Category Setting off

Thursday, January 9

Jan 10.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 14

Not particularly good sleeping, and awake at 3.  Did get some productive writing done, but by 7 was nodding off at the table, so back to sleep for a few hours.

We are starting to feel the excitement of Saturday morning’s departure for HI, so little bits of planning for that.  A SCUBA trip in Kona, and an advanced certification class in Hilo, which will include five dives, and training in skills we can certainly use.  Excited for the underwater adventures ahead.

The weather was unusual for our time here; overcast, gray, rainy, windy, a bit cold, actually.  Pattie wanted to pick up a few things, so we did bundle up and walk around a bit. 

We hit the farmer’s market in the neighborhood and wished we were staying, to take advantage of all the varieties of ...

Read More

Wednesday, January 8

Jan 09.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 13

Another easy, productive day.  The choral piece’s writing is coming along, slow but steady; but its writing is mirroring the poem’s form in a way I’ve not experienced before…writing certain repeated elements as individually developing units; perhaps creating parallel lines of development.  The curious part is really a matter of process, rather than content; a reflection of how my mind needs to mete out distinct materials, I think.  At any rate, it’s coming along pretty well, the last few days keeping most all of what I’ve written.

Work this morning followed by some correspondence with dive shops in Hilo, planning trips for a few weeks from now.  Another stroll, Pattie wanted to do a little shopping before we leave SD in just a few days...

Read More

Tuesday, January 7

Jan 09.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 12

After a productive writing morning, a stroll around, today leading us from our North Park ‘hood into the South Park (yes) area of Burlingame. Some beautiful homes, gardens, and flora to be seen along the way

some flora a bit different than the usual

and then on to North Park Brewing Company for a nice beer and sausage dinner. 

North Park Beer Co. Living large.

A good day; productive morning; a relaxing and fun afternoon and evening. Truly a great day in the neighborhood.

Read More

Monday, January 6

Jan 07.2020 / / 0 comments / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 11

Relaxing at (what’s come to feel like) home.

Planning some activities for next stops—a fruit farm tour, some scuba trips, looking at pursuing a course with some advanced scuba, hikes.  And looking further into a future trip centered on scuba.

Much of the day’s start attending to matters related to the semester’s start at ECU.  Some last-minute changes in personnel for a program I direct require coordination of a number of people in different roles.  Everyone very cooperative and easy to work with, but all just need to be informed of changes, hear suggestions for new paths, etc.  It all went well, I think, and points to willingness of everyone to work together to both create things, as well as to solve problems...

Read More

Sunday, January 5

Jan 06.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 10

Another relaxing and productive day here in paradise.  Returned the rental car, took the bus to Balboa park where we just bumbled around.  We browsed the Timken Gallery, watched some fine street performers, and just enjoyed the nice weather.  Happy hour at the North Park Brewing Company—just love tasting their stout selection!—and on to dinner at a better-than-mediocre sushi place. 

The highlight of the day was the rose garden in the park, just so many varieties, colors, and aromas!

Read More

Saturday, January 4

Jan 05.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 9

After a quiet morning of the usual, plus Pattie’s starting to look and plan ahead for a dive trip she’s wanted to make for a while—this for next December already!—we left at noon to head up to the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla. 

It’s not an enormous aquarium, but its highlights are super; namely seadragons, which are new to me.  Sea horses, more familiar, were also great to see, but the sea dragons, as you can see, are otherworldly.

A leafy sea dragon
…and in motion
sea dragons being sea dragons

Their central tank had a nice variety of animals, from California Morays to a 300-lb 30-year old sea bass, leopard sharks, and more.  We enjoyed seeing the divers enter, clean, feed, etc., while hearing a talk about the impressive and enormous sea kelp. 

Read More

Friday, January 3

Jan 04.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 8

A work day, a relaxing day.  Pattie slept in, then had some pampering time at a local shop.  And that time became productive writing time for me (in addition to doing laundry).  A nice stroll around North Park in the late afternoon, followed by a super dinner at Tribute Pizza.  Really great, and we didn’t even taste the pizza! 

Read More

Thursday, January 2

Jan 03.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 7

The morning routine continues—writing, yoga, Pattie taking care of her business and taking phone calls from family (all are well, which is always nice to hear).

We drove to the Cabrillo Nat’l Monument; heading west to Sunset Cliffs, then straight south through Point Loma, which is a gorgeous area.  The monument/park is a great place to spend a few hours (we were there for nearly three), with astounding views of downtown San Diego, the harbor, and also the Pacific.  We did not see any migrating whales, but things were no less breath-taking. Very windy, as you’ll hear on the video, but that’s expected at a spot exposed on all sides, and pretty much the highest spot around.

After spending time at the visitor’s center, and walking around the monument, th...

Read More

Wednesday, January 1

Jan 02.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 6

We’ve found a number of spots we want to hit—Cabrillo Monument, La Jolla, some beaches—which are beyond our walking zone.  So today we’ll take advantage of New Year’s day inexpensive car rental rates and have a few days to go further afield. 

Good writing started the day, then after yoga we took public transport (bus) to the airport, which was very simple.  Picked up the car and headed north to La Jolla, where Pattie had scouted out a great fish place—El Pescadero Fish Market. 

And it was fabulous.  I could’ve stayed and eaten several meals there.  Then we strolled a bit, noticing folks scurrying in a particular direction...

Read More

Tuesday, December 31

Jan 01.2020 / / / Setting off.

San Diego, Day 5

We seem to be settling in to a good routine now, with the last days seeing my early morning writing while Pattie sleeps; Pattie’s up about 3 hours later and we have coffee.  I fit in another 1-2 hours while Pattie catches up on news, we get in an easy breakfast, Pattie readies for the day.

Today I got in a good yoga session while phone calls came in from some of Pattie’s family, catching up on things.

Then we just explored a new area, walking north to Adams St., then east through Normal Heights and into Kensington.  A day of beautiful weather, so lots of people out and about, kids and parents in parks, dog walkers, and a very pleasant afternoon of walking.

Read More