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Author Archives: Pamela Rentz
Los Angeles, Part 2
Our hotel in LA was right next to the LA River.
Don’t you love it? I remember LA got a lot of heavy rains sometime this year and I was curious what it was like out there.
We did another thing I never thought I’d do: take an underground in LA.
I don’t know how long it’s been running but all the cars look like they were shipped in from Used and Beat Up Metro Cars, Inc. As soon as you get on the announcement says not to take out any money or valuables and to call the police if anything happens. Then they give the number.
There was a police presence around the metro station as well and I did not feel unsafe.
We exited at Hollywood and Highland which is where my workplace was way back in the late 80s. Hollywood is not any more glamorous than it was back then but some of the seedier tableaus aren’t that far off from what I’ve seen in downtown Portland lately which is super sad to say. We walked around the old office building which is behind razor wire and the front door and loading dock were all bricked up.
We hopped on a bus and went to the Academy Museum where we saw a terrific exhibit about John Waters and Sophia Coppola doing a signing for her book.
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Los Angeles, Part 1
The point of this picture is the giant dragon above Bob.
We went to Los Angeles for a wedding.
It’s the first time I’ve been back in 20 years. I was kinda dreading it but it ended up AMAZING!
Our hotel had a free trolley to Universal. We thought we’d mosey onto the 8am trolley and it was completely full.
The park was sold out at 8:15am. People were out in force to celebrate Halloween. Lots of costumes and family themed outfits.
We didn’t plan to go to the park. We just had our morning beverage and baked treat and watched the people. Bob started a conversation with a guy in the coffee line and turned out he had dropped his wife off for work. She worked in costuming for the cast in the park.
Here is our entire Harry Potter experience from City Walk.
Tacoma – Last Post
We went to Tacoma in September. I posted about it in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. This is the last Tacoma post.
It’s been so long, I don’t remember what else I wanted to say about the trip.
This is a view at the
I asked about the sculpture in the fountain: what’s it made of?
Glass.
Really? What about weather or vandalism?
Sometimes there are issues but it is actual glass in the fountain.
This is the Chihuly Bridge of Glass outside the Museum of Glass and there are glass sculptures in the display.
There are a few sections with vandalism but whatever they made the case out of, it’s really strong. No one had successfully broken into it.
Finally, this is what the basement would look like if my husband didn’t have me around.
This is the Freighthouse Station by the Amtrak station and it is the land that time forgot. A funny old place with lots of fun restaurants and little shops with various snacks and doodads.
These computers were piled up in the back with no security! Can you imagine?
Here is a weekly update on my NaNo. It looks like I’m in great shape but the next two weeks are going to be mostly a wash setting me up for a major Thanksgiving weekend write-marathon.
11432 / 25000 words. 46% done!
Super Sketch
These are heirloom lavender poppies. My sister-in-law gave me the seeds and I love these flowers. They re-seed but I’ve been helping them in the hopes of getting more blooms.
I loathe the NextDoor app except that there is often information that is relevant to the neighborhood that I like to have access to. And also sometimes I want to sell or give something away and I don’t do any other apps so for the time being I use this app.
But if I spend more than 5 minutes a day on it, all I do is mute people and think ungenerous thoughts about my neighbors.
I’m always fascinated by the people who show up on the app and then after one day, they have some super terrible tragedy and link to a GimmeMoney app. It’s a good grift because there are always people who want to give them money. They’re grown-ups. It’s their money. But seems like better ways to help people out.
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The Interestings
I just read a book called The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer which I recommend if you like character driven books and stories about long friendships.
This story begins with the friends meeting at a summer camp in the 70s. The time frame was also perfect for me.
I went to summer camp 2 times in the 70s.
Once was a girl scout camp called Camp Lakota. The other was Camp Hollywoodland. I can still sing the theme song. Call me if you want to hear it.
In the book, the camp was for creative kids and they did plays and made music and pottery. Neither of my camps had a theme. There was swimming and making lanyards and tromping around and lots of singing.
Here’s the thing: I don’t remember making a friend at either camp. I don’t remember liking camp very much. I think Camp Lakota was sketchy because it seemed like there was barely enough food. They would pass it around family style and the first to it would pick the biggest pieces so someone like me would get the tiny chicken wing for dinner. Hollywoodland had its regulars and had some pre-made cliques which I had as much luck with as in regular school.
Still liked the book and other stories where kids have fun at camp.
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Loaf is a Batterfield
For someone who bakes bread as much as I do, I still make a surprising number of fail loafs.
I use a scale. I’m familiar with my kitchen. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work.
Lately, I’ve had good luck. I switched to Instant Dry yeast. I used to err on the side of hurrying up if I was in a pinch. I have been putting the dough in the refrigerator and then not worrying about it until I have time to bake.
I use a no knead recipe with sourdough.
This was the latest pretty loaf.
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Cheat Day
Our building decorates an elevator for Halloween. It’s always a surprise at the beginning of the month when you wander into the building at zero dark thirty, in a daze because you haven’t had any tea yet, and the elevator doors open to this.
I love it.
I was going to post this yesterday but I’m barely going to make this 30 day thing as it is, I’m starting November with a Halloween post.
The dog skeleton on the left can howl but they don’t leave it switched on all the time. We had a safety meeting and at one point this quiet howling noise could be heard and then everyone laughed when they figured out that the elevator must have stopped on our floor.
The Cerberus also moves and barks but it’s usually switched off.
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Joke About the Weather
We always joke that the rain is starts after Halloween and goes to the 4th of July but often, it turns out to be true.
The last two days I had a walk at lunch because it looks pretty soggy after this.
I did all the writing I thought I had time for and I was short 92 words so I powered through and added a bit more.
5168 / 5000 words. 103% done!
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Can’t Freeze Dahlias
I knew it was going to freeze so I picked the last of the pretty dahlias in the yard.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one but, — I just can’t get on top of anything. Last week I said: I feel like I’m dog paddling and barely keeping my head above water.
Yup, froze. I told my friend: it’s like if you put lettuce in the freezer. It’s never the same again.
What possible better idea could there by when feeling overwhelmed then deciding to do a modified NaNoWriMo?
Part one of the modification is that I started this month with a goal of 5K.
On October 29, here’s how I’m doing:
2859 / 5000 words. 57% done!
The rest of the plan is 20k next month plus a daily blog post that might be just a photo on some days.
I just ate some Halloween candy that was pure flavored sugar and now my lips and tongue are blue and my heart is racing! I’m off to do some yard work.
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A Big Bunch of Figs
Generated with AI ∙ October 8, 2023 at 5:45 PM
I worked like mad doing garden related activities most of the weekend but it feels like I didn’t get far. I love being outside and like yard work but it’s always hard and takes forever to make progress.
I chopped up some of the tomato plants after picking everything green that looked like it had a chance. I left a couple of plants out there but it looks like we’re getting heavy rain for the rest of the week so I should have just taken them all out.
I went through all the green ones we already brought in and tossed the ones that were bad and rotated the red ones to where we would see them.
I found enough to roast and we had some delicious sauce last night with some pasta.
I also roasted a tray of red kuri squash because the deer had a sample bite of every single one and I didn’t think they would keep very long.
Other yard things: dug up some ivy and berry vines. Cleaned up a corner of the yard that was compost in ancient times but ended up being a place to toss deer turds and ash from the BBQ and big chunky sticks. Yanked weeds and pulled up icky grass. Moved rocks to the front gravel spot. It was all really hard work but I can’t point to anything and enjoy how nice it looks now.
Things are going to be pretty busy for the next several weeks. Might be a time before I get back to this.
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