News from Home

In this age of rapid change, one can be away for 5 weeks and not count on anything being the same. Of course, most of it is, but whether through natural cycles, political decisions, or just circumstance, some things change. For better or worse, depending on your point of view. 

 

So here in San Francisco, my house was still standing, the refrigerator was empty and surprisingly clean, my upstairs neighbors moved a bench in the back yard. A walk to my neighborhood shopping district and lo and behold, Yancey’s Bar was open again after 16 months closed! Not that I’m a frequent customer, but it has been the site of some glorious and thunderous SF Giants/ 49’ers/ Golden State Warriors title victories. Memories of being carried on the wave of sports euphoria, loving all my co-celebrating neighbors, hugging strangers, embraced by 20 minutes of roars and horn honks. I hated to think that it would close and now all we need is the resurgence of those great teams to keep the memories moving forward.

 

A bike ride out to the Great Highway revealed that my petition to keep it closed to cars and open for bikers and pedestrians failed and that was sad. But I soon discovered that there was a compromise and from 12 noon Friday through Sunday at 5:00, it is wholly walking and biking territory. Good decision. 

 

The Dahlia Garden at the Conservatory is again in bloom, further proof that nature endures in its cycles and beauty is on its agenda. But the lake where I backpacked with my granddaughter and daughter back in early July has been ravaged by fire, those trees we leaned against gone, the Echo Lake store destroyed. Devastating. 

 

My time away from the news was ended when I checked in and discovered that the Repugnitans have lowered the bar yet again to the 7^thlayer of Hell. Texas may have birthed Willie Nelson, Ornette Coleman, Roy Hargrove, Janis Joplin, Beyonce, Buddy Holly, Steve Martin, Sandra Day O’Connor and other worthy human beings, but has a lot of climbing to do to return to a place that can be spoken without shame. And the Supreme Court? Don’t get me started. 

 

Today I walked out into the cold and fog and walked back in warmth and sun. Life continues in its ebb and flow, its high and low, its fast and slow, its yes and no. We watch it all and deem it better or worse, prose or verse, a blessing or a curse, good or bad, happy or sad, constant or fad, accepting or mad. 

 

And as September begins to roll out into the Fall, that’s the news from San Francisco, such as it is.