Quietly Ending --- Day 6/314

Walk: Hood
Distance: 1.2 miles, PT, Pedal, Yoga (2 hrs)

Claude Monet, The Magpie, 1868-69, oil on canvas

Ending the year with one of Ciwt's favorite paintings.  She could look at it forever.

Regarding Winter Snow --- Day 6/313

Walk: No
Distance: PT exercises, Yoga, Pedal (1.5 hr)

Claude Monet, The Cart, Snow Covered Road to Honfleur, c.1867, oil on canvas

This morning Ciwt talked with a friend who has a picture perfect cabin on a rural Wisconsin lake. 

Her friend was looking forward to a strenuous snowshow hike in the idyllic snowy landscape.

Then she looked out the window at the thermometer: 40 below.  Sensibly, she and her husband abandoned their long holiday weekend in the country and, sensibly, headed back to their city house and called Ciwt from there.

Meanwhile, after all these years in San Francisco Ciwt's image of winter life has almost become a Monet painting.  Vividly portrayed but seen from the comfort of the indoors.

Before Monet, snow in winter paintings was white, period.  Just white. Not particularly memorable. 

The term "Impressionsim" of which Monet became 'The Father" was just a gleam in art historians' eyes when Monet began developing his ability to capture real snow with his brushes.  Standing outside to the point of endangering his health, he noticed snow's constantly changing surface, its variations according to light, its irridescence and the way it reflected the blue sky above and how it looked when the earth melted into it.  All these things.  And with a build up of a myriad of white tones and blended with violet, ochre, and blue he brought snow to vivid - and memorable - life.  

HOW Many Toes??! --- Day 6/312

Walk: A little around hood
Distance: 10 blocks, PT exercises, no pedal

Oh, meow.  Chirp.  Yawn. Meow, Meow, Meow. 

Ooops, English please, Ciwt.  Sorry, she has spent the whole day researching cats, talking with breeders, looking at pictures of available kittens and cats, generally speaking cat. CATch you tomorrow...

Doctor Crissy --- Day 6/311

Walk: Crissy Field!  SFSPCA (more possible cat browsing)
Distance: 2.3, PT

First time at Crissy Field since Ciwt's accident.  So beautiful and healing.  Just Look at our December lighting here in San Francisco!

Lighting Up the Big Screen --- Day 6/310

Walk:  Hood for pre-New Years supplies
Distance: 1 mile, PT, Pedal

Yes, Winston Churchill again.  He is omnipresent on the big and small screen these days which discouraged Ciwt from going to Darkest Hour.  That would have been a mistake.  Never turn down the chance to see Gary Oldman act.  How could someone play both rail thin, slithery Sid Vicious and 

then Winston Churchill completely disappearing into both roles (and others he's played in the course of his career)?  Go and find out; then stream Sid and Nancy if you want to see both.  

Ciwt can't think of a better lead actor than Oldman as Churchill this year. But she missed the opportunity of seeing Harry Dean Stanton in Lucky, his final role.  And there are previews in the theater of a Daniel Day Lewis movie.  Tough if not impossible to beat him for Best Actor.  It should be an interesting category this year.

Boxing Day --- Day 6/309

Walk: Vogue Theater (The Darkest Hour)
Distance: 1.4 miles, sweep sidewalk, PT, Pedal

All the windows have been opened on Ciwt's advent calendar and, even after staring at the cute kittensnfor 24 days,  Ciwt made it through without adopting a new cat.  So, that's that for Christmas 2017.  Easy actually and filled with heartwarming Christmas tales from friends. Three in particular:

1. A friend of Ciwt's writes young adult books.  One day near Christmas his phone rang and there was a hesitant woman's voice on the other end.  Turns out she was the mother of a young boy who hates to read.  In spite of that and still hoping, she brought him one of my friend's books.  And he devoured it!!  When his mother asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he said he would love to meet the author.  So, his mother was calling to shyly invite my friend to their house. Awww.  It gets better: my friend said yes.  Brought tears to Ciwt's eyes.

2.  Callie and Tika's cat groomer called to say she was experiencing a Christmas miracle of sorts.  She has been renting a house for 22 years and it is home to her and many of the cats she rescues, socializes and places when she can.  For all those years as the price of real estate has skyrocked, what she would ever do if she lost the house and needed to move has been hanging over her.  We would talk about it often when she came to groom Callie and Tika. Just before Christmas the deceased owner's daughter called to offer her the house at a price at least $500,000 below the going rate.  The groomer had been ultra nice to her father in his old age- taking him on errands and such - and had also taken wonderful care of the house.  The daughter knew her father would want my groomer friend to have it so, in opposition to all advice from realtors, she made it happenn.  And the groomer was able to do it because her mother's estate had just settled.  Six months earlier it wouldn't have been possilbe.  Brought tears to Ciwt's eyes...

3.  What's the third heartwarmer?  Oh, that's right, the woman who has cleaned Ciwt's place for 30 years was given a huge amount of Chinese food by friends who own a restaurant.  Knowing she would never eat it all, she gathered her two adult children.  They heated and packed up the food, made hot coffee, put it in thermoses and drove to a place where homeless people congregate hoping to be hired for work.  They all stood in the cold and enjoyed the food together.  My friend said everyone was so happy, it was a party.  On Christmas Eve Day. Awww, tears again.

So goodbye advent kittens and good wishes to my author friend's reader, my groomer's cats and house, and my cleaning woman's homeless men and women, and to all a good night. 🌲

The Place to be on Christmas --- Day 6/308

Walk: Kabuki Theater (Molly's Game)
Distance: 2 miles, PT exercises, pedaling

Coming

Going

It used to be Ciwt would be one of the few at the movie theater on Christmas Day.  Not so this Christmas.  When she walked out of Molly's Game and saw the crowds waiting to get in (probably to the newish Star Wars) she was glad she'd decided on the early show and bought her ticket a few days in advance.  She was also really happy for movie theaters in general, a very worthy cause she supports by attendance and donations.

PS - Molly's Game is full on entertainment, and Chastain and Elba together are an acting treat.

Back in the Game --- Day 6/307

Walk: No
Distance: Lots of PT exercises, pedaling, increased Yoga

Just in time for the holidays, the 49ers are back in the quarterback business, back in the game and Great to look at as well!