Shanah Tovah -- Happy Jewish New Year

Ok boys and girls
it's almost time to rock and roll!
for several weeks, the staff at our synagogue has tried unsuccessfully to cancel the high holy days this year (just a joke)...but it will happen tomorrow night. Monday, September 29 is Erev Rosh Hashanah, starting at sundown.

i have a draft of what i'm saying on Tuesday that i need to run past the rabbi.
i have to choose what i'm wearing both days.
i will have to wait until later to write reflections on the visit to LA.
it was very foggy both days.

thanks to Cookie and Zina for visiting today, and to Zina for transportation to the airport.

had another great seatmate on the flight up...someone who works with animals and reiki, coming back from a fundraising event in santa barbara on behalf of wild horses
www.returntofreedom.org
i will check out her website and share more later.

it is going to be quite a week.
ketzl will not be happy.
thx to Christine and Charlie for the visit this morning to let him out and provide new asparagus and cantaloupe. boy, he really loves marking this computer with his face!!

so hoping that the coming year will be one of peace for everyone, family and friends.
the Jewish year is 5769 in case you are counting.

happy 60th birthday wishes to Pat/Trish Carter/Coleman. a speedy recovery to you!

from the world's slowest dial up connection

yes indeed. slow and precarious. can get dumped off at any time, it seems.

today was foggy all afternoon in santa monica. a quiet day. got a start on the words i will be saying on Rosh Hashanah Day (next Tuesday), with help and Hebrew from my father. i got to take a nap, and then we watched a bit of CNN dissecting the debate. it is all pretty surreal if you ask me. then we watched some baseball. SF giants couldn't pull it off again like they did last night. Dana will be happy.

i took the sparkly polish off my finger nails, but left them long. will probably do a new coat or even maybe a new color for Monday. the color i got was pale but with opalescent glitter. really nice. subtle, not too flashy.

i promised myself that if ever i stay overnight in santa monica, that i must get down to the water once. that will have to be early in the morning then as we are expecting company starting at 11 AM.

tissue alert...

one other thing that i had been putting off: writing up the listing for the memorial book that is distributed on Yom Kippur. Linda's name will be read as part of the list of those who have died since the last High Holy Days. then family have an opportunity to have names listed separately. what i think i've decided on for wording: "Linda Blauner Klein, lovingly remembered by Deborah Zimmer and family"
because really, all the dear friends really are family. this is going to be a tough one. fortunately, i will have the incredibly reliable Jackie with me. the memorial service is open to anyone (4:30 PM or thereabouts, Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 West Campbell Ave, corner of Winchester, THURSDAY OCTOBER 9).

because of timing and proximity to the memorial service, i have been relieved of my traditional part at the conclusion of the Yom Kippur afternoon service, and will instead be saying some words on Rosh Hashanah day, Tuesday. i will be doing the introduction to the Haftarah (no it's not half a Torah) which is the story of the birth of Samuel, starting with his mother Hannah's prayer at the temple in Shiloh, asking for a child. the similarity between this and the Torah portion (birth of Isaac) is that both Hannah and Sarah were barren for many years. Difference: Sarah asks Abraham to pray to got on her be half, and Hannah prays directly herself. Good point to make. i will cite Rachel Adler, a wonderful scholar and teacher at the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform seminary here in LA. it is unusual for a woman to be named directly in torah or the prophetic writings (I Samuel 1:1 - 2:10 is the selection), and also the first time that personal prayer is mentioned. let me just say that i love text study and wish i had a bit more time to work on this.

well, the boarding pass for tomorrow is printed. we are expecting visitors later in the day on Sunday which i set up during the week. i hope the fog lifts a bit, tho it keeps the temperature nice.

it is still weird. overall. the whole situation.
i was so torn over the past 2 years especially. i needed to come down here to visit, and felt guilty about leaving Linda even for a day. now i only feel guilty about leaving Ketzl. and i recall Adam's comment early on: strange about flying when there is no one to call to say "hey, i've landed safely, i'll call you from the house." grrrrr. no one to whom to be responsible. weird. still.

met a nice young man on the plane down. he is a professional percussionist. travels all over, some gigs in LA but was in San Jose to play with Ry Cooder. they got picked up at the hotel in low riders with hydraulics! way cool. they played at the SJ Civic Auditorium, where we had High Holy Day services for several years. a nice venue.

well it's a civilized time to go to sleep. good part is that late at night i can hear the sound of the ocean, and before i go to sleep, i peek thru the blinds and look at the white line of the rolling waves coming to shore. the wonder of living across the street, almost, from the Pacific Ocean.

this is a landmark: post 150

Now that I see Gavin Newsom on TV this morning, I remember that he was on the flight from LAX to San Jose on my long return. Not sure why he was doing that but it was interesting. He is in NY now for Bill Clinton's summit.

In the 10 days that I wss gone and certainly the past week, it has definitely turned to fall (with ridiculous hot spells in the middle of the day). "They" promise that it will cool off by the end of the weekend, which is good. Time has been pretty compressed and Erev Rosh Hashanah is Monday. Yargh.

Last night Jackie and I saw "The Foreigner" at San Jose Rep. Quite delightful. We were running a tad late and did not have time for sticky rice with mango, and the play was over 2 hrs so the restaurant was closed by the time it was over. Next time.

OMG they are replaying Bush's comments from last night.
McCain is opting out of Frday's debate. OK.
I still don't get how this works (or doesn't). Many of us are preaching to the choir. How do we reach those few who are undecided? I dunno.

These next two days will be wacko at work I think. Small things need to be gotten in order and packed and ready to move on Monday.

The aeason is changing. A new Jewish year. More points along the continuum. I thought I would be tired but seem to have recovered and so am heading to Santa Monica to visit my father this weekend. I will take the computer so he can see the Europe photos.

Hard to know where to start....tissue alert part way thru

Linda really loved Diane Lane. I can't wait to see her new movie, Nights in Rodanthe, with Richard Gere, also a favorite.

Tonight after picking up eggs and cream cheese (to go with the new delicious lox) at TJs, I headed over to Marshall's in the ongoing quest to find non-leather shoes for Yom Kippur, not too far off. Nothing really there. I realized while in the store that I miss shopping for Linda. It was always fun to find something special. I sniffed all the way home. I'm not hungry, and there is a lot of good food to eat here. Maybe a small salad later.

Ketzl is out in the cool night air, perched on the rock by the sidewalk. I just checked.

It is the new season for Dancing with the Stars. Can you believe that Cloris Leachman is 82 years old? She was so delightful to watch (not necessarily the dancing part). And then came on the Beach Boys tune (which was in the sound track for "Love Actually," a fun movie), "God Only Knows What I'd Be Without You."
here are the lyrics:

I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on, believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would livin' do me
God only knows what I'd be without you

This is the year of finding out how I am without Linda. Not my first choice. There are several Beach Boy CDs in the collection.

Today was also an hour with Laura at Hospice of the Valley. I brought my laptop so she could see photos of Switzerland, Germany and the wedding. I also shared how hard it was to come home after such a vacation. It was a hard day.

Balanced by some wonderful phone conversations yesterday, taking full advantage of free weekend minutes.
I think I need to take off the nail polish and trim my nails. They look OK but feel like talons.
Tonight is also the season premiere of Boston Legal...perhaps currently my favorite series.

Ketzl just wolfed down the tuna and asparagus. He is amazing.
I'm still not hungry.

At this time of year, a lot of stuff related to the High Holidays is coming through on email. I am wrestling with some of the things I need to deal with. Forgiveness is an important feature. I'm working on forgiving myself. Not easy.

And then there's the political and economic stuff. Just heard that the son of a Democratic something is accused of hacking Palin's yahoo! account. o dear. and the hubbub over the terms of the bailout. why should private companies be bailed out for greed and bad judgment? what kind of checks and balances will there be? or just the congress signing over trillions of dollars without real accountability. what about salaries for the CEOs of these companies that have folded or been folded. One democrat commented that it took 8 years to get into this situation, so one should not expect it to be resolved in one day. and then all the stuff swirling around about Palin. i especially enjoyed Eve Ensler's commentary (she is the author of the Vagina Monologues).

I don't know if it's the aging process or I've always been a bit directionally challenged but I had a really difficult time in Wiesbaden. Maybe because some of the streets go off at angles. But it was really hard to find places, even on the 2nd time. Another way in which I relied on Linda.

Flying home on the plane by myself was one of the most sobering experiences so far. I don't like traveling alone. Let me be more accurate: I loved traveling with Linda and I miss that.

Selichot, the beginning

Of the High Holy Days.
It was last night. It is observed at the close of Shabbat on the Saturday before Rosh Hashanah, except if it that is less than a week before, like this year. Last night I didn't want to go alone, and fortunately the ever-vigilant Jackie was available to come with me. The evening started with a study session (we got through maybe 20 lines of text, which is always wonderful). Things about getting ready for the Days of Awe, different translations used words like degrade, debase, humbling...that we may all be equal as we get ready to open our hearts and lives during this season. Here's the relevance:

September 1999, probably Linda's 2nd visit to California, after the amazing August birthday etc trip, was Selichot. I know what she wore. A white knit outfit which still hangs in the closet. Afterwards, we went to see "Better Than Chocolate," omg what a perfect first lesbian date movie!! I was overwhelmed (by the movie and everything else too). So Selichot will always be a poignant time for me, and thanks Jackie for always being there for me.

In 1999 there was a letter writing program, to write some hopes for the following year, which would be mailed to us the following fall, so we could see if our wishes worked out. The side benefit of never throwing anything away (well, rarely) is that one encounters some really wonderful gems that were not discarded.

Here's my letter dated 20 September 1999 (9 years ago almost to the day): (tissue alert y'all)

Dear Self:
At this tumultuous time
how can I reflect and ask for what I hope will be by this time next year?
I know I ask for peace and contentment
And, God willing,
a full and happy life with
My Tovah.
This is a scary thought to be putting "out there" in writing, not to be seen until next year.
There is so much to be done.
There is so much promise.
May it come to fruition in this year 5760.
With lot of love
to & from
Dvora

and here I am
back at a different beginning.
then it was my hopes for a life with Linda.
now it is my life without Linda physically present.
through the tears, i am full of gratitude for her presence in my life for almost 9 years. i just wasn't done yet.

Pete Seeger ruminations

There is a special on Pete Seeger on KQED ch 9 now...great inspiration for cleaning house. One summer when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old, I went to a summer music/drama camp near Idylwild in Southern California. Pete was one of the guest artists (and I had such a crush on his then blond son). It was a wonderful experience. Every time I hear his distinctive voice, especially when he is singing his signature songs... I remember that summer. Right now they are talking about his launching a sloop Clearwater, that began the clean-up of the Hudson River. There have been interviews with so many people, historians, musicians, his children and grandchildren. What a motivating force. What a legacy of all those who have been influenced by his music. Interesting to compare the contemporary grey-haired Arlo Guthrie with the youthful one from maybe 30 or 40 years ago.

He quoted a biologist who asked, "Where is the most important place? Where you are right now." Though they were talking more in terms of "think globally but act locally" (which is also important), I'd like to interpret it in a more abstract manner today: the most important place for each of us is in the present moment.

"You've got to walk that lonesome valley, you've got to walk it by yourself; nobody here can walk it for you, you've got to walk it by yourself." Yes, but. There is community, there are friends. But the walk is a solo act.

Now they have the clip of Bill Clinton awarding him the Kennedy Center honor.
"To everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to kill, a time to heal, a time weep," which I still do enough of these days.

But the laundry is away, the shower is washed with biodegradable cleaner, the kitchen floor is swept, and I'm about to vacuum.

Ketzl is sleeping outside in the grasses, in the shade, with his head on a warm rock.

tissue alert early, or maybe it's just me

i know that my vulnerability these last few days are the result of the return home, and being sick on top of the jet lag and general fatigue after a trip ... to the reality that lives here. the reality of me and ketzl alone in the house, but with a security system installed, which is good.

it really was a vacation in so many ways. spending time with jeremy and daniel was wonderful. it was fun to be there for jeremy's first visit to europe (it feels like disneyland, he said) with wonderful weather, great views, lots of really old things (remember i live in california) and of course The Wedding of the Century.

there were so many special times associated with the wedding. three times a year, the kuhrhaus is opened for wedding ceremonies, performed by a commissioner. we all filed into a room, and david and julia sat down while she spoke. it was all in german. but later we got a sense of what she said. there was a small reception with food, of course, and a heart-shaped tart covered with fresh raspberries. about 2.5 feet wide heart. imagine. small potato halves filled with sour cream. salmon on skewers. meat balls with potato salad. a few other items. and champagne. and cake and coffee. oh and chocolate cake. then the afternoon was free time until the bus picked us up to take us to the party, in a castle... part of which is now a restaurant. we were in the round main floor but there were other parties and diners upstairs and down hallways. after dinner, some of the tables in the center were removed for dancing. dessert buffet upstairs including cheese, crepes, brownies, mousse, fruit platters, panna cotta, and more.

jeremy got my photos loaded onto the laptop. when i use the "send this photo" function, it opens the mail program. which means that all of my yahoo mail is now downloaded here as well. i was rummaging around in the past, back to October 2005 where Linda was planning the Hawaii trip for my 60th birthday. how amazingly thorough she was, researching options, variations, possibilities, keeping me informed as things went along. i found old jokes. then we started getting into the political season. old maxine comics. plans to see Elliot in Bent. our trip to Santa Rosa to see Carole King and go to the Charles Schulz museum (I have her two t-shirts from that visit). there is so much past gathered there in the electronic record.

then i went back to revisit Linda's blog. looking at the last weeks through the posts after she died. phew. it's not easy.

david was online this morning. today is julia's father, michael's, birthday. i am 8 months older than he is. it was nice, as always, to chat via skype and see his smiling face and julia's too. we really didn't have a lot of time together during the week of wedding. there were a lot of people with whom to interact. i am grateful for the concern and affection from both adam and david. oh, last night adam and livi saw the Carrie Fisher show, completing the cycle. no report yet on whether he was able to go backstage afterwards. he called during intermission.

lots of rambling. today i went to the farmers market and then to costco. needed fresh stuff in the house. got fresh dill and lemon pepper lox (!), toward the end of the season white peaches, nectarines (!) and pluots. raspberries and flowers, too. gas at costco ($3.67 wow) and blueberries. and the hotdog for lunch. and Pat Carter was my "lunch date" on the phone while i ate, she recuperating from vein repair surgery.

i know that being still "snoofy" and tired makes me more sensitive to the small things, like making the decision about phone service, cable options, keep the extra line? would a different carrier give me better cell coverage in the house? should i upgrade for $5 more a month to faster internet connection? these are the things that linda used to handle. already i'm tired of this part of reality. where are q-tips on sale, as i ponder using up things that linda had bought. in the last 5 months i don't think i have looked at a drugstore ad, so maybe i will start tomorrow.

it comes and goes. i asked linda feldman what she does when she gets a major bout of missing Robert. looks at pictures and remembers the good times, she said. that's a good thing. i'm glad i have all around the house the photos from the celebration of linda's life. they are in all the rooms so i see them all the time. actually, when you think about it, almost 9 years is a pretty long time for two people to be together. i need to keep putting that into perspective. and 4+ years after diagnosis with pancreatic cancer is really much longer than most. so while i will continue to miss linda every day -- her physical presence, her energy, her love and consideration ... i will also continue to be grateful for all the time and fullness of life we shared. thanks for listening.

perhaps the longest day....

thanks to United for eliminating the DC/SJ flight, i have now been awake for 23 hrs at least, enroute home. where i now am. totally exhausted. fortunately, there are taxis at the SJ airport until the last flight is in. lots of time sitting in airports. had a nice seatmate from Dulles to LAX, a grad student in language/intl relations eclectic mix, who was coming back to UCSB after a month studying italian and more time wandering around in Sweden.

ketzl is sort of happy to have me home. he is talkative and i know he wants to go outside but i need to shower and get into bed. he is now knocking things off the kitchen table to get my attention. silly loud cat.

it was an amazing 10 days. i'll do more details in a day or so. i did promise Marcy that i would show up at the office tomorrow. so in some form or another i need to do that. plus the usual return from vacation stuff of laundry, putting away, etc.

i cannot remember ever being so tired.

last full day in Germany

Aud and I are in Frankfurt with julia's mother's cousin as a guide. we took the train here. i am writing from the first internet cafe in that city because there is no access nor do i have a computer in Wiesbaden. the german kezboard is crayz. see, the y is where the z should be and vice versa. i have 9 minutes left on my card here and want to tzpe quicklz so bear with me, please.

the wedding of the century was so amazing. it will have to wait for later for the details. suffice it to say that all the extra travel and trips and the wedding itself AND the party were amazing. really really wonderful.

there was more food than i have ever seen. there were special balloons that were lit underneath to create hot air and rose into the night sky. we left at 1 AM but some stayed til 4 AM.

we are still eating a lot of chocolate and sausages but no more schnitzel thanks.

this has been an incredible time. hotel truffel in wiesbaden is great. i think my snoring keeps Aud awake. argh.

OMG we went to the spa, meaning thermal baths. two days in a row, Aud and I did. european. co-ed. nude. all ages. saunas, steam, hot pools, cold pools. infusions of lemon and mint. WOW. and only 3.5 euros per hour. i want one in San Jose. my skin has never felt better.

and yes there were a few tissue alert moments. of course. but overall a joyous time celebrating with the best snugglers on the planet. the wedding magazine is a real treat that i will share with anyone interested.

It will be a long day tomorrow. Jeremz said omg, stories to follow.

technically i am going to work on thursdaz.
back functional who knows when.

big hugz from Frankfurt.
time to log off and head to dinner.

still basel but just overnight

Bed and breakfasts are wonderful. especially in Switzerland. the cheese. the bread. the jam. the yogurt (this morning was pear/chocolate which was fabulous!)

and the walking. and the shopping. and the walking.

we have had such terrific food here. but it's hard to believe that you have to pay 10 swiss francs for a large bottle of water. ah well. other things like lemon ravioli, spaetzle with mushrooms and fried onions, amazing varieties of salad. and the gelato and ice cream. leave your cholesterol worries at the border.

tonight we spoke with David at Julia's parents' house. he is very much looking forward to our getting there, as are we. 3 hrs on the train and then taxi to the hotel. people don't have big cars there and with three suitcases and 3 backpacks and three people, it would be a challenge. Audrey arrived today. friends of David's from high school come tomorrow. 25 people are going on the bus tour on Friday. tomorrow is schnitzel dinner. it's all great. and i have wedding cards from the "parents" group and jackie to hand deliver.

daniel and i went to the zoo today. we saw everything but the meerkats. they are on the cover of the brochure
but not clearly identified. not in a clear location. ah well.

the electric trams...small street cars... are a lot of fun. we are even getting used to which one goes where. like large mechanical green grasshoppers. we are having a wonderful time.

If it's Tuesday, it must be Basel

Well, boys and girls, it's been very exciting so far.
Thanks again to my Swiss consultant Christine for logistical support and suggestions, we did do the boat on Lake Lucerne, then the steepest cog railway up Mt. Pilatus, excitement, clouds, views and walking at the top, and tram down to the other side (the town of Kriens) where we took a bus back to the B&B. While on the mountain, we shopped and Jeremy did a ropes course (omg it was lots of fun he said and i have photos; Barbara I am bringing back a brochure for you).

This morning after another fabulous breakfast (blueberry yogurt amazing, fabulous bread, cheeses, meats, tea etc) Jeremy took off for the Zurich office of google on his own, with his suitcase. More leisurely, Daniel and I left Lucern and headed straight for Basel. The train ride was about an hour. There are two Basel train stations. We got a bit confused but once at the correct station, made it here easily on a cute green electric tram. Daniel and I walked and walked and walked. Saw a man swimming in the Rhine (our B&B is 2 blocks from the river), saw two people floating in the river with orange dry sacks floating near their backs, dodged lots of kamikaze bicyclists, had wurst for lunch (daniel had curry wurst which was fabulous) and walked some more. Stopped at the supermarket Coop to get Caotina, the chocolate powder to mix in with milk that Christine gave us so long ago.

Late in the afternoon, Jeremy called to say he was pretty much on his way. He came, I met him outside, he settled in, and we heard wonderful stories about the slide and fireman's pole connecting floors in the google building, the conference rooms with small tram cars as seats, the nap room, lit only by the lights in the fishtanks, with 7 large comfy recliners and fountains providing quite sounds.

We walked and walked and walked, retracing Jeremy's journey on the tram from the other Basel train station, and we ate at Apfelplatz I think...a steak house where Jeremy had steak and Daniel and I split a fabulous mixed salad and thin thin crust pizza. yummy. AND THE DESSERTS! apple cake fried and covered in cinnamon sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. jeremy got an ice cafe which is an espresso shot poured over a scoop of gelato, this time with rum. OMG they were both so fabulous.

On the way we found a toy store (daniel wants to get Magic cards in German) and a comic book store. jeremy saw a place which sells espresso cups and supplies, and a few other places to check out in the morning. i'd love to go on a guided walk or bus tour just to get a sense of history. there is a series of 5 small walks, like erasmus, giving an idea of what Basel was like centuries ago.

one of my favorite things from tonight: in the entry way to the city hall there were two accordion players and a bassist, playing Bach fugues!! astounding. and i have the CD to prove it.

it's been busy, tiring and a lot of fun. and luckily wireless access works here, and quickly.

jeremy wants his computer back, so i'll write more tomorrw.

This was written Sunday night

This morning we woke up in Lucerne. Yesterday was a very very very long travel day. With thanks to Christine for getting us to the airport.

Things went pretty seamlessly, which was nice. We went from SJ to Denver, wandered around, got a bit of food (they don't serve anything on planes these days on trips less than 3 hrs), and made it to the next gate. In Washington, there was an hour on the ground, but boarding was pretty soon after we walked to the next gate. I was confused why I got different boarding groups than Jeremy and Daniel. Turns out it is because they do aisles later. Lots of dozing on and off. There was dinner and breakfast snack on the leg from Washington to Frankfurt. Passports examined and stamped, luggage was there on the conveyor when we got there, no customs check and we were out the door. Then we crossed the street, literally, and were in the train station.

I had double booked us for Tuesday and Wednesday nights but successfully got us traded so that we are in Lucerne first and then Basel. Phew. The train from Frankfurt to Lucerne required 2 changes of train, but that is often just walking across the platform. My suitcase is bigger and heavier and it was nice that the boys could just grab it, sling it up the train stairs. On the first half-hour from Frankfurt to Mannheim, there were no seats, so we just stood with our suitcases in the area by the door. Now we are using Swiss francs which are even more like funny money than euros. Colorful, different colors for different amounts. I still have not clue what the exchange rate is.

So with excellent directions and one short bus ride from the train station, here we are at The Bed and Breakfast Hotel on Taubenhaustrasse. We got up here, unloaded bags and got directions from Evelyne to the old town area and the bridges. Dinner was at a brauerie, complete with beer. Daniel had sausages and a pretzel with mustard. I had a salad with avocado, shrimp and mango (!) and Jeremy had a traditional Swiss dish that included macaroni, potatoes, cheese and a side of applesauce. Yum! There was no room for gelato.

So we are now all up. I was going to type this while the guys were out for espresso, but breakfast is almost ready here and there is coffee.

It is cold here...well, we are in the Swiss mountains after all. Today will include a ride on Lake Lucerne and perhaps a tramride up into the mountains. Yikes. OK..time for breakfast.c

what did Jerry Orbach do before Law and Order?

he was a song and dance man on Broadway.
there was a special tonight on public television ... Broadway's Lost Treasures, hosted by Harvey Fierstein and Joel Grey. Lots of fun things, including Zero Mostel in Fiddler on the Roof, Jerry Orbach in 42nd Street, Yul Brynner in The King and I. What a nice retrospective. of course Linda would have known who did the book, music and lyrics for each show, who starred in it, and more. it really is important knowing the context of songs. what an encyclopedia of musical knowledge she had. i miss that a lot. being amazed at how she could remember it all.

Everything is coming together for the trip. All that's missing is my corset. Well, undergarment. Well, corset. But it's really comfortable.

And I have a security system.
A momentous day.

getting closer to europe every day

departure is only 4 days away.
last night i had a major panic attack and said to myself "what were you thinking??" when i had planned to arrive in Switzerland and just find something when we got there. i also said "where is Linda, now that i need her??" of course Linda was the one who made all the travel arrangements. so i went online, sent 3 emails, got 2 replies and shazam! we have accommodations in both Basel and Luzern. i am sooooooooo relieved. credit cards called to let them know i'll be in europe. don't want any surprises with ATM or charges. a few other financial things to get done now as well. tonight i also worked on the itinerary: flight arrangements, times, confirmation and ticket locator numbers, etc. details on where we will be staying in Switzerland. added the international mobile phone numbers. i learned from the master!

have you ever compared the fat grams on low fat and full fat yogurt? i did. and now i eat full fat organic plain trader joe's. wow. how creamy and delicious. thanks to christine for pushing me over the edge to serious yogurt. with blueberries...it was a fabulously wonderful container of them. what a dinner.

ketzl is beside me on the couch after chomping down his tomato (from the backyard) and asparagus. doing a good cleaning.

right now nightline on abc is dealing with Gov. Sarah Palin. John McCain looks really old.

a security system goes in tomorrow. with thanks to daniel for coming over while i head to the staff meeting. so that means i still have a bit to get done tonight before the house is filled with workers.