From Ho Ho to Ho Hum --- Days 14/2-5

Walk: small hood in Rain, Wind, Storm, hood in crisp lovely, ditto

Distance: 2 miles, 5 miles, 4 miles

Ciwt is feeling a bit uninspired during this ho hum stretch between Christmas and New Year's.  How about you?

Let's see, there was  Boxing Day (about which Ciwt is a little vague on the concept): 

Then there was one of the rainy days when Fed Ex lost Ciwt's new cutom shade: 

Today is another rainy one so Ciwt can do a load of laundry with a football game in the background:

Tomorrow maybe her gift amaryllis will have grown a little higher:

Then it is early to bed on New Year's Eve:

After that 2025 Begins and Ciwt will be back in action!  Until then, she may take some time away from CIWT to get reinspired. We'll see.  But, rest assured, she will be thinking of her dear readers and wishing all of us restful, relaxing days until the end of 2024.  

14 Already??!! --- Day 14/1

Walk: Hood and Presidio

Distance: 5.5 miles

Could CIWT really be 14?!  Remarkable!  

What a journey it has been since that day when Ciwt challenged herself to make one entry, every single day, no matter what, for a year.  

Truth be told, a part of her expected some sort of big reward - a Pony At Last!   But, no.  On she went though, every day making entries out loud and soon realizing she was going to have to allow herself to just post pictures or admit she had nothing to say. Embarrassing.  But on she continued anyway, no pony, no big reward.

Or so Ciwt thought!  But at the end of that year she realized she had a new friend - named CIWT.  CIWT had arrived quietly, snuck up on her, and when Ciwt finally noticed her, she wanted to keep her. She also noticed - because Blogger keeps count - that she had readers! Readers who apparently were fine with pictures or 'boring' entries.  More invisible companions had arrived, and she wanted to keep in touch with them too.

So began  CIWT Year 2, then Year 3. and now, stunningly,  CIWT Year 14. 

Thank you Wonderful Readers.  Whoever and Wherever you are, you are even and much more valued by Ciwt than a pony.

Whew, Tradition Continues --- Day 13/365

Walk: No, cold and rain (whatever would Ciwt have done in Alaska? See CIWT days 13/332...)

Distance: n/a

Ciwt was nervous there wouldn't be a suitable candidate for her Christmas Day movie-going tradtion.  So she was happy A Complete Unknown opened here that very day (yesterday).  And even happier that she enjoyed it.

First and foremost for the music.  Often in these musical biopics, usually due to copyright or expense restrictions, just a line or two of a famous song is included and then it is on to another scene.  But not so in  A Complete Unknown which includes numerous complete Bob Dylan songs.  (Think Blowing in the Wind, Like a Rolling Stone and many more).  So, not only could Ciwt sing along in her head, she could appreciate Dylan's writing process, the context of the song and just the sheer genius of his poetic lyrics.

Secondly, for Timothee Chalamet who will certainly be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar and win several awards for his portrayal of Dylan.  His courage and artistry are standouts.  He plays and performs all of those songs directly on the camera (no precording and lip syncing) and does so brilliantly.  Apparently even Bob Dylan himself was pleased.  Ciwt certainly was.

Thirdly, for the great Ed Norton who surely will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor - or deserves to be.  He also sings his songs directly on camera.

Finally, Ciwt respects A Complete Unknown's scriptwriting and directing for making no attempt to analyze, decipher or judge Dylan.  Anything like that would have been artificial and conjecture and done to please the audience.  Much as everybody would like to know much more about the inner and outer workings of the genius that is Bob Dylan, he is to this day and by choice a virtual complete unknown.  Ciwt respects the movie for letting that be.

Merry San Francisco Christmas --- Day 13/364

Walk: AMC Kabuki (A complete Unknown)

Distance: 3 miles

Grand Winner!** --- Day 13/363

Walk: Probably not; rain

Distance: n/a

OVERALL GRAND WINNER 

CIWT NEIGHBORHOOD HOLIDAY DECORATIONS CONTEST 2024*

* Happy Anniversary to the Nutcracker ballet in San Francisco as well.  The Nutcracker ballet's first complete U.S. performance was on December 24, 1944.  And, after its enormous success, the San Francisco Ballet has presented The Nutcracker every Christmas Eve since then.

**Ciwt doesn't do holiday decorations, but she thoroughly enjoys seeing them, one and all, Thanksgiving, Winter Holidays, New Year's.  So Big Thank You to all her neighbors who do decorate and light up Ciwt's life.

Neighborhood Holiday Decoration Contest: Category Winners! --- Day 13/362

Walk: LP Nails, Mollie Stones

Distance: 2.5 miles

It's time for Ciwt to announce the Category Winners in her Best Neighborhood Holiday Decorations Contest!

           

Simply Silly or Made Ciwt Smile the Most

Most Like Impressionist Painting

Most Festive Entrances: Wreath, Door, Stately

Funnest Santa

Most Fetching Whole House

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Best Overall Winner.............................................................................

Puzzle Star For A Day --- Day 13/361

Walk: Allbirds, T. Joe's

Distance: 6.5 miles

NYT Mini December 20

NYT Connections December 20

So, CIWT is first on Ciwt's mind, but not first on her entry schedule.  That honor goes to The New York Times Mini Crossword immediately followed by their Connections Puzzle. All while she sips her morning tea. For a puzzle lover, it is a great as well as short and sweet way to wake up.  

Last Friday was a particularly good puzzle solving day. 

Shortest Day and Tallest Entrant --- Days 13/359 & 360

 Walks: Hood

Distances: 5.5, 1.5 miles

Ciwt was cheered on this rainy Shortest Day of the Year by remembering this photo and likely winner of her Neighborhood Holiday Decoration Contest.

So Festive --- Day 13/358

Walk: No

Distance: n/a

    

Wouldn't you love to go to this festively decorated neighborhood home for a holiday get together?  

House Present --- Day 13/357

Walk: Hood 

Distance: 4 miles

Ciwt's Personal Entry --- Day 13/356

Walk: Small Hood

Distance: 2.5 miles

Ciwt's cleaning woman brought her a beautiful flower arrangement, so now she has her own Neighborhood Holiday Decoration to share. 

Snowman and Santas --- Day 13/355

Walk: No, rebounding (and not scaring people) from Mohs

Distance: n/a

Not many winter and snow Holiday decorations in Ciwt's neighborhood.  It is possible that some people here have never seen snow or been in North Pole weather.  

Mohs Non-Momentum --- Days 13/352, 53 & 54

Walks: UCSF Dermatology Surgery, none, none

Distances: 1.5 miles, n/a,n/a

How good are you at stopping and resting?  If you are like Ciwt, not very.  So, her doctor's orders to do that after Mohs surgery the other day - including No Long Walking 😲 -was daunting.  But, once she got the hang of it, it has felt good to just relax on her window seat, look out at the stormy weather and actually enjoy her new home.

Much credit for her ability to do all that resting goes to Michael Connelly whose books never fail to engage Ciwt.  She saved her copy of his new one, The Waiting, to bring to the long Mohs process which involved maybe 2 hours of activity and at least 4 hours of waiting while slides were analyzed.  And the book worked its usual magic: drew her in from the first sentence and carried her right through.  When the Mohs was over, she almost didn't want to disturb the book's momentum by leaving the hospital.

So, if you like crime novels, have trouble sitting still but need to, treat yourself to The Waiting or any of Michael Connelly's other books. He is the creator of the Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer and Renee Ballard series as well as several stand alone books, so you have many to choose from. (Here's a link to all of them)

Stately Neighborhood Holiday Entrances --- Day 13/351

Walk: Hood

Distance: 4 miles

Neighborhood Wreaths, Wreaths, Wreaths --- Day 13/350

Walk: Hood

Distance: 6 miles

Cats and Mouse --- Days 13/348 & 349

Walks, Union Square Dentist, SFMOMA

Distances: 4 miles, 3.5 miles

So, if you have ever been to one of Ciwt's homes over the years, you are likely one of the people who has asked "Where are your cats?" or "Do you still have cats?" or just said "I've never seen your cats."

Well, here they are!  If you know anything about cats, you might see they have a lot of Maine Coon in them.  That's the look Ciwt goes for - puffy, long hair, tufted ears - and she has had six altogether.  Six that disappear whenever they hear the doorbell ring or a new voice.

Maine Coons are charming, playful, loving, athletic - and VERY shy with strangers.  Strangers meaning people who haven't been in their presence for at least three consecutive days.  Until then, they wait you out safely under the bed or some other hiding places even Ciwt doesn't know.

With that, Ciwt will let her cats return to their beloved obscurity.

Glad Your're Here --- Day 13/347

Walk: Hood

Distance: 3.5 miles

Ciwt has a bit of a thing for warm, welcoming front doors.

                                                

 

Tres Joyeux --- Day 13/346

Walk: No, Day of Reading and Rest

Distance: n/a

Notre Dame Reopening in Paris last night 

Thankful tribute to the firefighters and builders who helped save Notre Dame at the time of the devastating fire

What a Difference a Few Hours Makes --- Days 13/244 & 345

Walks: Hood, SFAnimal Hospital

Distances: 4 miles, 5 miles 

So, looks like Ciwt can uncross her fingers about her neighbors hiring that Christmas Lights Installer. See Days 13/342&3).  After lamenting the lack of Christmas Holiday Neighborhood Decorations, she went on an evening walk and was stunned to see she just needed to go out looking for those decorations after sundown.  She'll do that soon.  Meanwhile here is her neighborhood at dusk beginning its evening holiday transformation.