Homecoming

SMHS celebrated Homecoming tonight, and Eleni and two pals went. (Kids go in groups now, more than paired in couples. As the parent, I like that arrangement!)

A leak in the shower.

It started out with my thinking Jake had spilled water in front of the bathroom sink. I had hated the carpet in the entire house, but in the weird closet/vanity area/hallway to the bathroom, it was just gross and dumb. I jumped at the chance to yank it and tile down some huge 18x18s that I could wet mop. 

The leak turned out to be a deep in the concrete bummer leak, and I sent Shane and Diana a mayday email in mid July. The kids were off at Summer camp, so timing was good. Also, we had houseguests coming from Tasmania in the Fall, (that made it seem so far off!), so we took our time and really thought things through. The planning phase was a few days-Shane is the fastest demo guy I know-and by the time he was ready to build, Diana and I had a pretty good idea of what we thought we would do. Or, more accurately, had 3 ideas of what we could do and we were stalled at deciding which was the best option.

It took a couple of loud dinners to agree on Option 3, which was the largest scale of the three. A leak in the shower ended up meaning a walk-in closet. Our toilet room doubled in size. We reconfigured a hallway and moved the door to our bedroom. (For several weeks, the only way into our room was via the back yard. Getting up to pee in the middle of the night was just like camping! A very fun Summer touch!

Beebe Louise & Olive

My new business is to be called Beebe Louise & Olive. First product completed today!

Lulu has taken the kids to her place for 2 weeks, and I poured all my love and gratitude into a shirt for her.  Before she left here with them, she cleaned the kitchen until it glowed. The combination of an empty, quiet house with a clean kitchen was more than I can describe. "The Ladies" had been here the Friday before, and, as Sarah would describe it, the house was "impossibly clean."

Back to the shirt.

Lulu chose the color scheme, and we collaborated a little bit on the design so I could know what she was envisioned, and here is the final product. 

Sanchez Adobe with the 4th grade

Today was a fantastic day. I spent 4 hours with 30 9-year-old kids who worked as rancheros and rancheras at a rancho called Sanchez Adobe in Pacifica.

The indigineous people in this were called Ohlones. They didn't practice warfare; they settled disagreements between tribes by playing a game much like Cricket. They were peaceful people who worked together with other tribes in the area (like Costanoan to the south and Miwok to the north.)

The first thing Sam did was make bricks out of the adobe clay in earth found by the coast. These bricks were used to make the hacienda where families from Spain lived after settling in the of California.

Finale from Book Two

Sam has just learned the last song in Book Two of his guitar lessons. Hope you like it.

In the morning, before my alarm goes off, before Cooper wakes us up (but never before Eleni wakes up), sometimes even before the Peet's coffee is brewed, Sam starts playing his guitar. I won't call it practicing, because he doesn't call it practicing. He is playing.

Another Happy Birthday wish!

Goggy and Eleni, too!

We are all wishing you a great day, in any language and in any weather and in any state

Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

It's Kirsten's birthday today. We are celebrating in song... Oh, and Italian, French and Hebrew.

"take your time" and experience art

We went to SFMOMA saturday to see a fantastic installation. Sam loved it so much, he wanted to go back again Sunday, so we did, taking some pals.

http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/exhib_detail.asp?id=232

Parts of it reminded me of NEXTfest inventions, parts of the Exploratorium. It is definitely a departure in the style of art normally showcased at SFMoma. A favorite part was the walk-through kaleidoscope that incorporates the see-through bridge, where one can see all the way down to the lobby. Since I am afraid of heights, it was all the more exciting to see the parallax views of the swinging fan that hangs a couple of flights down. Take a second to notice the signature round window out to the sky.

Before we went inside, we spent some time blowing off steam at a fountain on near Yerba Buena. On the way to the museum, the boys burned off some energy at the fountain on the corner.

Inside the museum is a wall of paintings, all black. The boys wanted to know, "Where are all the employees of the months?"

Sugar high?

no such thing...

Or so the experts say. But living with a 9-year old, I beg to differ. Anecdotal you say? Step right in, let's get scientific.

Oh, wait, can't do that now, but it's on my list when the house is clean, dinner's made, groceries in put away... (Did i get to the market this week?)

Has Sam improved on his guitar skills?

Check out this video done in September 2007