Cruise ship coming in to Puerto Vallarta

Click on the above.

Gas prices

Gasoline prices In 1986

Interregnum

I acknowledge that my blog postings have been sparse these past couple of months. The Muse has not been active, as more pressing matters have claimed her attention. I have taken the expedient course of inserting some links to other sites as they turn up in my surfing, but I find that easy substitute to be far from satisfactory.

An old and dear friend of mine passed away last week, and I am to deliver the eulogy at his memorial service in two days' time. It is tough to see one’s contemporaries ‘go over the mountain’ as the Chinese expression has it. But of course for the surviving family members it is a whole lot tougher.

Yesterday it hailed. But it was sunny today.

The Bronze Bell

This is worth a listen. From the BBC podcast of "A History of the World". Takes about 13 minutes.

Thought for Today

Elgar's 'Enigma Variations - Nimrod'

If you have ten minutes to spare

Mahler's music, Hopper's paintings. A poignant combination.

The Visit

My wife and I visited an old friend who is recovering from a recent operation. He is looking much better than he had sounded recently on the phone, and he and his wife were delighted that we came.

Having learned that his appetite had diminished, we brought with us some barbecued delicacies in hopes of whetting it.

I think we were successful.
_

Schubert - Impromptu in G flat Major

New Year's Day - 2010

A time for reflection.

Here in Northern California, the day dawns bright and clear, and quite chilly, as befits the season. Clouds, yes, but blue sky too, in the spaces between.

In a few days your humble scribe will have completed three-fourths of a century of terrestrial existence, and retains hopes of a continuance of the same for some time to come. How much time is of course the real question, but one that he is not really of a mind to pursue on this beautiful day.

At such times we think of the living people we love, and also of the ones who have gone on. Nostalgic reflections upon the past, rooted in a present laced with uncertainty.

At the party last night, over a hundred people. Hats, noisemakers, music, the whole shebang. A countdown from ten. The acquaintances, both auld and new, formed a circle, arms crossed and holding hands. Swaying to the strains of 'Auld Lang Syne', we cheered the birth of the new year.

Then a lot of kissing of cheeks and shaking of hands. And dancing.

And hopes for the future.

­_

Year-end thoughts

Been away for a couple of weeks -- twelve days actually, like in the Christmas song. Will be posting some pictures of our trip to Hong Kong and Macau, within the next week or so, after all the year-end hullaballoo is behind us. Grateful for the wonderful hospitality of friends, for the absence of rain except for the last day, for not catching any bugs on this trip (though I could sense that they were hovering close just waiting to breach our defense systems), and even for the additional security checks that assured a safe flight and return.

Hong Kong International Airport has a lot to commend it in the many choices of dining available, from burgers to Chiu Chow noodle soup.

Looking forward to tomorrow and a big New Year's Eve party with agreeable companions.
_

Waiting for Bart

Dvořák - Cello Concerto - Adagio ma non troppo

Nice day

Interesting lines and angles

Grey wall in sunlight

Donuts and bicycles

Brian's Field

San Mateo - Downtown Views

El Camino Real

View of the Bay

Downtown roofs

Luxury apartment buildings

Abandoned at 100 Years

Morning, Winter, Downtown

Pictures of downtown San Mateo taken on this chilly, lovely morning.

Panettone

This from the bottom of a cardboard box containing one Panettone, the popular Christmas loaf from Italy

Da consumarsi preferibilimente entro

A consommer de préfèrence avant le

A consumir preferentemente antes de

Best before

(and right below these, an imprint of the date)

The point I’m making is that the Romance languages are so much wordier than English.

_

Full Frontals

Took my car in today for an oil change and regular service.

Had an hour to kill, so strolled through the neighborhood
and snapped a few photos of some storybook houses.

In these parts, we have fall colors in the wintertime.