Thursday's Child

 

Say's Phoebe

We lost power sometime after midnight last night.

Along with seventy two thousand other San Diegans. Our power company, SDGE, tired of being the defendant in fire lawsuits, made a preemptive shutdown strike in the face of super strong winds. The wind was stronger and more powerful than I remember in forty years here. Thankfully Todd trimmed our huge Monterey pine last week, which is pushing a hundred feet tall. And our equally tall redwood decided to stay planted in the ground and not face dive onto our roof.

So no power at home, no power at work, until about an hour ago for the latter. I had business in Escondido around lunch time and a few hours to kill so I went back and had a brisk walk at the newly renovated San Elijo Lagoon.

Wind was still intense but I had a good time. Saw more juvenile snowy egrets together than I can ever remember.

I am by no means a sparrow expert but I am going to guess that this chirpy guy is a song sparrow. Wrong - savannah sparrow - belding

The resident peregrine falcon was content to hang out in the low altitude mudflats today.

Nothing too earth shattering today. Did a little grooving with the grebes.

As you know, my favorite way to spend a morning. 

Was happy to be alone with my thoughts too as well as with my avian friends.

*

I am not a big drinker. In fact until a few months ago I had not had a drink in a year. Just really not my thing.

Remember when we used to have those great parties in my gallery? Food, jazz and libations.

Well the last one was back in 2009. Too much inventory these days to even think of such a thing.

Anyway I was clearing out all the bottles people brought over in 2009 and left that we never drank the other day and putting them in the trash.

Leslie grabbed a few things and I cached away a few bottles of port. Gave some to the neighbors, put the rest in the dumpster, I am sure that I made a lot of street people very happy. 

But I decided to keep one bottle of cabernet sauvignon, my favorite grape, a silver medal 2003 from Sweetwater Ranch in Napa. I don't know who left it but seriously, thank you. Levendi Winery.

Leslie is like "throw it away, it is probably vinegar" but I had a feeling about this one. Currently sold out at the vineyard for $120 list.

We were invited to some old friends' home for dinner, Mike and Lexi. We brought it with us. The cork was dry and it disintegrated. I almost put it in the trash but Leslie nursed it out patiently.

Oh my god, what a lovely wine, Wow. Smooth and balanced. I stopped drinking wine because I was getting allergic sneezing reaction but there was none of that. Superb.

Very nice night and delicious dinner.

My compliments and thanks to our hosts. Leslie is off to get ice to protect the food in our fridge and freezer, no telling when the power will come back on.

Still have far to go.

*

We were talking about something after dinner around the fire that I found interesting.

Do you know that this year has been a bit of a paradigm shift for humanity, at least since 1918 anyway? 

So many wonderful people who have passed due to this contagion, so many that will be sorely missed, many struck down in their prime.

In this year of plagues we have learned many things. 

How to wear masks and socially distance in order to protect ourselves and those around us. 

That we can live without live sports if we have to. Ditto travel. And many other things. We master takeout dining. Zoom calls. Remote work. Baking at home. The elbow bump. What else?