This week has been a dog-focused one. First, I spent a few days in Petaluma looking after my friend Heather’s dog, Miloh. I really enjoyed getting to know her neighborhood, exploring all the little walkways around there, walking near the river and having great views of the sunrise and sunset. Miloh is a sweetheart, we had a lot of fun hanging out with each other. I spent a good amount of time working while I was there. The end of the school year is always a busy time.
On Saturday, I gave blood then headed to Emmy’s to look after Winston for a couple of days while she and Garrett were at a wedding. That seems to be the theme of 2026 for her – this was the 5th or 6th wedding-related event she has been to in the last month! Winston and I got out for a couple of walks, one time we were at Markham Arboretum and saw a marriage proposal being set up! Sooooo cool – I hope it went well!
I also got to enjoy delicious shrimp tacos and Day of the Dead bread made by my boss, Isabel and her daughters and son-in-law. Usually they do this in November, when Day of the Dead takes place, but her daughter, Amanda, is 8 months pregnant and was craving it. So they made it early and invited me over to have some – it was delicious! It was wonderful to see Amanda, meet her husband, Sam, and talk about the baby. I first met Isabel through Amanda when she and Emmy were in the same preschool class at Creative Play Center – they were both 3 years old at the time. Isabel sent me home with bread and peaches and plums from her backyard orchard – she’s even growing passionfruit! Winston and I watched a few episodes of The 4 Seasons on Netflix. It was pretty good, though not as funny as I thought it would be considering that it’s produced by Tina Fey, but the themes were relevant and pretty spot on about what life is like in your 50s. Reminded me of watching Thirtysomething back in the 80s, though I was a Twentysomething at that point.
On Sunday I met my friend Julie for a hike in Tilden Park. It was a wonderful combination of sun, shade, hills and flats. Good preparation for the Camino trip that we are both doing in September, but unfortunately at different times. It did not work out for Julie, Michele and I to do the trip together because of our different schedules, but I’m excited that I’ll get to go with my sister, Michelle.
Other stuff going on:
I met up with my former boss, Lisa, for lunch in Novato. I love that we have been able to get together a couple of times a year since she retired in 2014 – wow – time has flown.
With some FaceTime help from my son Kieran, I replaced the rear turn signal light in my car. I am so grateful to have his expertise available!
I’ve been getting out for as many long walks as I can, averaging 20,000 steps a day over the last week – my feet are doing pretty good. These long walks are particularly good for my mental health, especially when I found out I didn’t get an interview for a job that I was really interested in and felt I was well qualified for.
My daughter Annemarie participated in her first drag show over the weekend and had a blast. She sent me a video and pictures, and I could tell she was enjoying herself so much. She did an amazing job – I’m so impressed that she made her entire costume (including the puppet that sings with her, who she named Kevin Bacon). She loved being involved in drama when she was in middle and high school, so it is fantastic to see her getting into performing again especially in such a loving, supportive community. I’m so proud of her.
Over the last few days, I read a book written by a friend of mine, Sue Granzela, who I met through an Artist’s Way class several years ago. She is a retired teacher whose book, Pushed to the Edge, is about the culture wars that teachers have been dealing with over the last decade. It was a very sobering, sad read. I am so impressed with the strength and fortitude of the teachers who have dealt with ridiculous and shameful acts by people, many of whom don’t even have students in the schools they are trying to make policy changes in. It is insane the crazy lengths that conservative Christians have gone to to try to influence public education. It is so sad how much they have pushed to exclude anyone who doesn’t fit their moral vision, resulting in many students and their families feeling they have to be invisible in their communities and driving very talented teachers out of the profession. I can’t understand how people who profess to love God can hate other people so much, people they don’t even know, and believe such horrible lies.