A Reason to be Thankful

1. Having friends to celebrate.

A Poem by Mary Oliver

A friend shared a poem by Mary Oliver that is quite apt for the season. I thought I would also share.

Not This, Not That

Nor anything,
not the eastern wind whose other name is rain,
nor the burning heats of the dunes
at the crown of summer,
nor the ticks, that new, ferocious populace,
nor the President who loves blood,
nor the governmental agencies that love money,
will alter my love for you, my friends and my beloved,
or for you, oh ghosts of Emerson and Whitman,
or for you, oh blue sky of the summer morning,
that makes me roll in a barrel of gratitude down hills,
or for you, oldest of friends: hope:
or for you, newest of friends: faith;
or for you, silliest and dearest of surprises,
my own life.

-Mary Oliver

The Holiday Letter

Looking Back
For our friends with short attention spans, here’s how our year played out. We bought a flat, missed our 20th and 30th high-school reunions, moved in together, said goodbye to Miss Kitty, went on a cruise to Alaska, met Douglas’ sister Julie and her family at Disneyland and spent Thanksgiving in Walla Walla, where Douglas decided to return home to SF with a minor fracture to his right arm.

Our New Home
When we fell in love with a Victorian flat (13’ ceilings, original details, updated kitchen, on a tree-lined street), we hesitated to get our hopes up. The stars aligned and we now call it home.

We met Faye, a real estate agent, the first Sunday in January, attended a first time buyer’s seminar, reviewed the disclosures five days later, and three hours in to the review, we made an offer. The owners made a counter-offer, which we countered and they accepted. In March we signed the final papers, got the keys and spent two days painting the lavender-colored bedrooms to an acceptable coffee color.
We’re spending our first Christmas in our new home. It’s been a lot of fun going through our combined decorations, and we’re looking forward to new traditions.

Miss Kitty
Always the lady, Kitty shared her life with us and added more to our home than we can admit. At 18, time caught up with her. She had kidney disease and thyroid issues. Medical care (such as sub-Q fluids and pills) extended her time, but in September we had to make the decision to put her to sleep and she went quietly with the two us petting her. We still catch a glimpse of her wandering the house.

Travel
Douglas had one state left visit to finish his tour of the 50 states and in September, we took a cruise to Alaska, canoed among the icebergs, flew in a float plane, and observed a few bears in their natural habitat. We had a family holiday in Walla Walla. Aside from the big dinner, we spent time playing games, watching movies and tasting some of the local wines.

Work
Douglas spent the past year developing training products. It has been a busy year and he’s still inspired by the people he works with and daunted by the fact that the products he has worked on will be viewed by over 150,000 people in 2008.

Frank took a job at the Federal Reserve Bank in January of this year (his first full-time job in over eight years, though he would claim that taking care of Douglas is a full time job.). If you are in SF and want to see the dollar bill signed by Benjamin Franklin or big bins of cash, let him know and he’ll hook you up with a tour.

Book Recommendations
Douglas is still the reader in the house (at least in the traditional sense of the word) and recommends the following:

· Children of Eve – Angela Carter
· Tanglewreck – Jeanette Winterson
· His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
Frank recommends faster reading options, such as TMZ.com to get your celebrity fix.

NetFlix Recommendations
For Bollywood to independent films, Netflix continues to be our favorite resource for seeing films (the 46” flat screen TV doesn’t hurt!). Here are few films we really enjoyed this year.
· Hot Fuzz (comedy)
· Paradise Now (political drama)
· Across the Universe (acid trip)
· Notes on a Scandal (drama)
· Water (Indian drama)

Looking to 2008
2007 was a year of change. We had new jobs, a new home, and we were living together for the first time. So looking to 2008, we are planning to continue with our current employers, adopt two kittens, continue to work on our home and we have two vacations planned.

Kittens – We plan on adopting from the SPCA and plan on getting two little girls (please feel free to suggest names, though Betsy already has dibbs on Laverne and Shirley).

Home – We need to build shelves in the laundry area, get curtains for the dining room and, of course, create a welcoming space for both guests and the girls.

Travel – February is our date with nature, specifically the volcano on the big island of Hawaii. We’re looking forward to some beach time, hiking, and kayaking down the old sugar cane canals.
Six months later we’ll celebrate Douglas’ 40th birthday in Italy. Frank spent a year in Italy, so he will provide a more “local” experience to the trip, though Douglas wants to join the tourists to see the David in person, walk the streets of Pompeii, and if possible, stand on a hilltop and cry out, “Beauty” (ala “A Room with a View”).

We’re also committed to making time to visit New York City this year since we were unable to do so in 2007. If the stars align, we look forward to crossing paths with you in 2008.

“I spoke with God the other day. She said it is not her place to interfere with politics and she doesn’t care whether a Democrat or a Republican wins the presidential race in 2008, as long as it is a woman. Vote accordingly.”- Anonymous

First there was two and then there was four ...

Christmas on Noe Street

It is cold in the city ... okay it's something like 61 degrees and I feel like I need a parka! With the help of Nick, Tyler and the girls, we got our first tree, decorated the mantle and now with a wreath from Lea, Frank's sister, we're ready for the holidays in San Francisco.

If you'd like to see inside the house, click here.

A Christmas Treat

John Bien, what's left of him, has had time to create special Christmas treats. You to can go Elf Yourself! Or you can satisfy yourself with Frank and I doing a little jig. Check it out!

Coming Home

1987 WWVA Graduates 20 years later.

Where is home? Is it the place one was raised? The place where one’s parents reside? Or is it the unspoken place, where, when asked, you respond. I’ve lived in San Francisco nearly 14 years, longer than anyplace that I’ve lived as a child. It is home, though if I were to move away, would it become my reference point? Will I journey back? Or is it my temporary home, a temporary community?

I met old friends from high school and was pleasantly surprised by the familiarity of the company. Would we, in a different time and place, be friends? Or is our friendship something that we have due to shared past experiences? I just finished reading Michael Thomas Fords', Changing Tides, and as is the case of many of my favorite novels, there is not a single narrator. Each major character had an internal voice, which others in the novel could not hear, which for me, the reader allowed a truly vicarious experience.

Talking about the past, I really enjoyed catching up with Kimberly and Kerri, we each had unshared secrets and stories. Over the course of the evening, we shared a few of our personal stories, which with like the characters in the book, provided a more complete picture of a shared time in our lives. In hindsight, this information added layers to my perspective of my past with new details, details that as teenagers, I’m not sure we could have freely shared in the way that we shared as adults.

What would our friendships have been like if we were as open as we are as adults? I’m not sure. I think the process of growing, discovering, and feeling isolated molded us into the adults we became. Maybe this is the essence of being a child, not knowing how to communicate, not knowing that we are measured by who we are, not by the friends that surround us, the job that we have, the building we walk into for worship services, or the decisions, for better or worse that we made.

We thought we had answers and the isolated culture we lived in provided boundaries. This was not a bad thing, because it was a very clear that poor decisions could eliminate the world that we were familiar with, which resulted in things being done on the down-low. It also made us accountable in the sense that consequences were evident.

What things in my past would have embarrassed the family if known? And perhaps, while living under my parent’s roof, that fear of embarrassing my parents kept me in line. As an adult, I’ve made different decisions, based on an internal monitor and that awareness is comforting.

Frank and I returned home to San Francisco, and I believe there will always be a place in my heart for Walla Walla and the people that were part of my life at that time. But I miss the diversity of our home. Walking to work, sharing transportation with people of all colors, shapes, sizes and beliefs, is refreshing … comforting, like being at home should be.

Our 5 Seconds of Fame!

Breaking news: City efforts spook crowds away from Castro
NEWS
Published 11/08/2007 - Bay Area Reporter
by Matthew S. Bajko

San Francisco's gay neighborhood remained eerily quiet Wednesday night as the usual swarms of Halloween revelers heeded the city's message to stay home this year. By 10:30 p.m. with most bars, shops and restaurants closed, the Castro was a sparsely populated ghost town.
Several thousand people, many in costumes and local residents, did crowd onto the sidewalks near Castro and Market streets. But the crowd was noticeably smaller than in years past, when hundreds of thousands of partygoers crammed into the area and spilled onto the streets.

"I think it is very quiet," said Entertainment Commissioner Audrey Joseph, who spent the early part of the night patrolling the neighborhood.

The streets remained open to traffic last night and police reported little trouble in the vicinity and throughout the city.

"I think the police are doing a great job," said Steve Adams, a Castro resident and president of the area's merchant association. "They got the word out that there is no party here tonight. Even though there is a party, as you can see."

Adams said in contrast to past Halloweens, he recognized more people out on the streets and saw hardly anyone with alcoholic beverages.

"The bridge and tunnel crowds are not here tonight," said Adams. "A lot of people who live here are having house parties, which is great."

Police Chief Heather Fong walked through the neighborhood after 10 p.m. and said the evening had gone well.

"I think so far, so good," said Fong. "I have been driving around the city going to different parties. It is relatively quiet. It seems overall in the city where children are trick or treating there is activity but everywhere else seems under control."

Not everyone was pleased to see the sparse attendance in the Castro. Without the crowds the police presence – said to be more than 500 officers – was palpable. Lookouts stood watch on rooftops while groups of three to five officers stood guard at intersections.

"It is scary with all the barricades. Don't you feel it is a police state?" asked Donna Sachet, who helped form the Citizens for Halloween group in protest of the city's decision to shutter the party. "I hate to see the city I love become a national laughingstock. We are being made fun of on the late-night talk shows."

Peter Fries, 64, a 38-year resident of the city, questioned why the police are not out in such force every night of the week.

"I am not anti-cop at all. I just want them to do their job," said Fries. "We need them walking on the streets 24 hours a day."

At the last minute the city did bring in portable toilets, easing homeowners' fears of having people defecate and urinate on their front doors.

"I was very glad to see them show up," said Dan Glazer, owner of Hot Cookie, which remained open last night. "Hopefully, it will be a busy night."

Nearby clothing store All American Boy had fastened metal sheets over its windows and door, as did several other businesses. Harvey's closed its doors for a private event at 9 p.m. and both the Bar on Castro and Badlands closed by 10.

"It is what it is," commented bar owner Greg Bronstein.

An anti-gay protester shouts words of condemnation at students from Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy during their annual Halloween parade through the Castro Wednesday afternoon.

Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered the annual Castro street party shut down in August after plans to relocate the event to the waterfront fell through. Newsom said he feared someone would be killed if he allowed the celebration to occur, in light of a shooting that left 10 people injured during last year's Halloween party.

Over the last two months the city launched a publicity blitz to spread the word to people throughout the Bay Area to stay in their own cities this year. Stories about the Halloween closure appeared in newspapers and Web sites across the country, from the San Jose Mercury News and the New York Times to USA Today and the Advocate.

Newsom was nowhere to be seen in the Castro Wednesday night, but several of his opponents in next week's mayoral election showed up and chastised him for the botched planning of this year's party.

"Basically Gavin Newsom set out to become the Grinch who stole Halloween. For all it's worth that is all that has happened tonight," said videoblogger Josh Wolf. "I am relieved to see nothing has happened thus far. At the same time it is upsetting to see a San Francisco tradition is laid to rest."

Quintin Mecke, dressed as President Abe Lincoln, said the city's crackdown on the party was why he entered the mayoral race.

"This is embarrassing. The city can't actively manage Halloween so instead we have so many police officers out here it is staggering," said Mecke. "We are not solving homicides but we can shut down Halloween."

Those who did venture out to the Castro bemoaned the overwhelming police presence and hoped the city would be better prepared to handle Halloween next year when it falls on a Friday night.

A funeral procession marking the death of Castro Halloween made its way up Market Street and arrived in the Castro shortly after 7 p.m. Led by "Pope Martin the First" and a grim reaper, the handful of mourners carried a cardboard coffin and laid it to rest in front of the Twin Peaks bar, which had dimmed its rainbow arrow lights at 6 p.m. and shut down by 7:30.

"We are very sad on this very sad day," said one female mourner. "Bless this coffin and Happy Halloween to all. We loved him."

One male mourner added, "It is a sad night for San Francisco. Let's all say a prayer that Castro Halloween comes back next year."

Tony Loncich, who has lived in the city 30 years, dressed up with two friends as the three little maids from schul [Hebrew for school]. He said he couldn't miss Halloween.

"We have been doing this for 10 years together," he said. "We have adopted Halloween as a time we can celebrate all facets of our community. We don't dress like this any other time of the year."

Visitors Kevin Hottinger and James Scobey, a gay couple from Naples, Florida, said they had booked their trip months ago to visit friends and hit the Castro on Halloween night. It wasn't until two weeks ago they saw a story about the party shutdown on the Internet. They decided to check out the Castro anyway and dress up in costumes, with Hottinger a wine box and Scobey a specter. All night passersby stopped the men to photograph them.

"It is really calm," said Hottinger, who added his friends had come in prior years and raved about how much fun the street party had been. "I didn't hear them use the word dangerous at all."

Saturday before Halloween 2007

It was the Saturday before Halloween and all through the Castro not a creature was stirring ... except for the cops. In honor of the cancellation of the annual Castro Halloween celebration, the reapers went out to collect all of the celebratory cheer.

Castro Halloween R.I.P.

The Triplets Celebrate

Only our mothers can tell us apart.

Pushing 40 ... but only 39!

Pictures: Click to View


The clock has started and if I was more musically inclined I would sing Seasons of Love from the Broadway Show Rent. How will I measure this coming year? I guess you'll just have to wait and find out.

I'm actually really excited about the coming year. I've established myself at my job and all of my family, though dealing with their different dramas, are all in good health. And that is my goal this year ... to improve my health. Wish me luck ... take me out for a walk if you get a chance.

Alaskan Vacation - Our Boat... Holland America's Amsterdam

Pictures: Click here to view



In the early part of the 17th Century, Henry Hudson set sail from Holland in a tiny ship called "de Halve maen." his long voyage across the Atlantic heralded the beginning of the Dutch exploration and settlements in the New World.


Years later ... the Holland America Line is carrying passengers to all parts of the world ... our journey? To the wilds of Alaska. Our ports of call included Juneau, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria, BC.


Frank loved the food ... I was a little bit skeptic. We had fun entertainment and Amy Armstrong and Freddie delivered. Donna Sachet ... barely deserves a mention for her duties, though Sister Helen Holy gets props for her delightful take on Church Bingo.

Frank surprised me with a balcony room, which made for larger space for the two of us and a much more pleasant experience watching nature pass by us. Jeff's mom, Phillis, was delight to be with and even though we tried our best to win the Bingo prize ... it escaped us. We could have used the $5,000. Next time.

I've separated the major ports of call by entries, so read forward for more pictures and information.

Alaskan Vacation - Juneau

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In the middle of the expansive Southeast Alaskan wilderness, cosmopolitan Juneau residents enjoy one of America's most risting regions at their doorsteps. Of course, this is largely due to the fact that there are no roads to Juneau. Everyone arrives by either plane or boat.

Our excursion for the day was a canoe trip on the Mendenahll glacier. We took a bus out to the glacier in the morning and watched the salmon spawn and saw our first black bear! Amazing. There were titters among the other cruisers that the big boat docked dead-center of town was one a gay cruise ... shocking.

Once we returned to downtown, we wandered the shops and while tempted by the Alaskan Igloo nativity sets, resisted.

In the afternoon, we headed back to the lake and got to get up front and personal. Our guide was sort of a nomadic fellow and has been living on his own since 15. I'll simply state that the boy has the art of over-sharing.

We excercised and it was time to head back to the boat and get a little sustinance back into our bodies!

I believe it is the first round of Church Bingo today ... maybe it is our time to say, "Hallelujah!"

The video below gives a sense of the soothing experience of being on the water watching the birds fly over and iceburgs floating past.

Alaskan Vacation - Glacier Bay

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Two hundred years ago, Glacier Bay was visited by Captain George Vancouver who observed it to be a large open bay, blocked at its northern end by a giant wall of ice.

Since then, the ice in Glacier Bay has slowly receded, uncovering a new waterway 65 minles long containing many fjords and inlets.

This was the day that we really leveraged our balcony room. We had breakfast delivered, then we bundled up and joined all of the other balcony folks to watch the different glaciers as they cam in to view. Jeff joined us and when the boat turned, we would head up to his room, which had an even bigger balcony view! Hot chocolate capped off the day.

Of our trip, this was the only day that was really dismal outside. We were really grateful to not have to stand on the deck with an umbrella. I think the surprising aspect of this day was that the glaciers were not pristine clean.

Tonight is the lumberjack party!

Alaskan Vacation - Sitka

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Sitka was one of our port of calls where we did not have any specific plans. It was also the one port of call that we had to tender in.

We laughed when we realized that our wallets were still locked away in our cabin. We decided to stay on a budget of nothing and wander Sitka on foot. We wandered the town, saw the rain forest and then returned to the ship for a little relaxing time in the sun.

Mom and Dad recalled the Russsian Dancers ... but due to budgetary limitations, we did not see them.

Alaskan Vacation - Ketchikan and Victoria

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Ketchikan was one of my favorite stops. Our boat docked right at the center of town and we enjoyed one of the few sunny days. Before our float plane trip up to the fish hatchery we took a quick wander about the town. We found Creek Street and had the crap scared out of us by Dolly ... matron of the last brothel in town who stepped out of a doorway to invite us in. Now, I'm accustomed to seeing toothless people on the streets but I'm not accustomed to having them chat with me. Make eye contact and then speak. Maybe there is something to be said about country folks ... us city folks can be a bit edgy.

We took a float plane trip to a fish hatchery ... one that was rumored to be very inviting for bears. Prior to our trip, two planes crashed but we were not overly aprehensive. On the flight to the hatchery, I rode in the back. On the way back I got to sit in the copilots seat and had a front row view of the sights. We saw a bear and a pair of eagles. Awesome.

Victoria is an elegant city situated on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Growing up I have the opportunity to visit on several occasions and like so many other things ... it is much smaller than my childhood memory. It is clean, well-maintained and filled with flowers.

Alaskan Vacation - Back Home in Seattle

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After a week at sea, we arrived at our home port, Seattle. Mom and Dad picked us up from the terminal and we spent the weekend exploring the city. We went to Pike's Street Market, saw the flying fish, Mom kissed a pig, and then we met the Ducks. The Duck tours are a great way to see the city by both land and sea and our guide ... Lotta Danger showed us a good time.

Quack Quack!

Kitty Passes

Kitty came into my life by being subtle. I had gone to the SPCA and there were crazy desperate cats begging to come home ... but then I saw her. She was curled up in a ball, raised her head, shot a glance at me and then went back to sleep. She had her blanket and a good snooze ... did she need more? Probably not, but I did.

She came home with me and after spending a few weeks hiding under the bathtub, made her way in to my heart. She wasn't much of a talker and that was okay because she liked to cuddle on my chest or lay her head on my heart. She didn't like heights, so didn't get on the counters. She didn't like the scratching post either ... but there was always a couch for her to sharpen her talents.

Kitty has been my constant. She is the one thing that always brought me home. She warned me when the earth was about to shake, but was otherwise pretty respectful of my need to sleep. She shared my studio, claimed Malle's room as her own, and was there when Frank and I bought our first home. She got her own room, but pretty much spent her days following the sun as it made its way through the apartment.

She also made room for the important people in my life, though some of her nicknames were not always the most complimentary. Miss Fatty ... said with love is endearing. The fact that I referred to her as a "used cat" got a giggle. She just found a spot, made herself comfortable and let the rest of us do our thing.

And now she's gone. She won't be here for our first Christmas, though her spirit is with us. Even now, I catch a glimpse of her sneaking by the TV room on her way to the office and her new bed. She was a good cat, a friend, a comfort and I miss her greatly. Safe journeys my friend.

My Tribute

Heading North to Alaska

I'm tuckered. I need a vacation and soon, very soon, I hope to hear the waves and watch global warming in action. Until then, I'll enjoy what I think we're going to see when we head north to Alaska.

Song from the Video -

Artist: Johnny Horton
Classic Country Song: North to Alaska

Lyrics:
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.


Big Sam left Seattle in the year of '92,
With George Pratt, his partner, and brother, Billy, too.
They crossed the Yukon River and found the bonanza gold.
Below that old white mountain just a little south-east of Nome.

Sam crossed the majestic mountains to the valleys far below.
He talked to his team of huskies as he mushed on through the snow.
With the northern lights a-running wild in the land of the midnight sun,
Yes, Sam McCord was a mighty man in the year of nineteen-one.
Where the river is winding, Big nuggets they're finding.

North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.

George turned to Sam with his gold in his hand,
Said: "Sam you're a-lookin'at a lonely, lonely man."
I'd trade all the gold that's buried in this land,"
For one small band of gold to place on sweet little Ginnie's hand. "
'Cos a man needs a woman to love him all the time."
Remember, Sam, a true love is so hard to find.
"I'd build for my Ginnie, a honeymoon home."

Below that old white mountain just a little south-east of Nome."
Where the river is winding,
Big nuggets they're finding.

North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.
North to Alaska,They're goin' North, the rush is on.
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)
Way up north, (North To Alaska.)

More Mandy Please

Ahh the birthday boy's month is slowly coming to a close. What better way to spend it than by crowding in to the Fillmore to see Mandy Moore live. I'm not sure how gay this is but looking at the crowd ... gay boys and gaggles of girls in their early 30's ... I'd say she has a pretty gay following. We didn't even know that she was performing with Paula Cole, who after the initial wailing earth mother song, we decided that sleep was more important and left.

Of course I became a fan of hers after the movie "Saved" was released and she attacks a girl with the love of Jesus. Macauley Caulkin in a wheelchair ... the jewish rebel battle Mandy's WASP princess. Visions of Jesus in a swimming pool ... just like going back to high school.

Priceless.

Here's Mandy today ... covering Rhianna's Umbrella song.


And here's Mandy with her original pop song ... I Miss You like Candy!

Frank Turns Another Year Older

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It happens each year ... my sister-in-law gets older, followed by my brother-in-law, then my niece and then Frank ... what was in the water? Frank wanted a bunt cake ... and he got it. We went out to dinner at a small little restaurant called Maverick and I can now add to my list of things to hit my stomach ... antelope!

Happy ___ Birthday!

Blast from the Past

How many years does it take for people to pop out babies? It seems like yesterday when Kimberly and Brett lived up the hill. But now their tourists from Eugene, Oregon. Luckily San Francisco played nice and it was a lovely afternoon in the city.

Seeing Kimberly is always like opening a drawer of memories. One memory was of Buddy Love from the sketch comedy show, Kids in the Hall. Kimberly is the porridge that Goldie Lockes chose ... just right. I wish they were closer but even short visits are refreshing.

A Castle Rises In the Napa Valley

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Having lived, gone to school, and worked in the Napa Valley, I was surprised to hear about a new winery that was opening North of St. Helena. Castello di Amorosa is an authentic replica of a castle one might find in Italy. The tour takes you through the four upper and the four lower floors and is worth the price of admission. It feels a bit like Disney ... but it is a great way to see something new and taste wine in a truly unique setting.

A Taste of Castello di Amorosa

A Night of True Colors

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"We should all have the right to live with the same dignity, opportunity & safety. It shouldn't matter what anyone's sexual orientation is."

- Cyndi Lauper

The ringmistress put together a collection of artists and went on the road for the month of June. Acts included Margaret Cho, Rosie O'Donnol, Erasure, Debbie Harrie, The Dresden Dolls, and more.

During a coffee run, I learned that a friend of mine at work was also an Erasure fan. From there it was only a matter of getting tickets. Frank was unavailable to join, since he was picking up his friend Sylvia from the airport. It was a perfect opportunity to see if Michelle and I could have a little one-on-one time and the stars aligned ... the kids weren't sick ... Francisco was not working ... and Michelle had the time! Excellent.

A Taste of True Colors

Cyndi Lauper - True Colors (1991)

You with the sad eyes

don't be discouraged

oh I realize

it's hard to take courage

in a world full of people

you can lose sight of it all

and the darkness inside you

can make you fell so small

But I see your true colors shining through

I see your true colors

and that's why I love you

so don't be afraid to let them show

your true colors

true colors

are beautiful like a rainbow

Miss Kris Gets Hitched

There are people in this world that deserve to have good things happen to them. Kris and Jason are both those kind of people and it is great to see them both so happy with each other.

Miss Kris is an old dear friend from college and has been a great support over the years. The wedding took place on the shore of Lake Tahoe with a bag pipe playing in the background.

It was a little windy ... but the ceremony went off without a hitch ... except of course for Jason and Kris. The ceremony was just a short drive away.

Check out the short video for a taste of the day's events.

Congratulations Miss Kris. May you and Jason have the happy life together. We wish you all the best.

Love D&F

House Warming Dinner

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Hair 2007 - The Mountain Play

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This year's Mountain Play was a presentation of Hair. 40 years ago, before I was born ... the summer of love took place. It seems a logical choice for the timing but an odd choice for the typical audience who attends the Mountain Play.
“The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” as it was known, is a distinct product of its time. The score by James Rado (book/lyrics), Gerome Ragni (book/lyrics) and Galt MacDermot (music) feels more authentically show tune and everyone walks away having spent an afternoon in the sun and humming "Let the Sunshine In."
Reviews compare this production with the original.
"There’s something a little quaint about Hair now, especially its Act 1 finale, which takes place in dim light as most of the cast disrobes. Naked hippies, it turns out, are cute. Not rebellious, not edgy, not counter-culture. Cute. Bay Area audiences can see a cleaned-up, no-nudity Hair on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County as the Mountain Play, the official harbinger of the summer theater season in these parts, “mounts” the musical.
The production was fun and it was a welcome change from the errands and house projects. Jeff was in from Sao Paulo and picked up Alfonso, Frank and I. The drive was quite entertaining since Jeff shared music from a group he'd recently discovered ... The Wet Spots. The Wet Spots (Cass King and John Woods) sing smart, catchy tunes about sex. Inspired by Cole Porter, Monty Python, and Tenacious D, The Wet Spots are known for their lively shows, which feature spankings, singalongs, and bawdy sex-ed.
We met Randy and Paul and the rest was history!

A Taste Of Hair

State of the Neighborhood

Good news from the Castro Courier, our neighborhood paper. According to the headlines, the Park Station Police Captain says that crime is down in Duboce Triangle!

Not to get too giddy, this means that compare to last year at this time the number of burlaries, robberies, and larcenies dropped from 79 instance to only 50 this year! And while robberies have dropped by 75% a local liquor stor was recently robbed at gunpoint. The only crime area that had an increase was auto boosts, which I doubt is an indicator of people randomly waxing others vehicles out of the kindness of their hearts. So far, the Focus has not been disturbed, which considering we drive it once a week could have occured already, and we're just unaware.

Where in the World is Duboce Triangle?

The Internet is such a great place to find information. Frank sent the following from Wikipedia. on our neighborhood, Duboce Triange.

The Duboce Triangle Neighborhood, San Francisco, California

The Duboce Triangle neighborhood is located near the center of San Francisco, just below the hilly slopes of Buena Vista between the neighborhoods of the Castro/Eureka Valley, the Mission District, and the Lower Haight.

There is some disagreement as to what streets form the boundaries of Duboce Triangle:
According to the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association, the neighborhood is bounded by Market, Castro and Waller Street and therefore includes Duboce Park and some blocks to its north.

According to the San Francisco Association of Realtors, it is "District 5J", a simple triangle limited by Castro, Market and Duboce. (The SFAR considers blocks to the north of Duboce Park to be part of Hayes Valley, although they are more popularly considered part of the Lower Haight.)

In either case, it is well served by Muni Metro, historic streetcars and buses. Sheltered from the fog by Buena Vista and Twin Peaks to the West and Alamo Square to the North, the area is one of the sunnier districts in San Francisco.

Duboce Park and several smaller "pocket" parks provide attractive public green spaces, but the Duboce Triangle is most notable for its lushly landscaped sidewalks and well-maintained Victorian flats and apartment buildings. These are the direct result of San Francisco's rejection of the wholesale demolition of Victorians and their replacement with slab-like public housing that marred the Western Addition in the 1960s. The city used the federal government's slum clearance dollars to renovate the mostly-19th century housing stock instead, and also to plant street trees, bury utility wires underground, and to widen sidewalks and narrow streets. With its now-mature trees and rejuvenated homes, the Duboce Triangle's distinctly residential and yet urbane feel is more remarkable given its proximity to busy Market Street, the city's main thoroughfare.

The official Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association map excludes the point of the triangle at Market and Waller. This area is sometimes known as Mint Hill, after the United States Mint, an imposing building on a steep rocky cliff overlooking the intersection of Market and Duboce streets. However, most of the homes in this area are similar in character of the rest of Duboce Triangle.

What's New Pussycat?

On the Miss Kitty front ... she is docile with a touch of senility and now loves to have her belly scratched ... for hours. She has dropped from 12 pounds to less than 6 and is still practicing to be an Opera Diva at 5:00 in the morning, either that or she's reverting to her kitten-hood and letting us know that she's pooped.

< I'm not sure but this may have been when my cholesterol started to sky rocket.

Apathy

We're crossing the mid-year point for 2007 and as projects close for this year it is only a matter of days before we start to ramp up for the 2008 projects. Just like the seasons there is an ebb and flow of expectations and a few surprises along the way.

Frank is on his way to Washington DC for work and I'm taking a much needed R&R day. I have errands to run, packages to mail, and then a visit with my new Doctor who is supposed to put me on new medication for high cholesterol. Oy vey. I'm still feuding (one-sided) with the MUNI woman at the Church Street Station who knits and provided me with a mini-lecture on how I should use my pass in the machine instead of waving it for her to click the button and let me pass. Granted, I know it sounds like I am too lazy to pull out my Fast Pass (which is partially true), but when my hands are full and it is 7:00 in the morning and the train has just arrived, it would the be the nice thing to do. She chose lecture instead of love, so I refuse to acknowledge her. No smiles. No "good mornings." She has burned her bridge and a bright spot in a day where everyone maligns MUNI and it's workers is now over.

I asked the Super 8 ball if I was going to have a good day, response? You may rely on it! So I'm off!

Moving IN

Pictures: Click to view

Where to begin? Packing? Unpacking? In which order?

What have we been up to?

Pictures: Click here to view!

This is the last Penthouse flat in this fantastic building, mirror image of the one in escrow. It is huge! I'm not one to gossip but the mirror image that is referred to ... is ours! Major top to bottom remodeled with permit. High quality with soaring ceilings, beautiful medallions, crown molding, chandeliers, in unit laundry, gourmet custom kitchen for your enjoyment.