saturday morning and everything looks vibrant and attractive. The produce is almost like art, the colors are eye-catching, the arrangements are symmetrical. Things smell good, look good, feel good. People come from miles away to hang out at the market, making it an entire day's destination. That market is less of a farmers market and more of a movable feast, a rather expensive feast at that.
Then go to the Alemany Farmers Market on Saturday morning. Totally different crowd, not so many tall white people with cool hats, not so many over-priced strollers with cute babies. Most of the shoppers are of different ethnic backgrounds and the produce is different as well. The prices are a whole lot cheaper than the Ferry Building and the produce is still organic. The stalls are painted with bright murals but they are concrete stalls, in contrast with the tables and white canopies of the other market. It is just a different scene, in almost every way. It is really a market where farmers sell their products to people in that neighborhood.
Gosh, that's a lot for a Sunday morning! The coffee has certainly done its job on me! Enjoy the day.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tsunami in SF
OK, there wasn't a tsunami in SF, but there certainly were a lot of people who truly wished for it. This morning all of the local newscasters were trying to outdo one another with their "up to the minute" coverage of the big 2 foot wave that was going to wipe out parts of the bay area beaches. Sure, a little damage was done to a few boats in Santa Cruz but closing the Great Highway for hours because of a small chance of a 2 foot wave surge? Is news that slow these days that all the media could do was really, really hope for something terribly dramatic, something that would be an epic disaster?
I met my excellent friend Vivienne for lunch today at the Beach Chalet, which is a stone's throw from the water at Ocean Beach. Because of the impending killer waves, the Great Highway was still closed at noon. One had to park on a side street in Golden Gate Park and walk a block to the restaurant, quite a hardship, but one must endure these trials during tsunami season, I suppose. There were no cars in the parking lot, no cars anywhere and very few people dining. We got a table right at the window, a perfect viewing place to see the monstrous waves when they finally arrived. We were primed to be awestruck by their ferociousness. While we waited for the onslaught of the wall of water, we were actually quite delighted that the Great Highway was closed. It was a bit eerie; I can't think of another time that that entire stretch of road has been closed completely for such a length of time. It felt like a movie set, like something was going to happen as soon as the cameras started rolling.
Suffice it to say we had a very nice lunch and since we were pretty sure it was going to be the end of Ocean Beach as we knew it, we even had wine with our lunch. Throw caution to the wind when tsunami's are predicted, that was our motto.
Alas, no waves materialized, no wall of water washed anything away. And lest you think I am making light of tsunami's, I am not. Seeing videos of the waves in Japan was frightening, cars and houses just swept aside like cardboard toys. The power of that force is something I hope never to experience personally. But to hear the local media talk about it, we were in grave danger here in SF. We weren't.
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I met my excellent friend Vivienne for lunch today at the Beach Chalet, which is a stone's throw from the water at Ocean Beach. Because of the impending killer waves, the Great Highway was still closed at noon. One had to park on a side street in Golden Gate Park and walk a block to the restaurant, quite a hardship, but one must endure these trials during tsunami season, I suppose. There were no cars in the parking lot, no cars anywhere and very few people dining. We got a table right at the window, a perfect viewing place to see the monstrous waves when they finally arrived. We were primed to be awestruck by their ferociousness. While we waited for the onslaught of the wall of water, we were actually quite delighted that the Great Highway was closed. It was a bit eerie; I can't think of another time that that entire stretch of road has been closed completely for such a length of time. It felt like a movie set, like something was going to happen as soon as the cameras started rolling.
Suffice it to say we had a very nice lunch and since we were pretty sure it was going to be the end of Ocean Beach as we knew it, we even had wine with our lunch. Throw caution to the wind when tsunami's are predicted, that was our motto.
Alas, no waves materialized, no wall of water washed anything away. And lest you think I am making light of tsunami's, I am not. Seeing videos of the waves in Japan was frightening, cars and houses just swept aside like cardboard toys. The power of that force is something I hope never to experience personally. But to hear the local media talk about it, we were in grave danger here in SF. We weren't.
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Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Inverview #2
What's with the economy these days, can anyone clue me in? OK, I know that the economy is bad, people are still getting laid off, people are still getting foreclosed out of their homes, but come on, new jobs that pay a whopping $12.00 an hour? Yes, the job I interviewed for yesterday payed just that. It did pay health benefits, which for me is like getting another $2.75 an hour, but still. $12.00 an hour gets you less than $1600 a month. Given that rent in the bay area ranges from around $900 for a small, squalid studio apartment and up, let's put us in a non-squalid yet not great apartment for $1100 a month. That leaves about $500 for food, utilities, gas, car insurance, dog food, clothes, car repairs if needed and anything else not taken for granted. Dentist? Can't afford it. Eye exam? Can't afford it. Neither of those are covered under the insurance policy.
How does a person live on $12 an hour? Answer me that, Mr. Wizard.
How does a person live on $12 an hour? Answer me that, Mr. Wizard.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Inverview #1
First interview of the week. I even bought new clothes so I looked less ..... jobless. Interview went fine, although the woman who questioned me seemed to be about 17 years old but maybe she was 25. Maybe.
I hate it when they ask what you expect in terms of salary. If you say too much, they mentally cross you off the list. If you say too little, they mentally jump up and down. If you don't say anything and act vague about it, they offer you $11.25 like Whole Foods did. And by now I am certainly not shy about countering that question with "Before I answer, let me ask you a question. Does this job offer health benefits?" Because if it doesn't, then I am quoting nothing less than $25 per hour.
Oh well, who knows? They want someone to start right away, which certainly would put a crimp in my March Agenda. But since they haven't even interviewed all the candidates, that is far down on my list of things to be concerned about.
More to follow, I suppose.
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I hate it when they ask what you expect in terms of salary. If you say too much, they mentally cross you off the list. If you say too little, they mentally jump up and down. If you don't say anything and act vague about it, they offer you $11.25 like Whole Foods did. And by now I am certainly not shy about countering that question with "Before I answer, let me ask you a question. Does this job offer health benefits?" Because if it doesn't, then I am quoting nothing less than $25 per hour.
Oh well, who knows? They want someone to start right away, which certainly would put a crimp in my March Agenda. But since they haven't even interviewed all the candidates, that is far down on my list of things to be concerned about.
More to follow, I suppose.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Mice and job offers
Last night was the last night in the water tower. Sharing the room with mice in the middle of the night is not my idea of a good sleep. Now, to be honest, I didn't actually see the mice but I heard them and I pretended that they were in the upstairs part, or in the walls, and I simply didn't open my eyes to see if they were visible from the bed. That would have been entirely too disturbing at 3:12 a.m. However, because of the little remainders they left behind on the funky table, I know they were there. Plus there were just too many scary noises last night. I swear there was a wild warthog scratching at the door, making warthog noises, but it could have been an extremely large raccoon or a very small wild boar. Again, I didn't get up to investigate, preferring to hide under the blankets, silently pleading with the the screeching beast to leave me alone.
Mice, the warthog and having to get up and walk a rocky path to the bathroom in the middle of the night were enough to get me out of there. Tonight Cooper and I are staying at the Blue Sky Motel in Carmel Valley. Very 1960's, but off the main road, very clean and check this out: the bathroom is in the same unit as the bed! No more stumbling down the path to pee. Plus it is cheap; not as cheap as free but under $100 for me and the dog and tax. I am out of here in the morning, pre-dawn, so didn't need something luxurious and can't afford that anyway.
Cooper and I wandered through Carmel today, peered in many windows and walked into a couple of shops. Carmelians profess to love dogs, so you can bring your dog with you to look at clothes and such, as long as the dog doesn't touch anything or sniff anything. People thought he was cute, but, alas, no one offered him a job in the movies, and no one offered to buy him some new clothes. He was a little disappointed, but then he is not experienced in the cruel ways of the path to fame. I provided some solace by taking him back to the long, sandy beach where dogs can roam freely. He immediately forgot about being a movie star or being rich and found, once again, great joy in sniffing other dogs' private parts. It was a warm, windless day and everyone, dogs and owners, were smiling at each other and in general being happy.
Job: I haven't brought up the subject of jobs lately, but here's the latest: I had an interview with Whole Foods in Mill Valley last Friday. I knew they would offer me a job and they did. However, it was a sort of bait-and-switch routine. The job I interviewed for was a full-time job. The job they offered me was part-time, 20 hours a week at the remarkable wage of $11.25 per hour! Take-home pay on that is around $150 a week, less than half of what I get on unemployment. And no benefits until you work 400 hours, which at 20 per week would be 20 weeks, about five months. Gosh, it was an offer I could hardly refuse! The best part is that the guy who interviewed me was actually pissed that I turned the job down. "But you said you would like working for us" he said. "I can't pay rent on 20 hours a week, let alone gas, food, insurance, utilities" I said.
But next week I have two other interviews lined up and hopefully a third one in the works. What a process.
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Mice, the warthog and having to get up and walk a rocky path to the bathroom in the middle of the night were enough to get me out of there. Tonight Cooper and I are staying at the Blue Sky Motel in Carmel Valley. Very 1960's, but off the main road, very clean and check this out: the bathroom is in the same unit as the bed! No more stumbling down the path to pee. Plus it is cheap; not as cheap as free but under $100 for me and the dog and tax. I am out of here in the morning, pre-dawn, so didn't need something luxurious and can't afford that anyway.
Cooper and I wandered through Carmel today, peered in many windows and walked into a couple of shops. Carmelians profess to love dogs, so you can bring your dog with you to look at clothes and such, as long as the dog doesn't touch anything or sniff anything. People thought he was cute, but, alas, no one offered him a job in the movies, and no one offered to buy him some new clothes. He was a little disappointed, but then he is not experienced in the cruel ways of the path to fame. I provided some solace by taking him back to the long, sandy beach where dogs can roam freely. He immediately forgot about being a movie star or being rich and found, once again, great joy in sniffing other dogs' private parts. It was a warm, windless day and everyone, dogs and owners, were smiling at each other and in general being happy.
Job: I haven't brought up the subject of jobs lately, but here's the latest: I had an interview with Whole Foods in Mill Valley last Friday. I knew they would offer me a job and they did. However, it was a sort of bait-and-switch routine. The job I interviewed for was a full-time job. The job they offered me was part-time, 20 hours a week at the remarkable wage of $11.25 per hour! Take-home pay on that is around $150 a week, less than half of what I get on unemployment. And no benefits until you work 400 hours, which at 20 per week would be 20 weeks, about five months. Gosh, it was an offer I could hardly refuse! The best part is that the guy who interviewed me was actually pissed that I turned the job down. "But you said you would like working for us" he said. "I can't pay rent on 20 hours a week, let alone gas, food, insurance, utilities" I said.
But next week I have two other interviews lined up and hopefully a third one in the works. What a process.
.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Doing the Valleys
Here's a photo of the beach at Carmel and one of the water tower I am sleeping in. I just have the bottom floor, the upstairs is storage. Small, but lovely location. Funky but free.
Took a long, circuitous drive from Carmel Valley to the Pinnacles, then a long way back. Great clouds, saw the Salinas Valley and mile after mile of agriculture, fields as green as Emerald City. Not many people on the road so it was a nice drive.
Tomorrow Cooper and I are going to walk around Carmel, pretend to be shoppers, and perhaps I will put a little paper cup on Cooper's back with a small sign saying "Please Feed Me or Buy Me a Coat." Perhaps the generous folks of Carmel, who are said to love dogs, will put folding money in the cup. That's my plan, anyway, we'll see how it works out. Below is Cooper on the crowded bed in the water tower, desperately in need of some new threads, looking like an abandoned overfed rodent. Will let you know how we do on the money scam tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Sleeping in a Water Tower
The water tower is really a water tower! So odd. It's very small and octagonal in shape and rather funky. With about $500 and a trip to Ikea, it could be charming and much more comfortable. But hey, it's free, and that is always OK. The bathroom is in a different building (the barn) and therefore down a path, which is a little creepy at night, but again, it's free! I promise I will get a photo of it up here soon. The setting is great, very quiet, looks out on the hills of Carmel Valley.
Carmel has a long, beautiful, sandy beach that is dog friendly, so Cooper had a long run on the beach. Many other dogs were there so much butt-sniffing was done so that all dogs could be happy with their new-found friends. It's too bad people can't get along with strangers so easily. Maybe some butt-sniffing should go on in the human population, if that's what it takes.
Or perhaps not.
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Carmel has a long, beautiful, sandy beach that is dog friendly, so Cooper had a long run on the beach. Many other dogs were there so much butt-sniffing was done so that all dogs could be happy with their new-found friends. It's too bad people can't get along with strangers so easily. Maybe some butt-sniffing should go on in the human population, if that's what it takes.
Or perhaps not.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2011
March Madness
March already! Two months have already zipped by and what do we have to show for it? Nothing! Some rain, a little snow, a lot of snow in other places, many trashy novels absorbed, too many calories consumed, a great deal of dullness and slothfulness. (Speaking for myself, of course.) And not even a job! Zut alors!
Therefore, my month of March is going to be a madcap whirlwind of activity. Today I am setting out for Carmel Valley, a new adventure, to spend a few days in a converted water tower, another new adventure. Next week I have a few dinners scheduled, then my almost-a-grandson's first birthday, and then Cooper and I are hitting the road and driving to Texas. We will return early April, whereupon we have another house and dog sitting gig, and after that I am meeting one of my brothers in the Santa Inez valley (near Santa Barbara) for a few days of wine tasting and more slothfulness.
Now, it would be just my luck to be offered a really good job right now, one that I couldn't turn down, and most of the above plans would be scrapped for a paycheck. Ah, the vagaries of life.
I will report in on the water tower, Monterey County, the life of the rich and famous in Carmel. Stay tuned.
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Therefore, my month of March is going to be a madcap whirlwind of activity. Today I am setting out for Carmel Valley, a new adventure, to spend a few days in a converted water tower, another new adventure. Next week I have a few dinners scheduled, then my almost-a-grandson's first birthday, and then Cooper and I are hitting the road and driving to Texas. We will return early April, whereupon we have another house and dog sitting gig, and after that I am meeting one of my brothers in the Santa Inez valley (near Santa Barbara) for a few days of wine tasting and more slothfulness.
Now, it would be just my luck to be offered a really good job right now, one that I couldn't turn down, and most of the above plans would be scrapped for a paycheck. Ah, the vagaries of life.
I will report in on the water tower, Monterey County, the life of the rich and famous in Carmel. Stay tuned.
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