Rain Today
It rained today and we had a fire going all day long.
'Twas the night before the night before Christmas…
It just settled down upstairs. The excitement that powers the current of childhood is hard to extinguish and put to bed. It’s practically here. Christmas, that is. The 5 straight days of solid rain has finally stopped just in time for a shoot today in Hollywood.
Head for the Hills
5 straight days of rain, Â a continuous fire going alongside the t.v. with non-stop movie watching, 3 out of the 5 boys getting the stomach flu and zero out of the 3 actually making it to the toilet in time. I was in bed for 1 day and was spared the punishment of puke. It’s funny how when I’m sick I always remember the book I’m reading. Right now I’m reading Dracula. Yes, it’s practically here…so much has rushed by already. Debbie set the boys up with window painting and went on a tear of constructing paper stars to fill every available window in the house. She claims she can stop anytime she likes.
I went to Home Depot to buy our Christmas tree after dropping the kids off at school a couple of weeks ago. There’s something strange about picking out a Christmas tree in the fog at 8:30 in the morning in the parking lot of big box mega store  and even stranger being approached by day laborers seeing if I need any help. Help with what? Decorating the Christmas tree tied  to the roof of my car.
Theo, leading the decorating team
I actually didn’t mind picking out the tree by myself. I felt a little like Charlie Brown wandering around the Christmas tree lot with Linus. And, like Charlie Brown, I think we are all walking around in our usual state of mild holiday depression, searching for the meaning of something. Something that’s practically here and yet here all the time. Yes, it’s practically here.
It's (was) Raining, It's (was) Pouring
It’s Saturday morning. Debbie and Sam left the house @ 6:00am for a tennis tournament in Santa Barbara. Simon has found his way into bed with me. He keeps kicking off the covers. I notice that it’s cold. Real cold. The sun’s out but it’s cold. The week full of heavy rain, wind, and hail appears to be over. We plowed through about 1/4 cord of firewood and I’m wondering where have all the umbrellas that we used to own have gone to.
Simon Picking Up His Brothers at Ocean Charter
Like many things these days, severe weather in southern California is short lived. We got a busy schedule today. I just hung the laundry on the clothesline and my hands are cold.
The Stairway to the 3rd Grade
Ollie and Theo are playing The Game of Life (Simon is just watching) Henry is holding his own sports center by checking the scores from The Australian open and last night’s basketball scores while talking to lord knows who on the telephone.
Ollie's Froggy Boots
At 10:30 Simon is going to the park to play with his friend Sookie and her Omi. I’ll pick some cerviche’ up at La Playita for lunch and drop Theo and Ollie off at Riviera for tennis. Henry and I are going to Pauley Pavillion to see UCLA play Washington St.
To Splash or not to Splash...
Later on tonight Henry has his own basketball game. He’s plays at Penmar Rec. Center and is on the Bruins. They are 0-2 but just got a new kid who is 6′- 3″. I got this strange feeling their team is going to win tonight.
Henry and his Bruins
Dinner last night was homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I wanted to pick up some cheese at Andrews Cheese Shop, get some coffee beans and a bottle (or 6) of wine. Lately,  I’ve been buying my coffee beans at Terroir Coffee. Today I’m off to Intelligentsia Coffee in Venice. My cardiologist has suggested that I only have 1 espresso a day but I indulge myself  and go for #2.
A Cup of Intelligentsia
When I leave the coffee shop I see a rainbow towards the east and decide to use it as a sign and head west to see the beach after the storm. The parking lot is flooded and empty. The storm seems to have come and gone leaving a wind swept sea and crisp clean air.
A Puddle Picture
The waves are pretty big but blown out with no shape whatsoever. It’s nice though to take a few minutes and watch, to take it all in and take a few pictures.
Bay St. After the Storm
The beach is great what can I say. Rain or shine. The closer you get to the waters edge the closer you get to nature and yourself. Time is up. Time to start picking up the wee ones. First stop- The pool to pick- up Ollie.
Ollie Taking a Plunge
Rain, Rain
Stop, don't play in the puddles, yeah right.
After about 2 weeks of unseasonably warm, beautiful weather we are getting some seaonably wet, beautiful rain. Out come the rain boots, stay off the tennis courts(slippery when wet) and stay out of the ocean(dirty when it rains).
some creatures don't really care about the rain
I’m thinking about starting a fire in the woodburning stove and definitely battening down the hatches. What that means is pick up all the inside toys which have made their way outside in the past two weeks.
That's one small step for a toddler...
Preparations
Cleaning the gutters
No, I am not meditating on the roof really, but cleaning out our copper gutters and copper down spounts in anticipation of our first significant rainfall of the season. I usualy sort of sneak up on our roof so none of my children follow me. I do however make it a point to say hello to the folks down below just to see their reaction. They always look to the left, right and behind them first before looking up to see where the sound is emanating. While I am on the subject of sounds and being up on roofs- I also check out our windchimes to see if it needs any maintenance or adjusting. We have the Chimes of Apollo made by Woodstock Windchimes. It has a beautiful resonating sound. We used to have it on the windward side of our rooftop but a neighbor complained that the sound was keeping him up at night- he said it sounded like he was out at sea. I told him I liked the sea but ended up moving the chimes to the leeward side. Anyways, back to the gutters (did I mention they were copper?) My tools are gloves, plastic bags, small broom, shop vac and garden hose. My process is simple, sweep debris from gutters into small piles- sit down in a comfortable seated position (I’ve chosen a simplecross- legged one) in front of each pile and with gloved hands take debris and place in plastic bag. I sit because it is more relaxing and I feel well balanced with the slant of the roof. If you want to throw a childs’ pose in for good measure now would be the time. Have you ever sat down on the ground when those around you are standing (probably from lack of chair)? Try it it feels good. Next comes the shop vac (inhale) which gets all the dirt and debris left by our asphalt roof shingles. Finally the garden hose (exhale) on jet mode to get our gutters super clean and then give the down spouts a test run. Now meditate… gee it’s fun to be on the roof with a garden hose.
The weatherman was right
