Davidson Woods

September 9, 2014 - <<<Miraflores, Peru
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
Greetings all. We arrived successfully in Peru late evening on Sunday and were met by agents of our tour company. We set alarm for five a.m. and were met by guide in the lobby at seven. There too we met several others from our group. We loaded into a small bus and rattled, bumped, and beeped our way out of Lima and down the coast.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENT Greetings all.  We arrived successfully in Peru late evening on Sunday and were met by agents of our tour company.  We set alarm for five a.m. and were met by guide in the lobby at seven.  There too we met several others from our group.  We loaded into a small bus and rattled, bumped, and beeped our way out of Lima and down the coast.   One's first impression is of the chaos and the tired look of the urban areas.  How glad we can live where we do!  Then one looks past the litter, the half finished structures, and the poor making livings with hand shovels and boats ours to the picturesque landscapes and villages in todo.  There we were driving down the Pan American Highway along the coast, barron desert bluffs to the left and the roaring Pacific to our right.  Wonderful. The morning was foggy.  They all are this season.  Our first bird was a West Peruvian Pigeon calling outside our hotel window.  We saw lots of them yesterday, but also pegnuins in a sea cave from a small boat rising and falling with the waves.  We lunched at a small cafe in a beach resort town that was quiet except for the fishermen now in winter.  Yes, it is winter and cool here, even in the tropics. Today we "rest" and now go to shop for water and other necessities.  This afternoon we move to an airport motel.  Before dawn we will rise to catch a flight to Cusco high in the Andes and begin an auto trek over the high mountains and down into the Amazon Basin.  Other more experienced members of our group say we will be dazzled by the diversity of birds there.  Careful they say.  It can be addictive. We are testing our physiology but are well so far.  Strange environment and different food.  We hope for the best.  More later, but don{t know when will next have access to Internet.  We´re off to the jungle.
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Summer into Winter 2014
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
We continue savoring the strange atmosphere of San Francisco and the delights of a bustling city full of young and prosperous people. Yesterday Anne and I caught a bus to Pacific Beach and Sutro Heights to “do the tourist thing” of walking through parkland at the entrance to the Golden Gate inlet. The morning gray gave way to partly cloudy as we scanned the rocks and water for passing birds and shared the trail with resident joggers and tourist families working their way up and down steep hills. There is no coastal plain here.

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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTcp>We continue savoring the strange atmosphere of San Francisco and the delights of a bustling city full of young and prosperous people.  Yesterday Anne and I caught a bus to Pacific Beach and Sutro Heights to “do the tourist thing” of walking through parkland at the entrance to the Golden Gate inlet.  The morning gray gave way to partly cloudy as we scanned the rocks and water for passing birds and shared the trail with resident joggers and tourist families working their way up and down steep hills.  There is no coastal plain here. cp>We returned from Santa Cruz Saturday evening after a two days of pelagic birding.  We boated from the popular wharf in Monterey on Friday and from a smaller marina at Half Moon Bay on Saturday.  The sea was, as is usual, exciting, significant swells creating a continuously changing array of hills and valleys among which birds sat and flew coming into and out of view.  Gulls waved continuously, fulmar gave their typical flap, flap, soar pattern, and shearwaters sped through the waves on bowed wings.  Humpbacked whales and porpoises surfaced and splashed.  Numerous ocean sunfish paddled along the surface.  One ignored the boat and dined on by-the-wind sailors.   We primates oohed and ahed.   At the end of each day we returned to shore happy and tired after a day of struggling to see the sea and to maintain our balance on an ever rocking boat. cp>Next week we leave the coast and explore the eastern Sierras and Yosemite.   The weather will be very different there.  Whereas here it is chilly in the morning and cool in the afternoon, there it will be cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon.  We’re hoping the weather and the altitude will accommodate us to weather we will find in the Andes. cp>>Strange to say, we will leave summer and arrive into winter in Peru.  Late winter, yes, and in the tropics, but winter none-the-less.  Days will be lengthening, birds will be coming into spring plumage, and trees will be blooming.  That will be a shock, but perhaps not so much as when we return later into the heart of fall.
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August 18, 2014 - Alamo Square
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
Alex's corner apartment is on the sixth floor southwest. The apartment house is at the corner of Alamo Square on the top of a small hill in this great city. The view is fabulous even on this misty day. A Western Gull sweeps over the park in front of the Bernal Heights Hill to the south. I could get used to living here, but the cost of everything is simply too high.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTAlex's corner apartment is on the sixth floor southwest.  The apartment house is at the corner of Alamo Square on the top of a small hill in this great city.  The view is fabulous even on this misty day.  A Western Gull sweeps over the park in front of the Bernal Heights Hill to the south.  I could get used to living here, but the cost of everything is simply too high. None-the-less we enjoy our time here.  Yesterday morning Anne and I took the bus to Fort Mason, now a park, at the Bay on the north side of the City (west of Fisherman's Wharf) and joined a Golden Gate Audubon bird walk.  That finished at ten giving us enough time to walk south on Franklin to the First Unitarian Church where we met Alex for the service.  The congregation's new minister presented his first service and there was celebration with food, wine, and music afterward.  One thing about Unitarians, they certainly have great celebrations. We returned to the apartment, skipping the farmers market that is held every Sunday at Divisadero, a few blocks away.  The sun shined yesterday afternoon providing a grand panorama.  The folks here would like to see much rain, but that is unlikley to happen until winter.  Meanwhile we conserve water.  The mist keeps most of the vegetation, but not the grass, happy.  Alex's recovery progresses with fits and starts.  We provide support and entertainment.  He is a gentleman to tolerate that.  Anne and I will visit Santa Cruz this weekend to take a couple of boat rides into the Pacific in search of sea birds.  Pelagic birding is always an adventure and much like playing roulette.  One puts down the money and spins the wheel.  Likely one will get seasick and see only gulls.  Possibly some rare bird from the south Pacific that has never been seen from North American waters will swing by and glance down at the boat where primates are jumping, running about, snapping hundreds of photos, and waving at the captain to "chase that bird."  Then it tilts its wings and slips away across the waves much faster than a boat can course the seas never to be seen again.  We are not really gamblers but enjoy taking our chances on that. Anne and I jog most mornings the length of the Panhandle Park.  On Saturday we left the park southbound to return along Haight Street and passed through the famous intersection with Ashbury.  The neighborhood remains a bit colorful and wierd with its famous Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream.  Our jogging routes usually are selected to avoid the steepest of the hills, but one does not move about this town without encountering slopes.  We plan to take Alex with us for a week in the Sierras.  That should be an awesome trip, and our sleeping at an elevation of 8,000 feet should prepare Anne and I for our September adventure in Peru.  We get to compare the Andes to the Sierras.  We will also switch seaons, staying in Peru in late winter and early spring.  I have trouble making sense of that.  We may greet birds from here arriving there "for the winter" as birds from Argentina are departing to the south "for the summer."  Red-eyed Vireos are in Peru year-round, some from eastern North America (boreal migrants) and others from the south (austral migrants).  There is some overlap, so they are always present, but probably none breed there. Here the gulls are now all fading into "winter plumage" but the gulls there should be in prime "breeding plumage."  We are studying the birds of Peru but will not learn to identify the some 1,800 birds there before we arrive.  We're hoping the guides can help us with that.  I'm working on my Spanish that I have scarcely used since high school.  We will be in a few places where "native language" may be spoken.  There, we will just smile and point. I'll tell you when we get back if it is easier to adjust to California or Peru.  Chuck S.
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AUGUST 1, 2014 - NOTES ON PROBATE
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
I give an odd report to all. I’m currently living the bachelor life until I join Anne in San Francisco. With our running back and forth from California this year we will (one or both) occupy the house some seven months (a new record). The weather has been good. July experienced near record coolness. I guess that prepares me for the chill of San Francisco.

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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTI give an odd report to all.  I’m currently living the bachelor life until I join Anne in San Francisco.  With our running back and forth from California this year we will (one or both) occupy the house some seven months (a new record).  The weather has been good.  July experienced near record coolness.  I guess that prepares me for the chill of San Francisco.  I have enjoyed life on South Mountain with its Wood Thrushes and Hooded Warblers for the first time in May.  This morning an American Robin still sings, but bird song is already waning and the cicadas have taken up the day shift and katydids the night shift of song.  I stayed behind now to conduct various chores.  Among these was probate of my mother’s estate.  This has been a fascinating activity.  We often hear advertisements about “avoiding probate” and wonder of its difficulties, but mostly we shrug off concerns.  We deal with it as we have too. I discovered upon my father’s death that my parents had successfully accumulated some wealth over the years despite a limited income.  My mother was the financial czar and demanded savings.  They could have made more sophisticated investments, but hey, ninety percent of becoming wealthy is spending less than you earn.  They always did that.    When my Dad died I managed the probate matters for my mother.  This was relatively easy because he left everything to her and most of the assets were jointly owned.  Still, I found the process to be a bit of a drudge.  They used four banks.   I learned that different banks operate differently and some seem to barely operate at all.  I decided that I never want to do any business with one particular bank.  My parents owned nine mutual funds and individual stocks.  They did not have a broker and so the accounts were held separately through the mutual fund companies and stock transfer companies.  Making the transfers in title entailed sending a letter with the proper forms and a death certificate to each of the agents.  Many of the forms required two signatures, one notarized, and one medallionized.  That meant visits to a notary and to a bank.  Lot’s of time and trouble.  After that experience I moved as many of my own separate holdings into a common brokerage account to make life easier for my heirs.  I should have consolidated my mother’s accounts too, but I didn’t want to hassle her with that task.  I decided that I would need an attorney to manage her estate when she passed. Well, she died last December and I immediately notified our family attorney.  The good news was that she left a healthy positive balance.  So many of our friends have parents who died with debt and still had to engage in this thankless task.  With recent changes in federal law, there would be no federal estate tax, thank goodness, but Pennsylvania has an inheritance tax on any amount.  For direct descendants the tax is 3%.  There is a discount for early payment and I told the attorney I wanted to take advantage of that.  He said that would be practical and wise. There were two heirs.  I was named executor.  I told the attorney that I wanted to minimize costs by doing as much of the work as possible.  That included the liquidation of assets and the deposit of proceeds into the estate bank account.  I expected this to be a substantial project and it was.  The attorney and a capable assistant guided me through the process.  She walked me to the courthouse to sign documents and to the local bank across the street to set up the estate account.  I learned even more about the banking industry.  I have learned especially that large banks, being beat up so much by the government, make it very difficult to accomplish small tasks.  Too much red tape.  This week, for instance, I needed another ot those medallionized signatures.  I asked for it at my national bank.  It demanded a probate “short form.”  I had not brought one because it was not necessary.   So, I went to a local bank and was graciously provided the necessary certification.   What is the old rule of thumb?  “Banks loan you money only when you don’t need to borrow it.”  Each financial institution is a fortress that has to be won over.  Each has its own forms and demands certain things.   Some want death certificates, others affidavits, others short forms.  Some want all.  One bank had still not changed all of the accounts into my mother’s name although she and I had paid them two long visits and provided all requested documents two years earlier.   I told the banker I could provide another death certificate for my father, but I would be very unhappy to do so.  He did not demand it.  With regard to the stocks and mutual funds, I had become familiar with the procedures from managing my Dad’s estate.  The process was more complicated this time, but I assembled the various packages and made stops at the law office for the notary and the bank across the street for the medallion.  I had made sure to buy plenty of death certificates.  They are not cheap! Good news was that several of the stocks were held by one outfit, the American Stock Transfer Company (AST).  I was able to bundle five of these assets and send one letter to have the stocks transferred to the estate and sold.  That worked fine except for one stock.  For a reason understood only by financial gurus, this stock could not be sold directly.  So, I had to set up a brokerage account for the estate.  Wouldn’t you know, AST has a brokerage shop.  To establish the account I had again to prepare a package including a death certificate, a “short form” and notarized and medallionized signatures.  My letter directed that the broker establish an account and obtain the stock from AST.  Two weeks later I received notice that the account had been established.  A week after that another notice confirmed the transfer.  I then picked up the phone and ordered the sale of all shares.  A week after that, a week ago,  the check arrived.  I thought this was the final liquidation, but I was wrong.  My parents largest asset was a pile of federal savings bonds.  I was going to process these, but the attorney suggested they could do so more efficiently directly through the United States Treasury.  He said that a form could be used to cash them en mass.  I looked at the pile of bonds and decided that was best.    I mentioned that there was one $50 face value EE bond in my father’s name.  I said that if that was too much bother, we could throw it away.  Then I forgot about it.  In retrospect, I should have thrown that bond away when I found it.  Today is is worth $35.  Last week I opened a fat envelope from the attorney.  It contained that bond, a three page letter, a form, and four pages of instructions.  The law office completed most of the form.   How much do you suppose it cost for them to provide the letter and complete the form?  I’ll find out.   I finished the form drove to town, and obtained, after some nuisance, the medallion and mailed it registered, return receipt requested for another $6.50.  I suppose the attorney could not just have tossed it, and I, as executor, am responsible to conserve the assets, but that was no asset!  The lawyer briefed me on the process at our first meeting.  He told me I could assess a charge for my time.  I told him no, I wanted only to be reimbursed for my expenses.  Later, we decided to inter my parents remains into the sea and I chartered a boat for this ceremony.  It turned out very well.  I said a few words and my parents were reunited in the blue waters off of Sanibel Island. Meeting later with the attorney I asked if I could charge the cost of the boat to the estate.  He said,  “Yes, probably.  How would the other heir feel about that?  Lawyers are properly concerned with such things.   I said, “She was on the boat too.” So, the business of the estate is mostly done.  The inheritance tax form has been filed and the tax paid.  The attorney says there is a chance the state will audit it, but since the assets were well defined (cash, stocks, mutual funds, and savings bonds), that is unlikely.  The attorney will complete the estate federal income tax filing next year.  There will be various interests, dividends, and small capital gains and losses associated with the assets.  The income will flow from the estate to the heirs, so we will have to delay our tax filings until the estate taxes are completed.  Since I don’t get the last of my “amended” 1099’s until the end of March that is not a huge problem.  I’m hoping all of the estate’s 1099’s find their way here promptly.  Good news has been that my parents’ assisted living facility has faithfully been forwarding her mail to me.  The USPS could not accomplish that for some reason.  Still, a few 1099’s for Year 2013 were missing and I had to delay filing her taxes this year until I could obtain them.  I waited in line to obtain one from the Social Security Administration.  That outfit apparently does not send 1099’s to the dead which is a silly nuisance.  The dead doesn’t need the 1099, but the executor of the estate certainly does! Of course, since I had to delay filing I had to pay an estimated tax.  And since I didn’t have the information to file I could not rationally estimate the tax.  I made a “guessed” payment and had to reclaim most of it when I filed the taxes in June.  She owed no federal tax for last year. A small irony is that Pennsylvania imposes the inheritance tax on the savings bonds interest that has accumulated but not been paid.  We (the heirs) will, of course, also have to pay income tax on that interest.  I quickly made a large quarterly estimated income tax payment to avoid pain later.  Given the current interest rates, I find it very irritating that tax is imposed on savings interest.  At very least the earned income should be reduced by the value of inflation.  When inflation is 2% and the interest rate is 1% there are no earnings.  But, you pay income tax on that that 1% interest.   So you are being taxed on a loss.  Inflation is simply a wealth tax.  That is why the government loves inflation so much!   It is a curse on the economy and upon the population. Last month, with the bulk of the assets liquidated, the inheritance tax paid, and no other significant liabilities (except probably a couple of more legal bills) it was time for “the major distribution.”  I wrote the checks, one to myself, and felt good about it.  The cash helps to justify our decision to make the trip to Peru next month.  Mother would have liked that.  My work kept the costs down, but having learned the ropes, I can say it is not enormously complicated.  Thank God for the Internet and forms that can be downloaded.  Curse the devil for those forms that won’t download or print properly.  All through the process I received dozens of letters from outfits with a simple story.  They said:  This person is deceased.  This person has this asset.   This asset will go to escrow with the state.  Complete these forms and we will obtain the value of the asset less a fee of $100 and of 30% the value of the asset and send you a check. The first time I received one of these letters I nearly panicked.  Thirty percent of the value of the asset?  What had happened that the estate could not properly take title to the asset and sell it at nominal cost?   As it turns out, nothing.  Eventually I would receive these letters referencing assets that I had already sold.   I wondered how the outfits find out about the assets.  The attorney says they have a legitimate roll, but what they charge seems exorbitant.  Probably though, most of the returns they get are where the value of the asset is very small and folks don’t want to fuss with them too much.  They are happy to pay the fee and avoid the hastle.  I’m not rich enough for that. One of these letters was of value to me.  My Mom had shares of Merck which spun off Medco which spun off Express Scripts.  These splits reduced her shares of Merck and gave her shares of the other two stocks.  Such occurrences wreak havoc with record-keeping and calculating “cost basis.”  When Dad died, my sister suggested selling the spin-offs.  In the end only Medco was sold, but I forgot.  Express Scripts apparently paid no dividends in 2013 and there was no communication from the company.  When I prepared the list of assets I thought it had been sold.  Then came one of those letters offering to liquidate the asset.  I went back to AST and sold it myself.  Whew!  We might have lost that one.  It wasn’t a lot of money, but much more than the $35 we will get from the savings bond, and for no more work. So, what can I say about probate? It is a nuisance.  Why should the government impose estate and inheritance taxes anyway?  Income taxes have already been paid on all of these assets, but still they want more.  That is the way it is, so one has to deal with it. I probably could have managed the estate without the attorney, but he knows the rules.  I could have figured them out, but then would have worried that I got them right.  Now he can worry. Before you die, get your assets in order.  Have a will!  Have a list of assets!  Consolidate your savings as is practical.  Of course you want to have more than one bank (in case the bank goes bust) but keep the number down.  Same for brokers.  Have an attorney in place.  Maintain a will even if you assume your spouse will get everything.  What if the two of you die together?  The kids will have a mess!  Even your spouse may have to go before the court to petition for his or her money and somehow live until the cash is released. The government forces us into having too many accounts.  We’ve had  two 401K’s, one 403’B, Anne’s IRA, my IRA, and a Health Savings IRA in order to navigate the treacherous seas of taxation.  It is impossible to allocate one’s investments when your money is in too many pockets.  It’s even hard to keep track of it.  Keep a list!  Make sure someone knows where it is.  There should be a list of passwords too. We still have too many accounts in separate institutions but are consolidating as we can.  Even many mutual funds can be moved to within brokerage accounts.  The fewer institutions involved the easier the process. Have an attorney.  Yes, today you can prepare a simple will without one.  We have enough wealth that I thought it worth the cost to have it done right.  The attorney can keep your will.  Then your heirs won’t have to find it.   They also won’t have to figure out which is the last will if they find more than one. The tax code is too complex.  I chuckle each year when I sign my 1040 and state it is true.  I think, “only the IRS and Turbotax know if it is true.”  All I do is enter the data as best I can.  I think some politician wrote a letter to the IRS qualifying his signature.  That is probably a good idea, but I don’t have the courage to do so.  Instead I lie.  I really don’t know if it is true, but I sign it anyway. With regard to probate, you want the taxes done right.  In states that don’t have an inheritance tax perhaps it is less complicated, but still worth a small price for good legal advice.  The executor will sleep better at night, and that is worth the money. My discussions with the attorney suggests that disputes among heirs creates many problems for estates.  Good will and common sense are often lost in the absence of a good last will and sound legal advice.  What a tragedy when heirs become alienated over affairs of the estate!  What a waste of money is a spat over who gets the antique car!   An inheritance is supposed to be a positive thing.  Do your best to keep it that way. Well, that is more than enough to say.  Probate is a chore, but it is part of the management of one’s personal business, preserving and passing on assets at the behest of the deceased.  We deal with it to honor them.  
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June 15, 2014 - Piney Mountain
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
Just a quick report this morning before church. Anne came home this week and we played at being love birds after being almost a month apart. Alex makes slow improvement and is tying his shoelaces, undergoing therapy, and fearful of relapses into intense hand pain. The hand therapist encourages ongoing exercise and to focus on other things when he fears any reaction after use. He must restore function despite mild setbacks.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTJust a quick report this morning before church.  Anne came home this week and we played at being love birds after being almost a month apart.  Alex makes slow improvement and is tying his shoelaces, undergoing therapy, and fearful of relapses into intense hand pain.  The hand therapist encourages ongoing exercise and to focus on other things when he fears any reaction after use.  He must restore function despite mild setbacks. Anne and my spring RV voyage is scrapped.  Instead we enjoy our forest home with singing wood thrush and flashy mountain laurel in the dark woods.  We plan for our fall Peru expedition.  We still have reservations to make, even those for the travel to and from Lima.  I review my Spanish and learn many tropical  birds.  There are screamers, toucans, atillas, manakins, and dozens of hummingbirds to learn.  Shakes up this old brain. More later.
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May 18, 2014 - Piney Mountain
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
I'm now home. Anne is in San Francisco. Today she and Alex watched the colorful Bay to Breakers run that passed Alex's apartment. He has begun hand therapy and is showing some improvement. With luck he will tough it out and restore full function. We dread painful relapses.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTI'm now home.  Anne is in San Francisco.  Today she and Alex watched the colorful Bay to Breakers run that passed Alex's apartment.  He has begun hand therapy and is showing some improvement.  With luck he will tough it out and restore full function.  We dread painful relapses. Returning from the coast I was surprised to find the forest still gray here.  Over the past couple of weeks the green curtain has formed around our house.  The wood thrushes and scarlet tanagers are singing.  Bird migration is in full swing.  I'm enjoying this but missing Anne.  Our spring RV voyage as been ash-canned.  I'm working on various chores. Elley will make a brief visit to her Mom and brother next weekend.  She is doing a study with a group from San Francisco and so will be making a buisness and pleasure trip.  She begins her occupational therapy education in NYC when she returns home.  Hurrah for that.  I may visit Princeton and Brooklyn after her return and before Anne's.  We are preparing for our planned Peruvian expedition in September.  I'm trying to learn about a thousand birds and refresh my Spanish.  We plan to stay for a week or so after the tour ends and relax in the Andes. Heavy rain here last week.  It dampened our basement and closed the roads, but now all that moisture is allowing the forest to burst into full foliage.  Still having brisk nights and fresh days.  Our pellet stove died and we replaced it with a new generation machine that literally turns itself on and off by thermostat.  Oh, so much easier to use and more efficient.  I work on paving our driveway.  I have finished the rough grading by hand.  That was quite a project, but it let me set what I hope will be an ideal line and grade.  I'll see what the contractor thinks. That's all for now.  One bit of good news.  The Humane Society and SPCA have been forced to pay millions of dollars to the Ringling Brothers Circus for their bogus litigation.  It may not be punishment enough, but it is a start.
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May 6, 2014 - San Francisco
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
So, Anne has arrived. I am glad. She and Alex are off to physical therapy this morning. Progress is being made, but Alex has to be coaxed to slowly but steadily remobilize the hand. That is not so easy when fear of painful relapse and swelling is so strong and may in itself increase sensitivity of the limb. Rehab is further complicated by today's programming of medicine and the complications of coordinating among various providers who may not entirely agree. Then too is the cost.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTSo, Anne has arrived.  I am glad.  She and Alex are off to physical therapy this morning.  Progress is being made, but Alex has to be coaxed to slowly but steadily remobilize the hand.  That is not so easy when fear of painful relapse and swelling is so strong and may in itself increase sensitivity of the limb.  Rehab is further complicated by today's programming of medicine and the complications of coordinating among various providers who may not entirely agree.  Then too is the cost. I think we cheer him up and can even baby him a bit as he deals with the very real problems of setting up a new apartment and managing his general affairs while undergoing various examinations and treatments.  It is hard to juggle when your dominant hand is out of commission. San Francisco and his apartment are lovely.  The fabulous views are cheering always.  Last evening we made a short stroll at sunset across Alamo Square with its grand views of adjoining townhouses including the famous "painted ladies" and the downtown and business districts.  Passerbys sit on the lawn there in the evening to watch the lights on the tall buildings below shine in the clear coastal air.  On this evening, however, a rather frigid wind wouild discourage such activity. Yesterday morning Anne and I jogged among the hills to the south reaching the crest of Corona Heights with its own fabulous vistas and along the Randall Museum with its lovely landscaping.  We discovered the "Grand Slickenside" there.  A slickenside is a smoothly polished surface caused by frictional movement between rocks along two sides of a fault.  As you may guess, this is a good area in which to find slickensides.  This one forms a vertical wall between a tony residential neighborhoos and the hilltop park.   Then we fed Alex who when off to therapy while we conducted a major grocery expedition to a local supermarket, Lucky's, we found only five relatively flat blocks west of the apartment.  We brought a backpack and four long-strapped tote bags.  These were filled with among other things, a twelve pack of beer, a half gallon of milk, orange juice, bleach, and Lysol.  The return walk took ten minutes and was hard on the shoulders, but the apartment is now largely provisioned with groceries, cleaning supplies and the like.   In the afternoon Anne and Alex went out and I stayed to receive two lovely carpets, one for the bedroom and one for the living room.  Smaller Bed Bath and Beyond carpets already lined the hall way.  One disappointment is that one of the new carpets has a deposit or stain that may be removable but should be addressed by the merchant before we fully accept it.  Too bad we didn't notice this in the shop or when it was being unrolled here.  There is a lot to see on an 8 x 10 foot carpet.  A one inch mark is not so conspicuous until one becomes more intimate with the surface. This morning Anne and I birded Buena Vista Park in search of resident Hutton's Vireo.  This species has eluded us so far, but the park is a joy.  This morning was clear and we took in grand views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the northern (Knob and Telegraph) hills, and Fort Mason with its old earthworks at the mouth of the bay.  The common here but special treats for us in the park are the California Towhee, the Scrub Jay, and the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Pigmy Nuthatch, and Bushtit.  Male Anna Hummingbirds stand guard on a high shrub at every opening.  Park workers provide maintenance as homeless emerge from the shrubbery to begin their day. Well, I must start several small chores.  There is still a bit of unpacking and Alex's huge rustic dresser needs a touch of sanding and a patch repair.  It would not fit in the elevator and lost the corners of upper and lower protruding prominences by saw on moving day.  They cannot go back on unless it stays here forever.  A chip will be remounted.  The now angular corners will be sanded, stained, and sealed.  It will be as good as ever.
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May 4, 2014 - San Francisco
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
It is probably good for every 64 year-old to have their schedule totally disrupted. I write from Alex's new apartment on the sixth floor looking out the window a Alamo Square and hills to the south and west. From another window of t his corner apartment we can see the towers of the Golden Gate bridge and the hills to the north.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTIt is probably good for every 64 year-old to have their schedule totally disrupted.  I write from Alex's new apartment on the sixth floor looking out the window a Alamo Square and hills to the south and west.  From another window of t his corner apartment we can see the towers of the Golden Gate bridge and the hills to the north.   Alex has moved and we are furnishing the apartment while making doctors' and therapists appointments and preparing meals with limited provisions.  Provisions are getting better after a third trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond today.  Carpets are coming tomorrow.  A set of dishes is also to be delivered over the next few days.  We bought two plates so as to have four in time for Anne's arrival on Thursday. That was the second big event of the week.  The move was certainly the main event, but indentured as I am to the needs of our son, I was in much need of a conjugal visit.  I grocery shopped in the morning of the day of her arrival to buy coffee and India pale ale beer.  The walk to the supermarket is easy and about ten minutes.  The walk back is much more difficult and about fifteen minutes with rest breaks.  If you wonder how that can be, remember we are in San Francisco.  I walked back with two long-strapped handle bags over my shoulders and my backpack filled with heavier items.  Urban living! Anne took a shuttle from the airport (since Alex has no car and she had brought a large bag for an extended stay.)  She called upon reaching the building and I slipped on shoes and took the elevator to the lobbey to find that the manager had let her in.  Anne is clearly not an intruder.  We hugged grandly and I took her into Alex's new and lovely home.  She brings "a woman's touch" so much help in home-making.  The apartment immediately became more civilized.  She had demands too and the apartment now has a coffee-maker and butter dish.  Alex thought that a funnel and a bowl were perfectly adequate for these uses.  I told him they were not.  His mother simply told him to buy them. Alex is doing well in our presence.  The doctors appear to be making some progress in diagnosis (though it is still indefinite) and hand therapy is now scheduled.  Alex is religiously doing contrast baths, massage, and exercise.  He is taking vitamins C and D as recommended (necessary or not - I don't know.)  His mother will stay after I return at the end of this week to take care of business at home.  She has no return ticket.  That makes me sad, but we will work our way through this.  I can come back, of course, if necessary.   We're making the best of it.  San Francisco is fascinating.  Anne and I made a walk this morning to Buena Vista Park.  We passed lovely town houses along Alamo Sqiuare, heard parrakeets, and admired palms and tree ferns adorning the small but elegant front yards.  We followed a route to minimize our climbs and descents, and found ourselves in a half mile at the hilltop that is the park.  There Monterey Pine and Cypress and Eucalyptus trees above and shrubbery below create bird habitat.  The vegetation also provides habitat for the uppity homeless that inhabit San Francisco.  We largely ignored the ho-bo's in their sleeping  bags while enjoying the Steller's and Scrub Jays, Red-tailed hawks, Califronia Towhees, and Pigmy Nuthatches that also inhabit the park.  At the lookout on top we scanned the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay.  Fog hid Mt. Tamalpais this morning.  A spectacularly beautiful joggess arrived and paused to call someone on her cell-phone as we tarried there.   Returning we passed down Divisidaro Street with its stores, bars, and restaurants and found a (Sunday only) farmers' market at Grove Street.  The produce was lovely and the prices not unreasonable (by San Fran standards).  We brought Alex there later on our way to shop carpets, but he was too interested in seeking rugs to shop groceries, carry them back to the apartment, and then go out again.  Anne will go to the market next week.  I, alas, return home on Thursday.  I told Alex that the market would be a great place to flirt.  As a new resident of the community he can chat up a storm.  I for one am glad Anne arrived.  Too many tempations for a single man here Well, enough for now.  I glance out the window.  The sun is shining.  Various folks in sweats are scattered about the "dog free zone" of Alamo Square.  The sky is blue above but puffy clouds are  formed in a line blowing west to east over the central north south ridge on top of which I sit on the sixth floor.  The air is restless as usual and is thoroughly exercising the palms and leafy trees about the townhouses below.  I go to humor Alex and flirt with Anne.  Sunday afternoon and time to relax. Chuckj
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April 28, 2014 - SFO
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
So, we are making progress in the Golden City. Alex has a new, lovely and (for SFO) spacious apartment just off of Alamo Square with its famous "Painted Ladies" Victorian townhouses. The movers come tomorrow at 10:00 A.M. He has bought enough furniture to get started and we have packed most of his belongings. Tonight we pack the kitchen.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTSo, we are making progress in the Golden City.  Alex has a new, lovely and (for SFO) spacious apartment just off of Alamo Square with its famous "Painted Ladies" Victorian townhouses.  The movers come tomorrow at 10:00 A.M.  He has bought enough furniture to get started and we have packed most of his belongings.  Tonight we pack the kitchen. I was to stroll up to Buena Vista Park to look for birds this a.m. but the sky is drippy.  California is in drought, so rain is viewed positively even in this moist environ.  Instead I tarry at the inn and will wander to Alex's current apartment in a bit and see what he wants to do on this Sunday. I have breakfasted with folks at the Inn in recent days.  Most are tourists and plan their various excursions to Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and the cable cars.  Fun to chat with them, especially the foreigners.  One other parent was here helping her daughter move.  We shared our tales. Yesterday Alex and I rode to the Pacific coast to shop and enjoyed watching the Pacific with its rough seas.  A strong wind swept cold air over us.  Alex said that the rents were cheaper in that neighborhood.  I said, "yes, and folks here don't need refrigerators."  He added that they had to endure many days of fog too.  The many rows of stucco houses seemed firm and their vegetation was in bloom.  The seaside views make up for the weather perhaps, but this part of San Francisco is somewhat remote from both downtown and the tourists. Shopping here is difficult as well as expensive.  In spite of the population density stores are mostly too far to walk to.  Alex subscribes to a driving service.  He calls a ride using "an app" that brings a car and driver and bills his account for the ride.  Sometimes a bus or train will do.  All a bit tedius, but I enjoy the sights as we travel about.  This week we will have the challenge of equipping the new apartment with groceries and housewares.  That may require a Zipcar rental. San Francisco shops love to make things special and expensive.  We went out for ice ream last night.  The attendent mixed up the cream, sugar, and flavorings and put it in a special mixer which injected liquid nitrogen into the material to make a cup of fine product.  Strange brew this town. Anne has bought an airline ticket and will join me here at the end of the week.  I think I can seduce that girl with sweet words and a bottle of Napa Valley wine.  We will spend several days together and I will return home to take care of buisness there.  She will stay longer to help Alex establish and get started on his course of therapy.  We hope there is a diagnosis this week, but regardless of that he needs start working his hand back into shape.  He is hesitant, fearing relapse of pain and swelling.  The course may be slow, but it has to be steady.  Encouragement is useful. Our spring RV tour is shot, and this California commuting difficult, but we are enjoying the opportunity to visit this extraordinarilly expensive city with its vibrant youthful population.  Challenges keep one young I suppose, or too busy to worry about one's age.  I miss home, I miss Anne, and I miss my routine.  I prefer the rural environment without the roar, clatter, and honking of the city.  The dirty streets and fragrance from combined sewers is tiresome.  The traffic is fierce and threatening.  Every building has a locked iron gate for security.  But, heck, here I am to enjoy seeing apartments being constructed into the sky, beautiful young women commuting, and restarants and bars at each corner.  Each morning guiests at the inn excitedly discuss their plans for the day.  I smile and wish them a great day.  I will have one too with my son.
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April 25, 2014 - San Francisco
Anne and Chuck submitted on January 17, 1970
I, Chuck, am here without Anne providing aid and comfort to Alexander who while still dealing with his repetitive motion injury has to move next week. While enjoying an opportunity to be him I feel a bit of a prisoner in being unexpectadly away from home and Anne at this time. She, by the way, is in a bus on her way home with a group of quilters from a quilting convention in Padukah KY. I'm not sure when or where we will next snuggle; that is in the works. Our spring RV tour is scuttled. Anne will have to cancel reservations when she returns home tomorrow.
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BLOG TITLEBLOG CONTENTI, Chuck, am here without Anne providing aid and comfort to Alexander who while still dealing with his repetitive motion injury has to move next week.  While enjoying an opportunity to be him I feel a bit of a prisoner in being unexpectadly away from home and Anne at this time.  She, by the way, is in a bus on her way home with a group of quilters from a quilting convention in Padukah KY.  I'm not sure when or where we will next snuggle; that is in the works.  Our spring RV tour is scuttled.  Anne will have to cancel reservations when she returns home tomorrow.  Still, it is fascinating in the Golden City.  Lots of construction and many young and prosperous people walk about in the elegant but camp garb that differs considerably from that worn by young people in NYC.  The black clothing phase seems to have ended as quickly as it began.  It never got old as it did on the East Coast.  The poor who come to town for the benefits sleep wherever, in front of buildings or under bushes in the park.  The middle class seems pretty much excluded here except as tourists.  It is spring and many a tree and shrub are in bloom.  In this place where it is always chilly and never cold the florage is not as bright as in the Northeast, but still it is impressive and cheering.  Palms, tree ferns, euphorbs, and almost any kind of exotic plant seem to thrive here.  Rosemary makes hedges and fennel is a weed.  The region is in drought but the plants do not seem thirsty.  They are, after all, refrigerated. This morning there are showers to interrupt the last several days when a dark blue dome enclosed the City.  There seems no weather until you walk to the top of the hill and can't stand for long in the cold wind.  A local birder commented that she usually walked on the south side of Buena Vista Park because it was too cold on the north slope.  I find the persistant breeze and chilly days a bit oppressive at times, but they make one brisk.  That is useful because there are hills to be climbed everywhere.  Up and down one goes.  The hills here are lumps of rock that are called terranes that formerly resided on earth that slid east and under the present ground.  The terranes, being higher than the land they were upon escaped the descent by being scraped off upon new ground.  As lumps they make the town lumpy. Have to stop now.  More later.
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