Shots from the Lip

At first they were all robo-calls that were even listed as potential spam.......now, nothing is listed as potential spam but I did pick up a non robo call from a  northern California contractor.......what is happening is that I now automatically reject all calls unless I clearly see it is a call from someone I know.  Hey, if it is really important enough, the person or persons trying to reach me will sooner or latter still get in touch with me........ My Kobo reader is getting kind of quirky.  I've got to bring both my iPad mini (a real ancient one!) and phone to Best Buy and have their Geek Squad get the Kobo app on the iPad in synch with the phone and also pair/link with blue tooth so I can use the iPad as a Kobo ebook reader......and also see if the portable keyboard I have can be paired, too, with the iPad...... I also still have to take my Surface Pro computer to Spectrum to get it working for Dodger games on the computer.........

 Park Avenue Synagogue did a Jews and Broadway show at their temple.....they live streamed it.  I'm watching it now.....not bad......this is late, mid-afternoon Tuesday that feels like a Sunday, on a day that started with a meeting with a tree-trimmer for the condo across from us, and Doug and us....three potential clients.....good meeting.....let's see what it will cost...... Weather was more or less nice today - still a wind that chilled things off was 'all pervasive'm throughout the day....... It is slightly after 4pm.  I did not play piano today......I will read more......and vegetate!

 Simplisafe is far less costly than others.......until one finds that ordering a professional set up is separate from the package deal for everything else...... Viviint is 5 times more expensive and wants a $500  deposit before it will talk with you. ADT?  We are not interested in finding out........let's see what we can custom-set up develop for Slmplisafe...... These seemingly little matters took up most of this morning - how ridiculous.....

That would have been nicer than it was had the weather been warmer and if there were not two sections that were limited to walking through.  It was nice to see so many parents with children out riding this morning but for a more serious rider?  Nope - blocking off those streets did not yield a good bike ride - c'est la vie..... We were on the roof, yesterday morning, of the condo wanting to trim our trees.  Sadly, we believe that the lunatic who argued with Katherine when he came, wanting the trees trimmed - by himself, not representing his HOA.   Is he the one who poured fermented urine on ours and the Chasen's property?   Too many unanswered questions for which we now are looking at security services to generate some peace of mind here, after a couple of 'attacks'.   

 MTT died.  It is the end of yet another era in my life.  We moved to L.A. in 1959.  We were a few blocks away from where the Thomas family lived in Van Nuys.  I never met either him or his family then but was aware of the family theatrical connections. It was too damned cold this morning on this, the best bike day - Friday - as no one is really out cycling as they usually are over the weekend.  I wore an extra bike shirt...now I have on a heavy duty sweat shirt.  I'm warm - even my hands....but it is not realy the time to play piano....... Sunday is another bicycle day with WLA Santa Monica Blvd and Westwood Blvd closed to auto traffic.   I will spend that morning out on the streets!!!

 Wednesdays, this past semester, has been a two class day conundrum....The second live class is a good one, good enough to continue going to....but not good enough to warrant all that goes into a full day of school. There's a half hour break between the two classes, barely enough time for a snack - not sufficient time for a slice of pizza to be consumed leisurely.  I didn't have the time and the pizza was not that good.  Fortunately no follow-up stomach problems.....in the future, Sbarro's in Santa Monica Place, is the best pizza (to me, at least) locally. After class, I took the 7 bus to Burger King's sole Santa Monica facility.  No big deal.......Five Guys is still the best chain.......Big Tomy's chiliburger is my personal favorite.....

There's a fine dust layer that Katherine has been battling against over the past few days.  No way other than getting into every nook and cranny and window sill and painting frame throughout the house.....some places more than once..........but it'll all be done. Me?  I've been out walking after cycling after feeling too damned cold in the house. I have one basic email to write this afternoon......and more reading......and I really do have to get myself into an essay writing mood....... I do have to 'solidify' both my sketching and my music playing routines - there's so much I want to accomplish and yet I am somewhat intimidated by the time it will take to so so little actually accomplished.....such is life..... 

 It is 16C outside but it feels like 13.  It is colder inside than outside the house......it is too fucking cold to type!!!!! If everything goes to plan, then sometime between 10am and 2pm today, we're going to have the second roof inspection that includes the inspector going inside our house to verify proper fire 'monitors' inside each room.  Our contractor picked up 4 from Home Depot yesterday afternoon and hopefully, we'll complete it all with two inspections instead of having to go through a third inspection. From start to completion, this has definitely been an all time consuming effort - necessary but amazingly, how easy to put put aside and forget all other activities that I had as part of my daily routines. I'd write more, now, but for frozen fingers.......that's all, folks! OK - this is later by more than just a day or two - and dammit, my fingers are too cold to type on most of my keyboards.....but hey, the roof is finished and after thawing out, I am ...

 A light rain or a heavy drizzle?  I sure as hell don't know!  My iPhone did my daily 7:15am wake up tone.  I heard a drip outside and knew that there was rain.  Not a whole lot but sufficient to soak the 4-8am Amazon delivery, placed inside our yard, without opening the gate.  Outside was soaked.  Inside was dry - hey, that's what mattered! I craved a bagel this morning and did breakfast at NY Bagel where I noticed $8 day old bagel bags - pay for 2, get an additional one for free....really a great deal if you have freezer space.  We don't right now......but the breakfast, including vanilla vienese roast coffee was wonderful! Now to get ready for the day's events:  posting no parking signs in preparation of roofers coming at 7am tomorrow morning. Well also cover most stuff in the house as we get ready for three days of work here.  The sun will come out soon and it's gonna be dry all week - perfect for roofing!

While 14C might not be cold, I was cold this morning.  Thus, a fourth bike shirt today for a sunny but very chilly ride by the ocean this morning.  I was not even out an hour before returning and locking up.  But then, after morning newspaper readings, I went to see both Fred and Jessica and Dan, two of the three neighbors, regarding our roof work this week. Jessica's car is already set in place for 7am, Monday.  Fred will 'position' his auto tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow afternoon I will also put up the three no parking signs, the two permits, et al and then await the roofers arrival at 7am, Monday morning. Basically, as owner/builder, I am the contractor and the general contractor we've hired is now my sub-contractor.  I made a number of visits to Santa Monica City Hall and the Department of Building and Safety and Department of Public Works........and we are set to do the roof.....and if it all goes to plan, we'll be finished on Wednesday aftrnoon after the th...

 I rode this morning - started at just after 8am and did an hour.  Will I ride again tomorrow?  Initially I thought there'd be rain or wet weather out.  Now, as per the phone weather, there'll be no rain and it'll be dry - colder for this time of year but definitely dry!! Kathrine wanted to purchase stock on the Thai exchange.  That was my excuse for a long photoshoot walk after going to Schwab where they figured out that the cost of outside fees to access through the Thai exchange was simply not worth it.......but I did get to do a walk, starting north at Santa Monica Blvd and 6th Street, going east at Wilshire, eventually stopping at both Whole Foods and Trader Joes prior to getting home. Other than taking out the garbage this afternoon, I do not really have anything else planned......other than cringe-ing at the cost of LA Phil tickets - $852 for the year for 8 performances (Fridays at 11am) and LA Opera tix at $557 for 5 operas on Sunday afternoons at 2pm....

 How do you find me when I am at Santa Monica Building and Safety?  Look down!  I am the only male on line not wearing work boots! Yet I've discovered that taking time to do small talk and what have you does get things accomplished - especially with a box of chocolate for the staff today!!  einspections , the online portal for setting up gave me 28 April as the earliest I could schedule an inspection.......that was changed to Tuesday morning, 14 April.......and that means we are all set up for roofing beginning at 7am, Monday morning, 13 April 2026!

 Yesterday we went to both Santa Monica Building and Safety and the Police Bureau.  We were uncertain, in both cases, yet everything was resolved.  And we even got follow up emails when problems happened. Tomorrow I go again to resolve the problem and follow up regarding roofers parking places needed to throw away the old shingles and stack the new stuff prior to putting on the roof. Today?  Knowing that the weather looks like it'll be good next week and that we will be able to follow through smoothly, there is no stomach rumble....it is a semi-laid back afternoon!

 Katherine joined me today for my 'semi-scheduled' meeting at SMGOV where I got parking accomplished for next week's roofing but we still have to get the automated inspection system running for us. And then we filed a report with the police department regarding the condo 'neighbor' who complained about our trees (but not the condo association which did not agree this was an issue).  The guy broke into our property to tie a tarp against one of the trees......the police agreed:  let's do our roof in peace - and then let that condo HOA know about their lunatic resident....... Finally - we got to Gilbert's El Indio and Katherine agrees - it is great!!

 I am, admittedly, a procrastinating type.  Yesterday, after months of telling myself that I had to go next door to Specialized to pump up my tires, I finally did so......and this morning I felt all the bumps I softly pedaled over recently because I was at the tire pressure I should have been. Did that make a difference in my riding?  Not that I could tell......but it did feel good to go out today.  I probably should have put on an additional bike shirt as it was cold out and the three shirts were really not enough...... I have to take more pictures and I have to sketch more - can I do it daily?  I also have to play piano and harmonica daily......briefly but every day - it is the ONLY way to improve! Similarly, a little writing each day keeps me ready to do a long essay - once I find a topic that motivates me sufficiently to writ a long essay!!!

 We have experienced drainage back-up.  Not sufficient to be alarmed over but sufficient to know that our lines beneath, incepting at our house and including the three other 'antique' single family structures (ours and Dan's were 1913 vintage - the other two were 1928 'newbies) before connecting to the primary lines were in need of a 'snake'.   Three years ago we had a plumber with manual equipment.  What a difference electricity makes - the snake went (with a tad bit of assistance at times) out and retracted at the press of buttons....how nice! Contracts completed for the roof - now to coordinate the actual work........