Well, good morning.

It's almost ten on Sunday morning, and it's gorgeous. The house is mostly tidy, the coffee is made, Lala is still sleeping. I have Clara on the floor of my yarn room washing her paws, Willie sitting next to me, and Waylon lying on my chair-arm, looking out the window. Someone is playing hip-hop, but it's good stuff, a bluesy, slow, sad sounding hip-hop, and it's good to hear coming through the morning sun. I had vegemite toast for breakfast. My throat hurts, suddenly, in a new place, which worries me, since I'm still on the antibiotics, but I'm hoping for the best and gargling with vinegar and salt water, and using echinacea/beejelly spray from Chinatown.

We're having a musician-type party tonight (if you weren't invited, I'm sorry! I forgot! If you know where I live you should come, and I mean it), and I'm studiously Not Stressing about it. I will spend an hour cleaning later, a little polish and vacuuming, making sure the dog couches are sit-able, and then I won't worry about it. In the past, I've always stressed about the state of the house, and then I realize two hours into the party that there are black tracks on the kitchen floor where everyone has been walking through spilled, melted ice, and I finally realize NO ONE cares as long as your house doesn't smell like animals. Too much, that is. Tonight it will smell like crab cakes and barbequed chicken, so again, not too worried about it.

I *do* have to do my toenails. Stat.

And because I have to go do those toes, I'll throw a few more pics at you.

You all seem to like the sepia, so here are a couple more.

From La's birthday. We were in the City, at an Irish pub.

And one more of those you like, because you all make me feel pretty:

And you know WHY sepia rules? Because it hides things like the fact that I hadn't done my hair yet (I have now):

Hi! You see that line of WHITE hair right next to Lala's white hair? In the part? Click for big if you don't believe me. I'm 34, and left natural, my hair would be mostly grey. Dude. Nuh-uh. (Also, I must be goosing Lala. That's it.)

And for all you darlings who left me the most wonderful comments about my friend Bob, a shot of him and me at my wedding. Thank you.

I'm so glad he was there. And I'm so glad YOU'RE here. (I feel like I'm channeling Mr. Rogers. I shall go change my cardigan.) But really, I am. I hope you have a lovely, sunny day, and that it's not too hot (hate the hot) and that you love someone up today.

Comments

[Terri]

Hey, I'm all in favor of channeling Mr. Rogers! Sitting in the "TV room" after coming home from school in the 3rd grade, having a Ding Dong and milk and hearing that nice man say "there's NOBODY just like you," I mean, that's a good channel to channel to, if you're channeling!

[Amanda]

That lat sepia pic makes you look like a super-glam '40s movie star! Nice.

[em]

Hey, I hope that you write more about Bob at some point. It's always good to hear stories like that. You know, wrestling with the very core of it all and winning stories.

I love your pictures too.

[Vikkie]

Beautiful, lovely, happy and loving pictures. Thank you for sharing them and for the smile they gave me looking at them :-)

[Emy]

Do you know how much I've been wanting crab cakes the last month or so? MAN.

You post such great pics. Of course you're smashing as always, but I really love the one of Lala in the pub. It's just perfect, somehow.

[KT]

Really happy that you are having a quiet morning. So sorry about Bob and thank you for the picture(s). Have a blast at your party-wish I could come, but Seattle is a wee bit too far. We love you too, honey.

[Scoutj]

That second picture of you is freaking GORGEOUS. And that picture of you with Bob made me tear up. Damn you.

[Sharlene]

Abbey Tavern? There's so many good pubs to choose from!

[Jan]

My mom always said that the time to clean the house was AFTER the party, not before!

[Erin]

Lovely pics! (and very moving post about Bob, too - he sounds like he was a true gem)

As for the floors...I think I've FINALLY figured that one out, after scrubbing them hard before our Cinco De Mayo party...only to be mopping up bean dip and guacamole and wine the next day. Next time I'll try "mood lighting" (read: dim lights) instead!

[Lynn in Tucson]

Since you mentioned it, it might be hot outside. Like, 106 hot, but I really don't want to know.
But we're full of the love, thing, too. My daughter (age 4) has been BEYOND excited that today is Father's Day and has been singing to her dad and dressing him up as "King for the Day."

So, yeah. Hot, but feelin' the love. Hope you had a good party!

[Ali]

Did you know that Mrs. Rogers (his mother) knitted every cardigan he wore on that show? She made him a cardigan every christmas his whole life, so he built up quite a supply. Cute.

[Amy N TX]

What a lovely post. You seem so calm and relaxed...just what I needed at the moment.

Hope your party was a blast!

[Marji]

My friend Katie, whom I've known since we were 12 (we're both 54 now -- I do not even want to think about how long ago we met) has had white hair FOREVER and I think she looks great!

YOU know her as ChloeKnits!

[Rachel T]

no no no, your change your shoes!!!

[Rachel T]

no no no, you change your shoes!!!

[Carrie]

Dude, if sepia hides the gray, I am never allowing another full-color picture of me, ever ever again. Long live the sepia!

[Krista]

Ahhh, the gray hair. Nature is cruel. It's like I get more by the minute. Seriously. And, of course, the women in my family gray up front first (couldn't put it somewhere hideable). I'm not quite 32, and there's a scary amount of it these days.

[The Procrastiknitter]

The pictures are just beautiful, but then again I'm a tad partial to sepia as well.

I'm so sorry to hear about Bob! ((HUGS)) and ((COMFORT)) to you and yours!

[sappmama]

May Bob rest in peace. He seems like a great man.

Honey, I know exactly what you mean about the gray hair. I'm 41 but have been graying since I was in my mid-20s. Just a little at first. But after 35 the gray accelerated. Worst of all is that my hairline has so many and gray is so obvious there. Nice 'n Easy can't keep up.

But let us battle on, shall we?

[Steph F.]

I love that photo of you and your friend. My condolences for your loss.

I also love that you're using bee jelly :P I'm so afraid of Chinese herbal remedies in general because of, um, childhood trauma. I've never tried the bee jelly, though! Maybe that will be one of my "new things" that I'll try. (I'm trying one new thing a day every day and blogging about it.)

Hope you're having an awesome week :)

[Wanda]

Beautiful photos! Me likey the sepia.

[susan]

Glad to see you're feeling more upbeat. Hope the funeral wasn't too taxing.

Try a Gin and Tonic. GREAT way to beat the heat :) And, if you have enough you won't CARE about the heat!

[Marcia]

I've always been amazed at the incredible people who find you. I'm so sorry that you've lost one so dear.

[Marcia]

p.s. Is that Irish pub in North Beach?

[Camilla]

Wouldn't it be so liberating if we'd all give up the dyeing thing (for hair, NOT YARN- never stop dyeing yarn!) and just be... I think I just accidently posted -oops. Anyway, your photos are lovely, you are gorgeous, and just have a housekeeping service come in and do the floors after the party (steam cleaning is often required after a really great bash) Glad to see a new post here. I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend and mentor. Strength and peace to you. Cami

[Lala]

Who's my sweet petunia???

[Sneaksleep]

Sounds like the perfect weekend morning. Your last post made me cry. I wanted to comment, but I just couldn't--too many things struck close to home. Thanks for posting the picture of Bob in this one.

[Rhet]

Just in case anyone was wondering, Mr Rogers would have loved your wedding, too. I used to go to the same church he did, in Pittsburgh. One of my fondest memories of him was when I happened to be back in town years later, with my beloved, and he turned to me saying "I'd be honored if you'd introduce me to your partner."

Rh