Fishgirl Speaks

ABC #3: Studio Progress

It's been awhile since my last house update, but that doesn't mean we haven't been puttering along. We have slowly been trying to clear the land for fire safety. When you have a half acre, ya don't call it weeding. It's "clearing the land."

Downhill from the house. This was a much bigger pile.

The future deck area.

We also got started on my future studio. Progress is slow by most standards, but any progress is great!

Footings poured.

Concrete forms removed, braces almost in place.

Foundation beams.

We also have some roof work to do. Check out this loveliness:

That's not a real skylight, by the way. It's a window they basically glued in place.

We've also been enjoying the local wildlife: quails running across the road, finches dancing in the sky, wild turkeys laughing at us, deer, bunnies, squirrels, cute little inchworms, and the occasional alligator lizard.

 

Previous entries for Adventures in Boulder Creek:
ABC #2

ABC #1

 

 

On Being Tired

What is it about being tired that we resist so strongly? Much like a small child, we complain and resist and find ways to skirt this important message from our bodies. We treat being tired as a bad thing, a failure. We punish ourselves for not being able to do ALL OF THE THINGS. We ingest caffeine, sugar, and various curiously marketed energy drinks because being tired is not OK. We ignore the simple biological message that in most cases means we need more fuel or more rest. We stay up too late, knowing that we'll pay for it tomorrow, drink our coffees, then repeat the cycle again.

Screw that noise.

If you're tired, then listen.
If you're tired, understand why.
If you're tired, be kind to yourself.
If you're tired, accept that it is part of an active life.
If you're tired...

be tired.

It's OK.

It's OK to be tired.

ABC #2: Stumps and Woodpiles

We've been going up to the house almost every weekend now. The routine is to get up early enough to beat the beach traffic, grab a bagel, stop by the storage unit and load up the car, then drive up and putter. I guess you could call it the slowest move ever. Since we can't do much on the house proper, we are taking advantage of the quiet time to sort through our belongings. They simply won't all fit into a 576 square foot house. I imagine there will be regular postings of free or cheap things for offer on Facebook.

Last weekend, we took some time - in long pants and boots - to stomp around the property. We found a very nice stump, which I promptly dubbed the Thinking Stump. It's a lovely place to sit and think. Or not think. Today, Charles started clearing more of a path to the Stump for easier access. If you come up, you should try it out. Veddy Nize.

Earlier this week, we received a note from the Water District asking us to please clear the meter so they could read it. Oddly, the meter is not on our property, but we figured we'd play nice. We moved roughly two cords of wood, stacking it neatly on either side of our drive. For awhile, it felt like we may never find the water meter, and it reminded me of a joke:

A man is in prison and writes regularly with his wife. In a recent letter, she told him that some officials had been asking additional questions about his case and generally nosing about. He wrote back, "Whatever you do, don't let them in the backyard. That's where I buried the rest of the bodies." A couple of weeks later, the wife replies, "Thanks, dear. They came and dug up the whole backyard. Now I can get that garden going!"

Surely, someone somewhere just wanted this wood pile moved for some other reason. 

We did find it eventually with a little help. A couple of friends stopped by to visit, one of whom happened to bring gloves. Thanks! I also thought it was amusing that they should roll up while we were stacking wood at our new mountain home. It was a nice little workout and now the pile looks a lot neater. All of that work was so we could uncover this, which was in the middle of the biggest part of the pile. Of course.

We met a couple more friends for lunch at Burger 9. Normally, it is a perfectly fine dining experience, but they were completely slammed with Labor Day weekend traffic, along with being across from the Santa Cruz Mountains Art & Wine Festival. They were definitely in over their heads. Tummies finally full, we went back to the house, sorted through the current load of boxes, cleared a little brush, and meandered home.

To read ABC #1, go here.

Adventures in Boulder Creek (ABC #1)

Last we spoke about the housing situation, we had moved into my parents' carriage house. We are still there, but the good news is we finally purchased a place in Boulder Creek! There are a lot of hurdles to clear before we can move in, but the price was right, and so is the view:

 

The backstory on house is roughly this: A previous owner took what was a storage shed/artist's shack (no permit required) and turned it into a small house without getting the required permits. The county came after them, so they sought financial assistance to help with permitting and repair issues. Enter three investors, assisted by an agent who specializes in investing in deeds of trust. The owner did not make good on the permits and went into default, so the title then went to the investors, from whom we purchased the house.

In order for us to pull permits and work on the house, we need to deal with an easement and a variance. We are working on the easement now, attempting to contact the owner of the easement (also, apparently, an investor who does not live in the property to which the easement is attached). Once that goes away, then we can request a variance from the county, because the house is right at the property edge. The variance will allow us to build/remodel within the setback as it is the only good place to put the house. The rest of the lot goes downhill.

Did I mention the view? And the quiet?

So that's what we are working on now. We are also seeing what we can do until we can pull permits, like clearing for fire safety. There are three or four trees that will need to come out. I'd rather not, but they are right next to the house. Here is one side of the house. Charles is back there somewhere working on clearing.

Last weekend, we took the truck up with a new, small shed kit and a few other random things. We were also going to help our friend and neighbor move some plants from her old place, but then the truck decided to break down. At least it was in her driveway and not on the road! We thought we'd let it cool down to see if that helped. That meant going for a walk to Burger 9 which was outstanding. Then we walked back, tried the truck again, and decided to call AAA and unload the truck at my friend's place. While Charles went with the tow truck to the local mechanic, my friend and I played a game of Mexican train (dominoes) in the front yard. A rather lovely and relaxing day, compared to all the work we had planned. Thankfully, my dad was able to come pick us up.

The next day we drove back up, stuffed some things in the car from where we left them, assembled the shed, and puttered for a bit. There is a fair amount of trash sitting around, as well as some odds and ends, like a case of these:

 

We picked up the truck on Tuesday with a new pump for the power steering and brakes and a new belt.

This weekend, we puttered some more, including painting our mailbox. The first pic was after I had wiped it down. The second is after reinstalling it. Now we're the new kids on the block.

We also met our neighbors, a young couple with kids. He's lived in the area his whole life and I think he got the house from his dad. She's newer to the area. She mentioned that she was going to practice making a cake for an upcoming party for the kids, and if we were around later we should help them eat it. I like them already!

We asked about the great big pile of chopped wood near our drive and they said it was dumped there from some other operation, so it didn't really belong to anyone. They also mentioned that our water meter was buried under it, which might explain why the water company hasn't shut off the water to our place! We'll start up official service very shortly, but it's been handy in the meantime.

Here are a few more pics of the place.

 

Occasional Pirate

It's been about a week of vision fitness work. So far, so good. I haven't spent a tremendous amount of time on it, but every little bit helps. Even just being more aware of my eye health is helpful. What is it they say? Admitting it is half the battle. Something like that. Anyway, here are some of the tools I've been working with:

Glasses off - Letting my eyes do their thing with no correction. Enjoying unfiltered, unadulterated sunlight through closed eyes for brief periods of time (morning or evening sun, not afternoon). What I really like about having glasses off is having a more even picture. Everything is the same blur, instead of just the edges of my vision. This definitely helps me be more aware of my peripheral vision. Of course, wearing contact lenses (which I haven't done in a few years) doesn't have this problem. It's also nice to know that there are simple things I can do that don't require crystal clear vision.

Zooming - This involves focusing on a near object, like my thumb, then looking around it, and focusing on something farther away. So much of what we do is at a fixed focal length - books, TV, computers - that this helps strengthen the ability to refocus. It feels like kind of like eyeball pushups. Or this:

 

Palming - Palming is easy to do before or after meditation. By placing the palms over my closed eyes, I can direct healing energy toward them, and visualize things like blood flow/increased oxygen and essential nutrients flowing toward my eyes, and toxins flowing away.

Yawning - Intentional yawning helps wash the eyes and keep them most. Did I just make you yawn?

Patch - By patching my dominant eye, I'm strenthening my other eye - this case, my left. I wear the eye patch usually in the evening when I'm puttering around, not working as much, and also when I do the zooming. I will also wear it for the eye chart exercises which are coming up. Naturally, I say a little "aarrrrrr" to myself when I put it on.

Coming up: Eye Chart work. I just posted two eye charts to practice with. Part of it will be to test my vision over time, and part of it is to practice being relaxed when reading an eye chart to elicit better results at the doc's office. Like I said, it's not a whole lot, but it IS manageable and helpful. The other thing I'm trying to practice is a softer focus when I'm working. Instead of being super intent on a small space, I widen the scope, and know that the info I need is right there. Feeling pretty optimistic about this, and the glorious weather doesn't hurt my outlook either!

The Eyes Have It

Many years ago, I read a book titled Seeing Without Glasses by Roberto Kaplan, O.D. and it made quite an impression on me. I was able to make some small changes to maintain my vision. That was then. Fast forward to now, and my eyes are growing worse. At my most recent eye appointment, I learned that I'm even losing some of my peripheral vision. In short, this sucks. So I made sure this book did not get packed in storage, and I'm finally getting back to it.

There are a whole bunch of exercises I will be working with. Or at least as many a I can manage. Adding stress to my day is decidedly not the point. So far they include things like wearing an eye patch, "zooming" and "palming." I'm starting to take my glasses off more often and can already feel my eyes relaxing a little. If you think about, glasses don't do anything for one's peripheral vision. So much of my work is highly focused (hi, jewelry?) that my eyes just don't get enough time "seeing and being" vs "looking and doing". Heck, I'll claim TV watching as a good way to experience a different focal length. More kung fu and outdoor time would certainly help, so it's on the list, too.

If you know me, you know I don't settle for "oh, you're just getting older." Nope. Don't do it. So the program started yesterday. I hope to check back in here at the ol' blog with updates now and then. Here is to improved eye health and clarity!

We Got to Move it, Move it

For anyone who reads this blog but is not on Facebook, allow me to catch you up. After 15 years in our house, we decided to move. Reason #1 is to live somewhere with an improved green to concrete ratio, and #2 is to get rid of our unwieldy mortgage.

We spent much of June and July prepping the house for sale, including minor repairs, and packing up about half of our stuff in order to stage the house. We even got rid of our giant sofa which was looking pretty shabby. I have to say, I don't normally miss things, but I have been missing that beast. It was so very comfy. Instead, I have my trusty old butterfly chair to sit and read in. Anyway, after everything was made spic and span, we put the house on the market at the end of July. The video tour is still available, by the way. About a week later, we had eight offers, all above asking. It was as tough choice, but went with the highest bidder who also happen to be very nice people.

With that step out of the way, we turned our attention to finding our new home in the Boulder Creek area. Well, as timing and numbers would have it, this part of the proceedings may take longer than we had hoped. Our price range is fairly narrow, and with a population of just under 5,000 people, Boulder Creek simply has fewer offerings from which to choose.

Although we negotiated a two-month rent back, that just isn't enough time, and so we will end up moving twice. Finding a short-term lease that will allow cats and is also affordable is a little like trying to find that eighth day of the week. Lucky for us, my parents have generously offered their carriage house. That's right: as I near my 42nd birthday, I'll be moving back in the with folks. Rite of passage? An artist thing? I don't know, but that's what's going on.

So now we are in the second phase of packing, deciding what will go with us to our studio/loft accomodations, and what will go into storage. As George Carlin might say, we are taking a smaller version of our stuff with us, and hope we don't get in the way of my parents' shit. Hopefully, I will be able to enjoy this new, simplified style of living, just as I have enjoyed the decluttered living in a staged house. Then, when we get around to unpacking everything else, I can get of even more stuff. Ever the optimist, I am. As long as Charles and the kitties are happy, and I can still make jewelry, I'll be fine. It will be an adventure no matter what.

Chocolate Cream Pie

After a couple of requests for this recipe, I figured the ol' blog was the easiest way to share. This is a super yummy, chocolatey pie. What makes it so creamy? Avocados! And no, it doesn't taste like avocado, or if it does, it's just the barest hint. The crust I made up based on previous assorted recipes. The filling comes from Raw for Dessert by Jennifer Cornbleet. Enjoy.

Crust
1 c. walnuts
1/2 c. almond meal
1/4 c. flax meal
5 dates
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
pinch salt

Put everything in a food processor and mix until it is a fine, crumbly texture. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and pop it into the fridge to firm up. Can be made well ahead of time.

Chocolate Pots de Crème (filling)
1/2 cup date paste*
1/2 cup dark agave syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups avocado (3 avocados)
3/4 cup cocoa or raw cacao powder
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil

Place the date paste, agave syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until blended. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add the cocoa powder and coconut oil and process until fully incorporated.

Pour/scoop the mixture into the prepared pie crust and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Keeps 3-5 days.

*Date Paste
Just enough for this recipe. I'm pretty sure you can buy date paste, but you'll need them for the crust anyway so might as well make it. Alternatively, if you don't have a mini food processor, buying it might be easier.
Cover 6-7 dates with water and let soak for 20 minutes. Drain the dates, but reserve the water. Place the dates in a small food processor along with 1-2 tablespoons of the soaking water and process until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.

Yard Sale Grande

Charles and I are taking steps to get ready to move. After 15 years in this house (for me), I am ready for a change, and Charles has long been ready for a more mountainy home. We would like an improved concrete to greenery ratio and are looking in the Santa Cruz mountains. Still the Bay Area, but quieter, earthier.

For the last 3 or 4 weeks, we have been doing a big cleanout of stuff. When you have space to store things, they will fill up! It's that whole nature-abhors-a-vaccum thing. Holy moly did we clean out a lot of stuff. By Friday, we had four big piles - one in the house, one out back, one in the basement, and one in the shed.

So. Much. Stuff.

On Saturday and Sunday we held a big sale. We had stuff on the lawn and all the way up the driveway. Saturday was steady traffic all day, right up to 5pm. The tools were popular items, and I was very happy to get rid of the roof rack I had been moving around for a few years. Oh, and there were two big metal signs that came with the house (Delco and GoodYear) that went quickly for $20 each. Some folks haggled, others didn't. It was a pretty hot day, and I got stung by a wasp. But I had a stack of bills to make up for it!

Sunday was very mellow, but still had some traffic here and there. It seemed to be drive-thru day, where folks pulled up, kept the engine running, and did a quick browse and small purchase. We put the considerable amount of glassware more up front, and I was able to unload a small set of dishes. Sunday's WTF was me biting down on something that was not a potato chip and was way to hard. Perhaps a shell or something? Anyway, I'm still feeling it today a little bit and may have to go to the dentist. Of course, I just paid them off, too.

It figures that I finally start meeting neighbors now that we're planning on leaving the neighborhood. Ah well. I enjoyed chatting with folks and getting rid of stuff. Now those four piles are down to one pile in the shed, most of which will go to Goodwill in two or three carloads, some of which already went to another local donation place, some for the library, and some for R.A.F.T. We also have a few things we'd like to still try and sell, like scuba gear, a drysuit, and a microscope.

All told, we pulled in $600-$700 for the weekend. Woohoo! Now on to phase two, which is repairs on the house - all minor, fortunately. Phew!

A Palm Springs Weekend

In addition to Black Sunday Roadshow, whom I posted about last time, I am in another musical group called Shenanigans, or possibly Tea With Shenanigans. I'm not sure which. Anyway, we are piano (Galt), violin (Juanita), and cello (that's me) and all three of us sing. We're working on a mix of stuff at the moment, including some new arrangements and at least one original. In the beginning, it was mostly about having fun, trying something new, and being musical with friends. Then it became all of that plus hey should we think about putting on a show? We have been aiming for rehearsing every three to four weeks, but sometimes that stretches out way too long in between. We decided a retreat was in order!

Galt and his husband have a place in Palm Springs, so they invited us down. Once we picked a weekend, I could hardly wait. Charles, Juanita, and I drove down Friday and met Galt and Lyle where they were having dinner at Palm Greens Cafe. Then we went to our home for the weekend, got the tour, chatted for a bit, then hit the hay. The house is fairly new to them, so it is sparsely furnished, which was all the more refreshing and relaxing to me.

Saturday, we ate breakfast at Cheeky's which was clearly very popular. Excellent food and service. Then back to the house for some practicing. Galt has a really cool, high-end electric piano there. It's like an itty bitty grand piano, except there's no harp - it's all electronic. The acoustic in the room was quite lovely, and time flew by while we worked on a few things. In fact, I paid no attention to the clock all weekend. Wish I could do that more often!

We took a break, and I got into the giant, salt water pool for a little bit. Juanita had taken a swim before breakfast. We each seemed to take turns at different times. It struck me as pretty funny that we took solo swims in the biggest private pool I've ever seen. Lunch was a lovely selection of salad, breads, and spreads at the house. Lyle is quite the foodie and knows how to take care of us - he cooks for our regular rehearsals at home. After more rehearsing, we headed back to Palm Greens Cafe for dinner and met up with some more folks. Their menu is a wonderful collection of vegan, veggie, meat, regular and gluten-free, and all organic cuisine. So tasty! I want one in San Jose, please.

After dinner, we played a hilarious game on our iPads called Spaceteam. I'll just copy and paste their description here, because they pretty much nailed it:

Do you like pushing buttons and shouting at your friends? Do you like discharging Clip-jawed Fluxtrunions? If you answered yes, or no, then you might have what it takes to be on a Spaceteam.

Spaceteam is a cooperative party game for 2 to 4 players who shout technobabble at each other until their ship explodes. Each player needs an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

You'll be assigned a random control panel with buttons, switches, sliders, and dials. You need to follow time-sensitive instructions. However, the instructions are being sent to your teammates, so you have to coordinate before the time runs out. Also, the ship is falling apart. And you're trying to outrun an exploding star.

Good luck. And remember to work together... as a Spaceteam!

Features:
- Teamwork
- Confusion
- Shouting
- An untimely demise
- Beveled Nanobuzzers
- Auxiliary Technoprobes
- Four-stroke Pluckers

We were able to get all 5 of us playing at once. It was complete silliness, and the perfect ending to the day.

Sunday was even more relaxing, yet it felt like we made more progress musically. Nothing like some consistent practice to stride forward. Again, time flew by. Lunch at home. A swim. Everything at a leisurely pace. Aaaah. We joined our neighbors and friends Don and Steve for dinner at Birba, where they serve upscale pizza, delicious cocktails, and mmmm, desserts. We ordered four pizzas for the table and chowed down, family style. The cocktail I ordered was called a Mean Queen and was complex and wonderful. If I remember correctly, it was Pimms, gin, strawberry, cucumber, and Limonata. It was also nearly the price of an entrée...but hey, we were cutting loose here. For dessert, I split an insanely rich butterscotch pudding with Galt. Others got a chocolate brick cake and an olive oil cake.

After dinner, Charles, Juanita and I introduced Galt and Lyle to Munchkin, another very silly game. The learning curve can be a little steep, but once you get rolling, it's just ridiculous. After all the singing, good conversation, and much laughter, I was pretty vocally tired. The long car-ride on Monday would help with that, as it was quite and uneventful, apart from a decent storm.

Here are our happy faces just before we departed.

The weekend was life as it should be. What can we do to have more like that?