85 C - More!

After our filling Dim Sum lunch, I wondered how far away the Irvine 85 C Bakery and Cafe might be where we could have a little dessert and/or sea salt coffee. Much to my delight, I discovered that while I was not looking, 85 C has opened up a total of 9 stores in the southland. I remember my excitement of finding out that one had opened up in Hacienda Heights and then another one in West Covina. Yesterday we went to the one in Garden Grove which is just a mile away from Sea Food Paradise.

Sea Food Paradise

When our daughter went off to college, she thought we would enjoy meeting her friend's parents, so she made a point of introducing us (first via the internet and IM - remember IM?). Then we officially met them when they were visiting So Cal. At that time they were living in Kansas City, but now they live in Carlsbad, which is not too very far from here. In December they were taking their son to Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont was on their way, so we reconnected for the first time since our daughters' graduation in 2007.

We decided to get together again, this time to meet somewhere between Carlsbad and Claremont, and they suggested their favorite Dim Sum restaurant in Westminster. We had not had Dim Sum in quite a while, and as soon as we sat down and saw the amazing amounts of diversity rolling around on the carts, H immediately said that he wanted to return, and very soon. The food was excellent, and it was worth the 40-minute drive. Apparently, Sunday is the best, and busiest day to go. The selection is greater and the food fresher. We arrived by 10:45, so we were seated immediately. The bottom picture shows a little bit about how big the place is.

Garner House

On my way to the historical exhibit yesterday, I first went into the main building of the Garner House. I wandered through the downstairs before I found someone to let me into the exhibit. I've lived in Claremont for 28 years, and I have never been inside this building. Claremont Heritage has been headquartered here since 2001, but it never occurred to me to check it out. Now I know someone who is going to use this as a venue for a wedding this summer, which I think is so well-suited for a Claremont girl.

The living room, facing north

The living room, facing south. You can see the music balcony in the upper left.

The lending library. If you are a Claremont resident, you can check out books from here about local and California history, as well as home restoration.

Several plaques

The courtyard

Claremont Library - 100 Years Old

I did not make it to the Opening Party for the Library's Centennial last Saturday, but I wanted to see the historical exhibit about the library's past 100 years. My postcard from the Friends of the Claremont Library altered me to the fact that this exhibit is very temporary - closing this coming Sunday - so I got over to the Garner House in Memorial Park this morning.

I am not one for reading long articles hanging on walls in exhibits, but I read just about every word in this show. When you are reading about something in your own life (and the library is a big part of mine), it becomes infinitely interesting. 

I asked the young man who let me in if this information is collected anywhere besides this ephemeral exhibit, and he said that it will soon (in a month or so?) be on a website somewhere - either the historical society or Friends of the Claremont Library. It was not clear to me, but I will be on the lookout for it - or perhaps someone will let me know!

The exhibit is open today until 1:00, tomorrow through Sunday from 1-5, and it is free. Go!

The exhibit is in the back of the Garner House.

I really like maps, especially old ones. This is part of a very large map in the exhibit.

Here are photos on one board of the original library, a Spanish Revival building which sat where the current library does. It's too bad that the building was too small and could not be expanded. Most people agree that the current structure is visually unappealing. (Except for the newly renovated Children's Room.)

I did not know that the Friends of the Claremont Library began in 1957. I have only been aware of it for the past 10 or so years. 

The Unintentional Gatekeeper

You might be able to guess that I like to communicate with people. I like to talk. (Really, I love to talk. I'm just wired that way. Sorry if that's a problem. I don't mean it to be.) I write letters, send cards, mail the occasional package. Obviously, I blog. And, I email.

When email first became available, back in the day, I was right on it. First I had one account, then I somehow ended up with four or five. Now I've pared it down to two. Along the way I kept up with the technology, and it became easy for me to set up group email lists. I also understand the difference between reply and reply all, and I hope that I am very careful in using them correctly. There is also an important difference between reply and forward.  (I have been on the receiving end of a reply email meant to be forwarded and not meant for my eyes. That was interesting.... and yes, it is all sorted out now.)

Because I am quick to email, I became the de facto informant for several of the groups I'm involved with which shall remain nameless. I don't recall that I ever suggested that I be the actual leader of these groups, but I intended to act as a secretary.

Somewhere along the line, though, some people have assumed that I am the only one in the group who can send out a group email. Now, I hope it's not because they think I am the only official gatekeeper of information. I hope that it is because they have not figured out how to set up a group list or how to save one email with everyone's address and hit reply all.

I am here to say that I would like to liberate myself from the role of the only gatekeeper. First of all, this fall when I am off on sabbatical, I will set aside my secretarial duties for the year of all my groups. Second of all, if you would like everyone to know something, I do not need to be the filter. You can share the wealth. You can send out an email yourself. It's not really difficult to do.

Now, back to your regularly-themed posts.

Allergy Season in Full Swing

I know that my friends and family in other parts of the country are waiting and waiting for spring. I remember that feeling. March is just dreadfully long and it seems as though warm weather will never appear. However, right now, I am ready to spend 2-3 days somewhere where there is no PollenCast like these ones I just saw on weather.com right now. I am taking Claritin every day, and while my eyes don't itch and water, my sinuses are acting up. 

Inland Valley Music Together

My dear friend teaches Music Together classes - for "children and the grown-ups who love them." This week she has lost her voice and asked me to come in and help her sing with this morning's class. Cute kids and music? How could I say no? Although she thought I was doing her a favor, I was actually learning and observing and thinking about more ways of teaching music to children, but mostly I was having fun. You can see her page here.

Bees in Trees

This morning C noticed that bees were swarming in one of our street trees. I called the city, and they said they will send someone out to look at it. They didn't want to call the bee removal people unless I could actually see a hive. I explained that the hole in the tree is over 10 feet high, and I'm pretty sure I can't see if there is a hive or not. I do know that our street has had bee infestations for many years now. 

I went out and took some photos with my long lens, and then I made a very slap-dash movie. I don't have the inclination to make an animated gif today, but I used Quicktime to take a screen movie, and then I ran through the 19 photos very quickly in iPhoto. 

Classic Yosemite Shots

Two Yosemite pics of classic views for your enjoyment.

Wedding in the Yosemite Chapel

Ever since my love affair with Yosemite started, I have always wanted to attend a wedding in the Chapel in the valley.  This past weekend I got my chance. My Alexander Technique teacher got married there, and I jumped at the chance to get away to Yosemite during the off-season. Of course, a wedding in mid-March could have dicey weather, but this year's unseasonable warmth gave us a most glorious weekend with no need to wear hiking boots and heavy coats to the ceremony. 

I think my favorite part of the wedding was that at the very end, as the bride and groom walked out, the bride got to ring the chapel bell by tugging at a rope that I didn't even notice when we walked in. 

Rob Delaney

You probably didn't see Rob Delaney's book Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage. on the bestseller list. I didn't. I did see it mentioned in the Sunday NY Times in the section where they interview people about what they read. It was recommended as a funny book. I think maybe I laughed once.

What I want to know is this. Actually, I probably don't want to know this, because I don't really care. That is, why do so many male writers revert to  scatological content. I feel as though they are forcing me to look into the locker of a teenaged boy in order to find a laugh. All I find is an odor I'd prefer to forget. It also seems to me that women writers don't feel the need to talk about bowel movements nearly as much as men do.

Boon Companion

The long-time owners of Claremont's toy store, Boon Companion, recently retired. The new owners took over March 1, and until yesterday, the windows have been covered with brown paper. On Thursday I took the first two photos, and yesterday I strolled by and took a peek inside. It looked as though they were still working, so this must be what is called a soft opening. I am not in the market for toys these days, but someday I might be....

Behind the glare of the window, see a prominently displayed vacuum...

Getting a Jump On Spring Break

Spring break at the colleges starts at the end of the day today, but a student is getting started early, here in front of Bridges Auditorium just before noon today.

Here's a link to a similar photo from several years ago at HMC.

Kangaroos activity

This week in first and second grade music, we had a fun activity relating to the Kangaroo music from Saint Saens' Carnival of the Animals. We made our first two fingers into kangaroo ears and hopped them up and down our other arm to the music. Then we looked at a visualization of the music on the board which consisted of dots and wavy lines. We made our own sounds as we traced the patterns in the air. We "painted" in the air with our fingers. Then we opened up each piece of felt (one per student) and saw the dot stickers and piece of yarn. Each student created their own music. We practiced following the dots and lines while we made our own corresponding sounds. Some students chose to share theirs with the class. It was awesome, and every kid (every kid! was engaged).

I must credit Sandy Stauffer, who taught us that at a recent workshop.

As you can see from the photo in the lower right side, the music rug is still going strong! Every day I am so happy to have that rug in the music room.

Inka Trails

Many years ago we ate at Inka Trails, but we didn't really understand the food. After all, we had never had french fries and rice together in a main dish. Then we went to Peru and had lomo saltado (a  stir-fry with sirloin strips, onions, tomatoes and potatoes / french fries over rice). Upon returning home from Peru, we thought we ought to give the restaurant another try.

I ordered the lomo saltado and H had the quinoa con queso. He's been looking for the kind of creamy quinoa he had at the buffet at Machu Picchu, and this one was pretty good, but not exactly the same.  I thought the food pretty good, even if a little salty. Now, if Inka Trials would serve pisco sours, we would return more often.

Training People, Part 2

In getting ready for sabbatical, we have now posted information about our house rental with the colleges. In two days I've already gotten responses, but none are making me excited about renting to them. (I had other problems when we last rented out our cottage….)

1. "I'm calling about your house you have listed for rent. Is it available?" "It will be available in mid-August." "Oh, not now?" 

Tip #1 - When calling about an advertisement, make sure you read it through before bothering someone.

2. This email ended with a very strong religious message. 

Tip #2 - Don't advertise your religion. Do I really have to say this?

3. This email told me why our house is perfect for them. 

Tip #3 - I'm glad we might be able to help you, but the real question is, why should we rent out our home to you? I need a compelling reason to know you will take excellent care of our home.

4. This email used no signature. Just thank you (no punctuation). The follow-up email asked how much "would the rent come out to be". (This is an email from a college student.) Again, no signature. 

Tip #4 - Please use common courtesy in your emails. Then refer to Tip #1.

I will be very happy when we find the right people to live in and love our home while we are gone.

Mindsight

My Alexander Technique teacher suggested that I read this book, Mindsight, by Daniel Siegel. For some reason I thought it would be about how to meditate. In some ways, it has something to do with mindfulness, but it's not so much a how-to manual as it is how understanding how our brains are wired and how to use mindful techniques, called mindsight by Siegel, to not only enrich our lives, but our relationships.

I have started becoming very interested in this type of thing since I notice that many of my students come into the music room not at all ready to listen, and not at all ready to learn. I have started trying to get their minds to relax for a few minutes at the beginning of class, and, if nothing else, it gives the room a sense of calm, at least for a few moments. I feel as though I can explain what we are about to do (because I try to make my classes about doing rather than just listening to me drone on) without trying to compete for their minds' attention. Since we can only do this as a group once a week, and I haven't done it long, I cannot comment on any noticeable changes in my students, except for at the start of class.

I have now put a few books on my reading list about mindfulness in schools. Stay tuned.

J Brown, Violinmaker

I just ran across this little 5-minute documentary featuring Claremont's own violin maker, Jim Brown. If you don't know exactly where his shop is located, I describe it in two ways. The first is to say that it is sort of in the alleyway behind Video Paradiso. If you stand in that parking lot and look down the alley, you'll see it right there. Second, if you are driving up Indian Hill, turn into the driveway for the cleaners that has the big white columns just south of Bonita on the east side, and it's the building past the cleaners.

I send all my students to the Brown's for rentals, supplies and a chance to pet the dog and cat. Or are there two cats? 

Dodgers and Cable

As of today, I am okay with what's going on with the Dodgers on tv. We have lucked out, for now, with having Time Warner Cable since they are the only ones carrying the brand-new Dodger channel. If you have read my blog on this subject before, you know that the Dodgers are one of two reasons we finally caved in and got cable tv. (The other was the Oregon Ducks football team.) 

I have no idea what will happen in the future with the Comcast/Time Warner merger. I am not optimistic. But, for now, I enjoy tuning in to spring training games (and remember fondly our trip to watch some of those spring training games a few years ago).

Significant Rain

Some reports declared that Claremont had 1.28 inches of rain. I do not know if that was just Friday's storm, or the whole few days of rain. At the library on Friday, you could see some of the mess that the rain made, but I am not complaining. We need it. 

You can see some other photos of rain damage on my friend's blog here.

The 10-day forecast shows no rain for Claremont, but I am hoping for another few storms, or more, this winter.

A Month of Letters

Used to be, times past, that I was a great letter-writer. I'm not sure if the content of my letters was always so great, but I sent mail in the post often. In college I wrote home about once a week. When I was apart from H, we corresponded several times a week. In my files I still have many letters from my friends - college and grad school, mostly.

Then came email and Facebook and Instagram, and… well, that slowed down my written correspondence to a snail's pace. Of course, I get many fewer personal letters in the mailbox, too.

I have blogged about my solution to the budget woes of the USPS here. I started out several years ago writing a thank-you note once a week. That lasted for a few months, I think, before I petered out. I still like to send thank you notes, but it doesn't happen on a regular basis.

Then, at the beginning of February, I noticed on Instagram that a friend of mine was participating in A Month of Letters. Interest piqued, I looked it up here. The challenge: mail one thing each day the post office is in business (23 days - minus Sundays and one Monday holiday). It could be a letter, a postcard, a swatch of fabric, or anything.

That, of course, is right up my alley, so I started. Even though I didn't get on board until Feb. 2, I decided that the 6 thank yous I had sent the week before would count.

It was an interesting month. Some days I knew exactly what to send. Some days I floundered around, looking for an excuse. Here are the numbers:

4 actual letters (3 to people who used to be regular correspondents, 1 to someone I have not contacted in about 20 years who is now a Facebook friend)

3 Thank Yous

3 Photos (one with an actual letter)

3 Valentines

3 Birthday Cards

2 Condolence Notes

1 Newspaper article

1 Poem (I wrote)

1 Short Note

1 Postcard

1 Retirement Card

In return, I received one note from my friend who inspired me on this challenge.

If you did not receive a letter or something from me, and you would like me to write you, let me know! Or, send me a letter, and I will be sure to answer it.

This is the card I sent to my friend, seen after she received it

This is the card that came to me. I saw it here on Instagram first….

This is that same card after it arrived in my mailbox