went to get compost today

We got a van from u-haul today and took it the free compost pick up spot in Griffith Park.  We went down with 25 burlap bags and filled up 20 of them.

There were quite a few people down there.  We saw our neighbor, Jack, who learned about it from us.  We also talked to a lady filling up black trash bags.  She lives in LA.  She said she gets the compost because she is replacing her lawn with drought resistant landscaping.  She told us that the compost here comes from the zoo, and she called it "zoo poo."  It's better than the green trash compost.  She also said that the mulch comes from the park.

This is our third time here or so.  We came prepared and we felt like pros.  Grandma came and helped too shovel the dirt into the bag.

Anyway, after filling up about 20 bags, we went to the horse place down the street and got 3 bales of straw for $10/ apiece.  On the way back, we filled got more coffee grounds from starbucks.

We should have enough dirt etc to fill all the places that need it and shouldn't need more until Spring at least.  We hope.

Van rental including gas was $62. Hay was $32.

Comments on: The Man Who Loved China: by Simon Winchester (1996)

This is a a biography of a very interesting guy.  Read this one, James.

Joseph Needham wrote an 18 volume history of Chinese inventions from roughly 1950-1995.  The basic theme is, whatever the West invented, China invented first. 

Who was Mr. Needham?  He was an English Communist scientist, a China lover, an avowed nudist, folk dancer, who had an English wife and Chinese girlfriend (on friendly terms) for decades.  He is a metaphorical bridge builder who studied bridges.

You'll learn something of the times and about one eccentric character from reading this.

how'd I get so lucky?

Oftentimes I cannot believe my good fortune.  I spent years trying to get a house without any success. I made several bids, and was always outbid.  Now I have this one that I got cheap and could swing the financing on a contingency sale-- I can't buy yours unless someone buys mine-- and got it quickly, withing a few months of putting mine up for sale. 

My house was cheap, I got a good loan, it's a fixer but does not require any fixes to be habitable, the neighborhood is safe, the neighbors are nice and have been here a long time, there are plenty of nice kids around, and it's close to school.

And last but not least I have a view of the mountains which seem to glow in the fall.

Morning after first rain

We are in a drought.

Last night was the first memorable rain since we moved in.  This is what it looks like now...

We got the rain gutters and barrels installed just a couple weeks ago.  4 of 5 are full.

The big rain in the
middle of a drought turned the
dead stump bright orange.

the big rain in the
drought turned the middle of the
dead stump bright orange.

St. Paul thislast week

I went to St. Paul 10/27-10-30 for training a work with attorneys from across the country and one from Canada. 

I learned the following things that were not on the curriculum:

1. Although we only had one in this class, back east lawyers are bone crushers;
2. Litigation in the cities is a war.  Cities are liberal.  In the outlying areas litigation is much more tame and it's more conservative.  This is true from east to west.