Grazie for haircuts!

One of Maggie's favorite places to go is the hair salon where she gets her hair cut. It's in north beach and cable cars go right past as she's sitting in the chair. (note the cable car in the background in the picture).

Lisa, the Italian woman that cuts her hair tells Maggie she is bellissima and now she is no longer a "bambina" but a "bella signorella." Despite the Italian words Lisa really speaks Maggie's language. Who wouldn't want to go there?

Maggie laughs through the entire haircut but really recoils at the water spray. 

One problem with having a trach and getting a haircut is the constant concern about stray hairs getting into the trach tube. If we didn't catch it it would be a huge irritant in Maggie's airway or lungs which could present enormous problems We had to stop periodically and suction out stray hairs. When it came time to blow dry off the excess bits of hair I just held the scarf over her trach. Maggie even thought THAT was hilarious 

Maggie is now cleaned up and ready for the holidays. And she looks bellissima

Ciao tutti!

Back at it

It is Monday following the busiest weekend in the history of San Francisco. And it's Columbus Day or Indigenous People's day. Whatever you call it, it's a day off school for Maggie so Mom is "on" for one more day.

Faboo.

We are all very tired around here. There was so much going on in the City that it was exhausting just trying to decide what to do. We had a friend staying with us so he could join in the fun too and that was great. There were several major events including the America's Cup races, the Giants and 49er games, and The Castro Street Fair - none of which we attended. It was fleet week and there were tons of military personnel walking around. and the Blue Angels screaming overhead. Everybody took part in that.

There was also the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate park that drew easily 200,000+ people each day for three days -- most of whom needed to park in our neighborhood. That meant we really couldn't use the car all weekend because we would never be able to park again. I skipped the festival this year but Steve and his friend Chris walked down there on Saturday and stayed for several hours. We also went down to North Beach yesterday to attend the Sts. Peter and Paul Bazaar and watch the Italian Heritage Parade, which is always a hoot. I had to grab this picture of the nuns waving at the kids who were in the parade as they passed the convent.





We walked back through Chinatown and Steve stopped to buy some fish at his favorite little market. Apparently Steve likes it because he looks like Gulliver in Lilliputian land. He was a head taller than every other shopper in there.

All of these events are too crowded, too far away, or just too much for Maggie. That meant she needed her own outings. Another of Steve's friends was coming to Breakfast on Saturday morning, and i wasn't sure how we would fit in an outing for Maggie. Killing two birds with one stone, I sent her on a walk to the grocery store with Steve and Chris to get a few last minute things on Saturday. she pinched a package if bagels and Steve had to go back and pay for them.

Sunday we all walked over to the museum and took in some Gaugin and Renoir before stopping at the now fading dahlia garden

Today Maggie and I hit the mall as she was suffering from retail withdrawal. Now I need to hit napland but alas it does not appear to be on Maggie's schedule today

Hair cut!

For the past couple of weeks, Maggie was scratching her forehead like crazy. I would hold her hand to stop her especially when I saw how scratched up and injured she was from her actions.(You can see the last of it in the picture below.) We tried various creams and salves to deal with the itching. Nothing stopped it. It took me a while to realize that her hair was bugging her. I would brush her hair back in the morning, but her hair is so fine it never stays where you brush it. It was hanging over her forehead and getting in her eyes. It was past time for a haircut.

I tried to set it up for Monday when Maggie had the day off school, but it couldn't be arranged. Lisa, the lady who cuts Maggie's and my hair could take us Tuesday afternoon. Ok. Maggie gets home a bit earlier on Tuesday, so we could make that work. Maggie was excited. She started talking about it on Monday night. "Mom, my hair tomorrow on Tuesday." By the time she got home from school yesterday she was chomping at the bit to get down to North Beach to see Lisa.

Lisa's shop is a quiet little place on Columbus Avenue. There is a lot of energy on the street, cable cars and buses roll by every few minutes and the the numerous pedestrians strolling by watch you get your haircut. They were treated to a show yesterday. No one like to get their haircut more than Maggie does. She laughs through the entire process and her joy in infectious.

Lisa praises Maggie throughout the whole haircut telling her how beautiful she is. Half the time Lisa is saying it in Italian and that sends Maggie into peals of laughter. It's not easy to cut Maggie's hair becasue she moves constantly and the back of her head is covered by the headrest of the wheelchair. As a matter of fact, Maggie has a large portion of hte back of her head that's almost bald from rubbing against that headrest, but you would never know is when Lisa is done. Maggie looks stylish and trendy. Maggie very seriously checks out all the angles and admires herself in the mirror. I told Lisa that the following picture should go in one of the haircut magazines.  

She went off to school today anxious to show off her new "do" to her friends and classmates. She is going to be disappointed that there is no beauty treatment planned for today. . 

Final push

"Greetings cards have all been sent...the Christmas rush is through."

Except that it isn't. I did send greeting cards, but I was so disorganized that some people got two while others were overlooked. I'm still waiting for an address too, so that will be a New Years card. My house is full to bursting with gifts, food, decorations and stuff. Still more rushing to do today, but mostly it's the grocery variety. That can be the most competitive shopping of all, though.

I do have to return a space heater I bought yesterday. My father in law is here and the room he is sleeping in does not have heat. We have a space heater in Maggie's room. We do not leave the heat on at night because it gets too hot upstairs, but the nurse would freeze without some heat.  I couldn't take that one.
I was sure we had one and I went downstairs to our junk/storage area to find one. Turns out one was completely broken and the other was only a fan. Hmm. I texted or called various family friends and neighbors to see about borrowing a space heater, but no one had one. So off to Walgreen's to purchase a space heater. No problem. If the one in Maggie's room breaks I will have a spare. I brought it upstairs and started to set it up and HELLO - there's a space heater in that room already. This one is going back immediately. That's ONE thing out of this house.

Maggie and I went to North Beach yesterday and bought the good stuff for Christmas Eve dinner. It's all cash and carry down there, so we hit the bank, loaded up on cash and went to the bakery to get foccacia, and to the deli to get fresh ravioli. I used to do that on the morning of Christmas Eve, but it is so ridiculously crowded, that I decided to just get it done. I have a refrigerator and a freezer. Save energy. Use the technology!

Then we passed a Chinese vegetable market with the most beautiful string beans and had to stop. The place was small and tight, but we did not let that deter us. The owner said something like "I take care of him" (meaning Maggie.) He wanted me to wander around inside the shop and leave her out on Stockton Street.


Uhhhh NO.

I didn't think he could handle a lesson in suctioning so  I thanked him but said no, I will keep her with me. We maneuvered with great difficulty through the little store, annoying some very competitive vegetable shoppers, and nearly knocking over giant bins of various types of produce,  but I emerged with some beautiful veggies.

The busy day was made easier by the amazing weather. I know we need rain and there's no snow in the mountains, but it's hard to argue with this kind of day.

Hope everyone has a great day. the big day is upon us. Grandpa is already here. We are anxious for the arrival of Eddie and Grace late tonight and  undoubtedly Tim will pop in at some point today. 

Parade of Golf courses

Yesterday was a wild day in San Francisco. The President’s up golf tournament was happening at Harding Park in the southwest side of the city. Roads are closed snarling traffic in that area. On the other side of town there was the parade formerly known as the Columbus Day Parade, but now changed to the more politically correct “Italian Heritage Parade.” The parade goes from Fisherman’s Wharf to North Beach a very congested and vibrant part of town. We watched some professional golf on TV, but really wanted to go to North Beach. There may not be professional golfers, but there is a miniature golf course in North Beach just one weekend a year.

It is particularly close to our hearts because Steve created it.

Before we could visit that golf course, we actually had to get down there. Parking is always a challenge in North Beach. On parade day -- feggedaboudit. So many streets are closed for the parade, you can forget about driving in that area. In fact, the busses are re-routed through the area, so even public transportation is tough. If you want to get there on parade day, you better be prepared to walk. So we did. We drove to Steve’s office downtown and walked a mile or so through the financial district and Chinatown to North Beach. Once you get to North Beach, every sidewalk is filled with tables from the dozens of nearby restaurants. You have to press through even as waiters carrying large trays of food cut you off. It is energizing and entertaining.

In past years, we have taken Maggie. Steve would drop us off as close as possible and meet up with us later. She did not have any fun though. The crowds and the noise are too much for her. Without the car, escape is difficult. Steve took Maggie to Golden Gate Park in the morning and when the nurse arrived, we went to North Beach without her. We had to hit the bazaar at the boys' elementary school, Sts. Peter and Paul (SSPP). Steve had to check on his creation/legacy.

In about 2002, Steve created a miniature golf course for the school to use at the bazaar. It is incredible. The golf holes are miniature versions of the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Lombard Street as well as the leaning tower of Pisa, the Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria as well as the obligatory windmill. They haul it all out for the Bazaar and the kids love it. One little girl, dressed as an Italian princess, was lying flat on the ground looking through the pipe trying to figure out where the ball went. The course is definitely showing its age now after 7 years of use, but it warms his heart (and mine) to see kids enjoying it still. Couple that with a grilled Italian Sausage sandwich with peppers and onions (I take off the peppers, though) meeting up with old friends and NOT bringing home any goldfish and you have a perfect experience.

Walking back to the car through Chinatown was slow going. The Blue Angels were flying. I kept trying to get a picture --no dice -- those suckers are fast and all I had was my cell phone camera. It was cool to see these jets zooming over the rooftops of Chinatown. The streets are so tight in there that you cannot see them coming, you can only see them for the split second they are immediately over head. You can sure hear them coming, though, and everybody is poised and looking up. Though it is a bit disconcerting to see fighter jets over your city, I have to admit it is thrilling.

We were home after three or four hours. Maggie was calm and happy but we were exhausted. I had to make dinner but because of the food at the bazaar was in no hurry. Poor Tim finally made himself some Mac and Cheese because he was starving.

Today Maggie is off school. For San Francisco Unified School District, today is Indigenous People’s day. In North Beach, it is still Columbus Day.

For me, it’s Monday. Whatever you call it, have a great day.