Back from Hawaii

and my body's time zone is somewhere between here and there. I'll try to append some of my pictures of my time in Kauai.

Here are some dolphins we saw while touring the Na Pali coast in a zodiac boat, followed by the view from the lanai of our condo, a shot of me ziplining, and a view from Limahuli Garden.

Transbay Shabbos

Jan (in Pleasanton) and I (in San Francisco) were on the phone when I mentioned buying challah rolls for Shabbat (which I'd never done before but suddenly got the idea to do when buying a cinnamon loaf at Acme Bakery today), and she suggested that we light the candles together - me in person and her over the speaker phone. We had done the same thing with Chanukah candles, so I immediately agreed. I had a pair of homemade soapstone candlesticks already loaded with Shabbat candles, and a box of matches nearby, so it was a matter of seconds before we were ready to roll. I lit the candles and sang the blessing, and Jan said "Amein." Then I sang the motzi and bit into my challah roll. Then she sipped wine and I water after we sang 'borei p'ri hagafen' together.

So I'm writing this by the light of the candles, which are sitting on my coffee table. I'd been wondering how to celebrate Shabbat while living alone. There was an article on point in one of the online Jewish rags, but it mostly suggested finding a family you can join. Since sitting around a dinner table singing Shabbat songs doesn't really appeal to me, I hadn't been engaging in any Sabbath observance whatsoever. But, with the help of my Jewish-born but unbelieving girlfriend, I might just get something started.

So Here It Is

The first work day of 2011, the day on which I would be heading back to the office if I hadn't just retired. I didn't roll over and go back to sleep, for long, because I needed to be up and moving by 9am, to be ready for visits from my contractor and the writer/director of the play I'm preparing for. I visited the laundry to trade dirty sheets for clean, came home, and had lunch.

There was sunshine earlier this morning, but it's mostly hidden now, and I'm not as strongly motivated to get outdoors. But I need to get a walk nearly every day, so I'd do well to plan a walk with somthing pleasant at the end of it, bundle up, and get out there. So that's what I'm going to do.