The Kindness of Strangers

There was a bit of snow when I woke up on Saturday. Not much though enough to coat the deck and cars. Bella and I were out walking at 8 am, this time I had my camera but there was little to photograph. Or maybe I just didn't notice.

Snow on the convertible

Bella and I were out early again on Sunday. After loading the trunk of my car with grub for the week, we met up with the folks who originally told me of Bella's existence. They have their own corgi, Cowgirl. They admired (who doesn't?) Bella, and told me that they'd seen Bella's brother and that (of course) he's isn't as cute as Bella which sort of goes without saying. 


Later we went to the beach for a walk with my sister. Folks stop to chit-chat about dogs, the weather, the beach and random things. Dog owners simply must be more approachable than non-dog owners/walkers  -- even while carry plastic bags of poop. (Would you approach a human carrying a bag of human poo?) Though I believe my theory on the dogged kindness of strangers depends on what breed they happen to be walking. If you're a nun walking an American Staffordshire, I'm not going to ask any questions though seeing Ted Bundy or Charlie Manson walking another corgi or a tea cup poodle might get me asking "How's the weather?" or "What's your favorite See's candy?" When I was dog-less, I didn't approach people much but then again I didn't walk often either. Though if you were walking a puppy, I would approach you simply because of that puppy. Bella still has a bit of puppy in her at 9 months.

Bella pondering grass

As we walked along the beach, we stopped and spoke to a woman with a dog (not me). We were nearly to Rio del Mar at this point, at the mouth of the river. Two young girls were running through the river to a sandbar. I wished I'd brought my camera because the vision of the two girls was stunning out on that sandbar, the sun shining lighting them from behind. There were starfish on the sand and in what might have been considered a tide pool back in the days of yore though now this one pool where we found some of the starfish was more like a cesspool. The water had milky brown residue floating. (Those starfish must have been suicidal.) Out on the sandbar was a half-buried grocery cart sticking haphazardly out of the sand reminding me of the scene with the Statue of Liberty's hand sticking out of sand in Planet of the Apes. Here was this grocery cart in the middle of a sandbar, these two young girls running around the cart rescuing suicidal starfish from the harsh elements - And me with no camera - though I'd given the camera idea a lot of consideration and knew if I left my camera in my car, there would be some phenomenal shot that I would miss, and if I brought it with me, I'd not notice anything out of the ordinary. The beach trip was great despite trash and dying starfish - the day turned out wonderful. One of those that makes a person (or me) grateful to be alive. 

Sign of the times

Over the weekend the temps were very cold for this area though much warmer at the beach even if it snowed there on Saturday. Seems like winter arrived, left, and then returned with a vengeance which it often does near the beginning of March when we can hardly wait to greet spring with armloads of daffodils. 


The weather will turn to rain cats and dogs later in the week which means while out exercising our dogs we'll be forced to communicate with one another whether we want to or not, unless that nun is out walking her pit bull. 

Driving Miss Crazy

My latest diet tip is that it's nearly impossible to eat at night if you are busy knitting. I can't even look up from my knitting. I have to keep my head down, watching the needles (and my errors) while listening to the Real Housewives of Helltown which is actually kind of a good thing because then I don't have to see all the plastic surgery mistakes.


I was walking Bella over the weekend down at the cement boat beach with my sister and her husband. The beach was lovely, almost crowded with tourists, a balmy 50 degrees. Kids were in shorts and bathing suits.  When walking Bella I am often stopped so people can admire and ask about her. She is still such a corgie-cutie-pie. Plus these people don't have to live with her.


Later my sister tells me that my brother-in-law said that (paraphrasing here) it's too bad that guys don't like dogs or Jan could get a date - I guess with all that attention I get for owning and walking the dog, he thinks I could get a date. Several of the people who stopped to chat about Bella were men (coupled with women). (Thank Haysus!)


But what makes him think I want a date when I have this dog?

'Bout Time

I caught the hog flu in the plane on the way back from Hawaii. Poor me. In the airport waiting area was a woman who's eyes were red and raw. She held her head down. I saw her trying to nibble on some pastry and she wasn't able to eat it. (You know she's sick if she can't eat a pastry!) Her S.O. felt her forehead. His hand came away in flames. I warned my mom to stay away from them. But then, the guy sitting across the aisle from us on the plane was one of those snot-snorters. Those mucusy-types that have one wet kleenex they use through their entire illness so most of their mucus is snorted back into their body with a resounding honkish snort. One wet kleenex blow every 30 mucus snorts. The mucus rule. 
  
Both mom and I came down with flu-ish symptoms once we arrived home though mom still had to fly back to Baja (to spread the illness on her next flight). Fever, chest congestion, generally feeling like crudenko though I'm working at work through my recovery period. My sister is at Disneyland with Hannah (sweet angel) and the cruella deville-step sisters. I doubt it's raining at Disneyland though it's raining locally. Bella is annoyed that we aren't going on our usual (4) 1 mile walks throughout the day. My chest is too congested though I hope my condition improves (soon). I would rather walk a mile than be sickly which proves once again that I'm actually sick.

Sunset view from our balcony

Ahi poke

Hawaii was great. Our hotel was a block from the beach. We had some good meals. I drank wine. Food is very expensive. I ate a lot of fish, mostly seared something or other, ahi poke. I seriously wanted to eat a whole pupu platter though only because I'm such a kid when it comes to pu. With the gastric bypass (shrunken stomach surgery), I had to forego eating a lot of things that I would have liked to eat (a whole pineapple, shaved ice). This is simply (or complicatedly) part of my path illness. 


We spent good times with Danny. We toured the north shore of O'ahu by car and stopped at a temple, visited a shrimp truck, stopped to watch the surfers at Sunset beach. The beaches are absolutely phenomenal, the water all shades of blue. The weather could not have been more pleasant.

On the "booze" cruise

I thought this might be my last visit (before I croak - whenever) though with this visit, I am rethinking that plan. January and February have got to be premium months for people who like moderate temperatures, Me. We hiked to Manoa Falls. I was a sweaty mess near the end of the hike and I hated my son for suggesting the hike. I was expecting a lot of water though more water was pouring off my neck down my back than over those falls. We walked a lot, touring through Chinatown (quickly) and seeing the new Trump Tower.


We went on a booze cruise our last evening in O'ahu. The cruise people played great music (if you're young and drunk). We watched a pod of humpback whales surfacing, blowing and diving. The sunset - another gorgeous display.

Humpback whales with Waikiki in the background

Not a whale

P.S. All photos taken by me except the last photo was taken by Danny.

More photos are posted on facebook.

Quickie

I am in Waikiki with mom, visiting Danny and mostly eating fish for meals not including the cookies from the Honolulu cookie company. I've not gotten into a bathing suit though it seems that there aren't many rules for suiting up here. earlier today we hiked to Manoa Falls and we were drenched in sweat. it was the longest, most "strenuous" hike I've done in easily 20 years unless you combine all of the walking I've done combined in that same amount of time.

I miss Bella mostly. Hannah doesn't even know I'm gone. All of my photos are on Facebook so far and inside my camera. we went to the north shore yesterday and watched surfers. some of those young men are very tan.

Please excuse all the errors. I'm using mom's iPad. The keyboard is aa bitch.