MacWorld 2012, Day 1

Busses in San Francisco can be crowded, which means there is a risk of pickpockets. Recently, a man on a VERY CROWDED bus was listening to his iPhone, which was safely tucked inside his backpack.  A thief reached into the backpack to steal the phone, and quickly drew his hand out, empty -- the man also had a chihuahua in his backpack, and the dog had nipped the thief!

According to iKeep (myikeep.com), two million iPhones are lost or stolen every year.  They have devised a solution:  tether it securely.  Their gadget clips to, say, a belt loop, and an extension cable clicks to your iPhone or iPod.  The cable moves freely to let you access your device, but it Will Not Let Go until you press the release button.  If you're just absentminded, the iKeep makes sure you have your iPhone with you, and if someone else tries to grab it, they're gonna have trouble.

So… if you don't have a chihuahua, you might want to get an iKeep!

My trip to Taos

I was recently in New Mexico, and visited the Albuquerque Art Museum which had a wonderful exhibit on Hispanic Arts, and I traveled to Taos where I visited La Lana Wools and the Weaving West Gallery.  At Weaving West, I was urged to visit Centinela Weavers in Chimayo, so I made a short detour (9 miles each way) during my drive back to Albuquerque.  Here's a photo from the Centinela Gallery.  -- Rachel Holmen

Dad at 91plus

My sister Joyce took this nice photo of me and my dad, on June 1.

Post-Rapture Shoe Shopping?

I passed this store window in Madison, Wisconsin, during Memorial Day weekend. 

Quilt Show this Weekend - Pleasanton, Calif at Alameda County Fairgrounds

Beautiful opportunity quilt offered by the Amador Valley Quilters.  Free parking at the fairgrounds if you tell them you're going to the quilt show.  10-5 Saturday, 10-4 Sunday.

Probably 400 finished quilts on display.  Two well-known quilt artists are featured, and will give talks and demonstrations.

Almost Too Warm for Spring

The weather jumped from winter to practically summer here in Berkeley.  My dad called to wish me happy birthday today, which pleased me.  But otherwise, the world is completely crazed, with war and nuclear problems; I spent this afternoon readng last Sunday's New York Times and getting depressed.  It is true that a small number of committed people can make a change, but I lack the energy to join them.  I think I'll listen to Judy Small and try to cheer up a bit.

http://www.judysmall.com.au/index.html

-- Rachel

Cat in Cold Weather

Mia somehow maneuvered herself UNDER my sweater, set down on the bed; only a tiny sliver of black fur was visible.

Sent from iPod Touch

AUTUMN is here

Today is the first of autumn (or fall, as we Murricans call it, to the occasional confusion of other speakers of English).  Leaves haven't turned color here, but all they usually do in this part of California anyway is go from green to a sort of green-gold.

(And Indian Summer has yet to happen, when daytime temps will be close to 90.)

-- Rachel