It wasn't so bad I guess, although we left after the 6th inning. And didn't even check the score when we got home. I guess baseball isn't for everyone. But our seats were fabulous- Lower Box 19th row. The food, (garlic fries) and drink, (margarita) really hit the spot. And the Giants' stadium, which has changed its name several times along with the change of sponsor, is topnotch. I think the real reason we left was because it was cold (52 degrees) and we each only had on a light layer of clothing on top. San Francisco is 10 degrees colder than Richmond. It was difficult focusing on the game because of all the things to distract you, (the huge screens, commercials, guy yelling, “PEANUTS” which sounded like something else, giant baseball mitt and giant coke bottle which was interactive with the game). Barry Bonds got cheered many times which was embarrassing. Also the booing for the other team, The Padres, was in poor taste. But as I said baseball isn't for everyone. Nor is professional sports. I suppose pro sports today is not really about grace, honor, and skill. But everyone knows that and still they go along. I guess they are waiting for those rare moments when someone does something magical. Catch an impossible fly ball or hit a soaring home run. I think what is really missing is the team spirit. And that includes everywhere even in the fine and performing arts.

Speaking of ants. We sure have some. I even had some in my pants. It is very disconcerting. And although they aren't the biting kind I don't like having them crawl up my arm while I am cooking or typing on the computer. What do they want? Our garden is filled with them and from what I read it is a good thing to have ants in your garden because they eat fungus and do housekeeping. But with the amount of cat fur and dust I sweep up in the house it seems they aren't doing their job. Just making me jumpy and itchy.

SUMMER FRUIT

Yesterday I spent several hours refiling paperwork for our adoption. Most of the paperwork that was filed in Massachusetts has to be refiled because our residency has changed. And while this certainly seems to be an example of the fallibility of the system, (we have to pay twice too), we are calm reasonable people. Yes. And we will do as advised.

Our backyard is filled with fruit trees. We have pears, plums, figs and our neighbor's nectarine tree has branches in our yard as well. This ripening summer fruit sometimes reminds me of the way pregnancy transforms a woman's body. I imagine the aches and pains of longing and letting go that I would miss if the adoption process was efficient, as I imagine someday it will be. Those poor women will only have to wait a few days and BAM! They will be mothers, without all the crazy "I will never be a mom" fears haunting them or the rejected applications due to beaurocratic errors of "Gilliamesque" proportions (see movie "BRAZIL").

That will be some sad day huh?

My sisters are now fulfilling their duties as official handholders during this strange jobless, childless time for me. I was on the phone for one hour with my younger sister and three hours with my older sister yesterday. To observe me sitting in the sun or leisurely preparing food and chatting with my sisters while drinking a glass of wine one would be given the impression of priviledge and ease. But I keep thinking, "What happens when you find yourself in heaven but you are alone?"

The movie THE NAMESAKE has finally arrived in our neighborhood cinema. Mr. D and I will have the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

A stunning Japanese Maple Bonsai arrived yesterday from Shambhala, our first plant in the NEW WORLD.

I have registered my car and applied for a CA driver's license. I am now officially a California resident. I even registered to vote, tho' my vote is no more useful now as before when I was a Massachusetts voter.

My car passed the smog test (which is required to register your car and costs about $60) but it is easy to pass this test in CA because if you have a 4wd vehicle your car isn't able to take the entire test, (the test is designed for cars). Putting the plates on, or rather taking my Mass. plates off was a different story. I imagine our elderly neighbor Xerxes, who just had knee replacement surgery and is recovering at home, was thinking, "How many tools does this girl need to take off those pesky plates?" I ultimately needed to use mineral oil for wood to loosen the last screw as I could not find the wd40.

The written license test is hard! It is a 36 question test with multiple choice questions like:

A peace officer is signalling you to drive to the edgeof the roadway. You decide to ignore the officer's warning and flee the scene. You are guilty of a misdemeanor and can be punished by being:

a) Fined up to $1000
b) Jailed in the county jail for not more than 1 year
c) Given a warning and a citation

I got it (and 6 others) wrong! And to pass you have to make 6 or fewer errors. The testing dude, marked only 6 wrong. He cut me some slack. Maybe it was dumb blond sympathy. Maybe dumb new englander sympathy. Maybe my gujurati last name. Who knows. He may have miscounted. Why do I need to know? Control issues. CONTROL!

Now we must return our Massachusetts plates. Or be charged taxes and find out a few years down the road when the state catches up to us, what we owe.

Now I don't want to end this on a sour note as this whole transition from new england to "Otra Costa" has been strange and unnerving so I will tell you it is sunny here and 65 degrees. All is well.

Now I know what REAL garbage is.This month in California the town sanitation department teaches me the meaning of recycling.Everything. No backsliding. Because if you do there won't be room in your garbage container for real garbage and you will have to hold onto it for another week. Recycling items can wait a week if necessary but because these garbage containers are smaller than those out east AND because you only get one (unless you want to pay for a larger one), you have got to be sure it is GARBAGE. Spouses from third world countries may take longer to learn the significance of this and if so, take responsibility! They may be off working for the MAN while you put the box cutter to work. My friend from New York and I marvelled at the garbage and recycling trucks as their automated arms reached down to grab the containers and empty them into the correct receptacle. No cussing garbage collectors throwing your cans and lids down the street.This is California. dude.

Since I have been doing nothing but unpacking these last few days the daily walk has felt more urgent. Our walks to Point Isabel have been a nice way of settling in and beginning to identify with our 'hood . It is just a mile away.

Tomorrow I am going to try to get a california license and register my car,

and unpack.

We don't have a dog. But if we did we would go to Point Isabel everyday. AS it is we go there alot to walk. And as for me? I get my dog fix.

Yesterday we saw two women with about 8 shepherds (four of them black shepherds). The dogs were sitting quietly while other dogs frolicked about them. When the trainer gave the cue they all got up quickly and wrestled a bit and then as the trainer began to walk away they all followed her. This place is dog heaven. And they have a cafe and a place for dog baths. Some of the dogs just dive into the bay and go for a swim.

http://areas.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=CAEBPI&CU_ID=157

The movers came! And brought our stuff! All of it at the same time!Joy!
Now where is that coffee machine?

WE have ants. And one of our cats has already escaped, (unharmed luckily). The birds aren't drinking. OUr landlord is mad at me for asking too many questions. The honeymoon is over between Hemanshu and his partners at work. I haven't been doing my practice regularly and my root chakra is sending nerve pain to my nethers.

The weather is perfect and I have been told by my neighbor Alex that the weather here is 10 degrees warmer than San Francisco and 10 degrees cooler than the weather on the other side of the hills, that is to say again perfect.

As soon as I find the cable that sends pictures from my camera to my laptop there will be pictures.

The movers are supposed to arrive today but we never received a call yesterday confirming the time of arrival. Living in an empty house has its up sides, (you can find all those dustballs and cat hair tufts). The cats are bored stiff as they have nowhere to sit and watch the world outside. So they just eat and paw the back door to get outside.

A note to my sister and anyone else interested:

Hello and bleary eyed from California.We woke up this morning at 315 to make the 625 and 804 flights to San Francisco with cats and birds, drug free. Tried to nap on the way but no luck.
We still have no internet connection so we are working from Center Perks, a coffee shop with wireless internet (and alot of knick knacks and live music to boot).

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/bestof/award.php?award=424018&year=

Outside a car is blasting their bass so loud it is reverberating throughout the building.
Welcome to El Cerrito!

Traveling with the cats and birds was uneventful and the United staff was friendly and playful. After all the business booking this flight with pets we were quite amazed and delighted. Our dear friend from Brooklyn was also a lifesaver traveling out with us and caring for the cat, Missy, in her charge. Sebastian was very mouthy while both cats remained silent, paralyzed.
Once inside our new place they began to explore and relax.
All is well in our empty sunny house and the latest news is we may receive our stuff on time.

It isn't over yet because we are still here in Boston but we survived the packing and the moving truck just left our house with all of our stuff.

What makes moving so draining and anxiety producing? The endless ways it can go wrong.

For example, we are "sharing" a moving truck with another client of our movers for a reduced fee but unfortunately the mover miscalculated how much of our stuff will fit in "our portion" of the truck. Incidentally, the truck is a 24 footer, (not big). So, they won't be able to deliver all of our stuff at once. The first batch of stuff will arrive next Thursday or Friday. The second batch won't arrive until sometime in July!

I am still wondering how they thought a three bedroom apartment would fit in 2/3 of a 24 foot truck.