Tree Time

With a lot of help from FUF -- Friends of the Urban Forest -- and Farmer John, of course, Page Street is sprouting new greens: two Olives and two Primrose, planted last week (in the midst of a Pacific Gas & Electric sidewalk mess).

Dog Day Afternoon

The Dig

When I was 18, I spent the summer on an archeological dig in Israel. Now, this here ain't no Promised Land, I realize, but as I stomp through the sandy floor of the school-to-be, and John presents an old blue Bromo Seltzer bottle that the guys uncovered, the Tel d'Or dig comes to mind.

If the foundation issues weren't enough, we also discovered that the main sewer drain pipe was completely corroded. I don't have to describe what was flowing out of the cracks and into the dirt.

I got into it with Michael's Pit Stop this morning, a patient, sweet older man who calls me yalla,an endearing arabic term, I hope. Anyone? We inappropriately invaded his toilet, which is sitting on rotten wood and has pipes we needed to relocate. oops! He, like we, is less than happy.

But today is a good day, after all, as we finally let go of the contractor -- YIPPEEEEE!! and have an honest, hard-working guy to finish this endless and relentlessly painful job.