3/30 - Mystery Mommy and the Mega Millions

The twins called me “Mystery Mommy” today because they thought my coat looked like a detective’s.  I promised them that secret camera Trophy and I would spy on my workmates.  So far, nobody suspects anything!

Trophy and I heard there was a big jackpot to be won in tonight’s lottery.  So I put Trophy on my head like a hat and we tried to think like winners.

I like this picture of Trophy next to the lottery tickets… it’s a little affirmation.  Let’s all take a second and visualize my win, please.  If I hit the jackpot, drinks are on me!

I asked Olga the security guard what was happening with our building’s fountain.  It’s going through annual maintenance, being cleaned and getting some new parts.  Trophy was feeling kinda empty (as we wait for the pile of lottery money to roll in), so we visited another building’s fountain.

Unrelated, but super cool – look at this jumping robot!  It can jump REALLY high! http://kottke.org/12/03/look-how-high-this-robot-can-jump

3/29 - Littlest Rabbit and the field of greens

Littlest Rabbit wanted a nice bowl of salad for lunch.

And then she wanted to eat it in the countryside.  So we pretended we were going on a field trip – literally!

3/28 - Sauci Dog likes sunshine

I was worried that they were going to take the fountain out, but it looks like it’s being repaired after all.  Phew!  Woof!

Sauci Dog and I met Audrey from my old work for lunch today.  The sun came out when we saw her.  Awww.

Sauci Dog was pretending this silver chair was the GUP-F.

And then it was back to work for us.

3/27 - Sad bikes in the rain

Rainy days are not so fun for bikes.  Or Mommy, whose umbrella turned inside out 5 times on the way to the old work (and back) to wish Ron a happy retirement.  At least the cake was good!

3/26 - Simon finds a FiDi fixer-upper

Simon thought this newspaper box might make a nice little house for him, but I told him it was a money pit.

I’ve walked by this section of Market Street a zillion times, and I never noticed this plaque until Simon pointed it out to me.  Who knew San Francisco played such a key role in slot machine history?  http://www.noehill.com/sf/landmarks/cal0937.asp

More history – about the ECV, who sponsored the plaque:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Clampus_Vitus
Again, who knew?  Thanks, Simon!  What an excellent history lesson you found us today.

3/24 - Weekend Fun: Dough Day

Saturday was a cold and rainy day.  We started it out with pancakes.  We played a new game from Linda.

Then we made cloud dough.  This was just as much fun as I thought it would be.  I had some moments where I despaired of the mess, but it swept up very nicely and washed up easily.  Next time, I'll put the kids (and me!) in play clothes that go right into the wash, but everything else tidied up better than expected.

We finished up our rainy day by making a loaf of "Mommy Bread" to have with our favorite family dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.

On Sunday, we got Lil' Gal a much-needed haircut!

3/23 - The Alienist wonders what "pipe pigging" could be

We saw this on the side of a plumbing truck and were intrigued!

Alienist shouted, "Pig Pile!" I guess he really should say “Piglet Pile!”

3/22 - Yoshi did not know it was red sweater day

Looks like they’re cleaning or repairing the fountain in the lobby…  Yoshi thought maybe the silver balls had hatched, and was looking around for some friends.

Elizabeth and I have been color-coordinated all week.  Today, we wore our red sweaters.  Yoshi pointed to his red shell and wanted to be in the club, too.  We said OK!

3/21 - TorTay the alien robot likes skyscrapers and construction

It was a nice sunny day in the city today.  I even took off my scarf!!

TorTay wanted to help drive the crane (?), but he didn’t have an Earth driver’s license.  Poor TorTay.

TorTay is a scofflaw... Or maybe he is not good at reading in English.

3/20 - X plays by the rules

We spent my lunch break studying the derby rules for my test tomorrow.

It was funny watching X pretending to be a referee signaling “not lead jammer.”

It’s the first day of spring (which I spent entirely inside!), *and* Big Bird’s birthday! Happy birthday, Big Bird!!

X sends you lots of X’s and O’s.
XOXOXOXOXOX

3/19 - Green Necklace finds a green friend

Water bottle said she felt empty inside until she and Green Necklace started having a little green party at my desk.

Now they’re singing “It's Not Easy Being Green.”  Sillies.

It's not that easy bein' green
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that


It's not easy bein' green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky


But green's the color of Spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like an ocean
Or important like a mountain
Or tall like a tree


When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder, why wonder?
I am green and it'll do fine
It's beautiful! And I think it's what I want to be!

3/17 - Green wheels keep on rollin'

It was an early morning on Saturday.  The twins and I (and helper David) had to meet my new derby team at 8am for the Saint Patrick's Day parade.  I made green pancakes the night before:

It had been raining for days, and Friday night was one downpour after another.  I brought my skates and gear to the parade, but lined up in my sneakers.

After standing around for a reeallllllllly long time, I decided to go for it.  We had so much fun!

Join our team? 

3/16 - Jewel says "All of these lovelies are MINE!"

This is the post in which I give David a Jewel. Or is it the bird?  Actually, both.  Jewel is the female blue bird from Rio, featured on this rainy day with a light-up flower “hair” accessory.  (I guess I should say “feather accessory!”)

Birds probably shouldn’t eat cupcakes, right?  (More for me!)

3/15 - Batman and all the eggs in one basket

Blurry Batman thinks that umbrellas look like some kind of crazy bat wings.  He is right, of course:  http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/UmbrellaBatCostume

Batman has a warning for you:  “Don’t do it.”

3/14 - Skeleton, soggy socks, and Lil' Gal's heart wrapped around my finger

I don’t know why people walk more slowly in the rain, but they do.  Between that and the deep puddles, I got to work with soggy socks and pant legs. Here’s a picture of my soggies, Skeleton, and the ring Lil' Gal gave me for a Valentine.  My feet may be clammy,Ûbut my heart is full.Y

Skeleton doesn’t mind getting wet – no hair to mess up, no clothes to get soggy, etc.  He wanted to cheer me up today, so he put on Lil 'Gal's ring as a boa and used the umbrella I made him to do a rousing rendition of “Singin’ in the Rain.”  Now that’s a friend!

3/13 - Jeanette is as pretty as a spring flower

It’s a rainy day in the City. Jeanette is pretending to ride the cable car, and I am pretending to hold an umbrella while taking a picture – hard to do!

This big flower display is at the front desk of my building.  Olga the security guard was very amused as I tried to get the flash setting right for this picture.

3/12 - Pinky procures a Box Tops bonanza

Pinky and I felt like marathon runners --or at least like sprinters-- this morning as we ran for the train.  Happily, we made it just in the nick of time.

Pinky + Ashley = cover "girls."  Aren’t they a vision of springtime loveliness?  :)

Jeanine has been collecting Box Tops from our office supplies and said I could bring them home for our collection!  Everybody say, “Thank you, Jeanine!”

3/09 - Fumi is furiously fuming on a Friday

I tried to give Fumi an architectural halo, but she was not amused.

I thought a walk around Chinatown might cheer her up (and score us some shirts for tonight’s decorating party), but I struck out on both accounts.   Ah, well.

The kids and I joined my new roller derby team tonight to decorate shirts for our appearance in the Dublin (CA) St. Patrick's Day parade.  Come see us!

3/08 - Peso finds some kind of navigation device and new friends

Peso found a mysterious device on a rooftop garden.  For a minute, he thought it was Captain Barnacles’ missing compass!

Then, he found the cutest little squirrel.  Peso offered him a bandage, but the squirrel said he was not hurt.

After work, we had a happy hour with Wonder Wanda all to ourselves!  (No, we were not drinking in the bathroom!  This was after!)

We walked through the Hyatt for funsies and found a Very Large Hat.  Not sure which is heavier -- wearing this Beach Blanket Babylon hat or having the weight of the world on your shoulders.  (Not interested in either, thankyouverymuch.)

3/07 - Sauci takes shelter under a giant cupcake

We learned a lot of things about knees today at my appointment.  Hopefully what we learned will keep my knees healthy and happy and not so upset when I fall on them in derby.

Sauci thought I said “Heel!” instead of “Kneel.” Silly pup.)

Raj brought us yummy cupcakes again. Since dogs can’t have chocolate, I shared some of the vanilla cupcake with Sauci instead (leaving more frosting for me!).  NOM!