SUNday

With four new panels  "in progress", I've been "anxious" to say the least, as none of them can be sealed until completed (I do have a bad habit of over-stating the obvious....don't I?)




So, since it NEVER DID SNOW in San Francisco this weekend, I took full advantage of the blessed sunny (albeit 48 degree) weather and was fortunate to complete Nos. 27 & 28.  Here ya go!

(above) the Sulphur Creek Nature Center accompanied by a few "residents".  This wonderful facility has been a temporary shelter and rehab for some pretty amazing animals....and let's hear it for the equally amazing volunteers and staff who make nothing short of miracles happen here-

(at right) the San Mateo Bridge along with it's most prevalent visitors....the Brandt Cormorant.

Keep those digits crossed dear friends as I'll attempt nos. 29 & 30 over the next 2 days...(toes, by the way, also count as digits)

Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

Well, although the "events"  of last Saturday night admittedly slowed us down a bit, the "fair-weather taggers" left us alone last night, so we were able to finish the Hayward Shoreline piece today.  Thanks go out to Home Depot Management as well - for allowing me to switch my schedule around a bit so as to have more "time in the sun" to get a little caught up.  The "plan" is to have 4 more panels completed by Wednesday night...Keep those "good thoughts" coming and stay tuned for next weeks "Update"!

A MOST Sincere "Thank You" to everyone who has forwarded words of encouragement and to "press on" - With such an unparalleled Support Group behind us....Failure is (most definitely) NOT an option.  As always and ever grateful, Jean

It was the Best of times, it was the Worst of times...

The above is just a "sampling" of the events of Saturday night...
7 completed panels were tagged in one way or another - and oddly enough, I had woke up at 2am Sunday morning, unable to go back to sleep ...concerned,, for some apparently odd reason - that something was "terribly wrong" out on the tracks.



The "Grand Finale"
...just about broke my heart.



It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

Isn't it WONDERFUL to have a sunny day in the middle of February?

(well....WE think so!)

Matt and I received and unexpectedly pleasant "Peets" surprise from our "behind-the-scenes-support-staff" (Thanks MUCHLY Denise and Jen)

....and seriously, this "team" consists of folks who wield FAR more that paint brushes...and you all know who you are-

To those who feed us, visit us, empathise with and humor  us ...We THANK YOU!

(Geez, but we are a "sight" aren't we?)

 

Here we have a visitor executing the ever popular "Pagoda Lift"....nice job Denise!  (and thanks for the coffee)   Jen, with a camera ever-in-hand, provided the "documentation"....ONE day, we'll get HER in a photo as well-



Let's hear it for those "Volunteers" AGAIN this week! What a group.  Their Energy and High Spirits were the "fuel" at both the beginning as well as the end of this particularly challenging session at the Wall.  My thanks to Carol, Ginny, Liz, Osea and Bob for sharing so much of themselves these past 5 days...



Here is panel # 24.  I have entitled it "Matt's Panel" as he really was the force behind bringing these Koi Fish from the Hayward Japanese Gardens to "Life" in such a big way-



The Great Blue Heron - no surprise to ANY Fish Pond....proved to be a wonderful Transition into the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center...(this is a two-panel piece which was not completed due to the "events" of Saturday night)...hence...

"The Worst of Times"....

But then, in ride our "Heroes".  I was absolutely heartsick when I arrived at the Wall this morning.  10 panels had been tagged...7 of which, were already completed.  I didn't know what to do, so I called upon the only friends I had in the immediate area....and in they came...graffiti remover and rags in hand...(Dee Dee & Doug...you have my heart this Valentine's Day).  These two spent their entire Sunday ridding the work of a tremendous amount of spray paint...I'm still not sure exactly "how" they did it, but they cleared pretty much all of the damage.  This was a tough day, but one of a great many "Learnings"...I'm really loving this Project, as well as the people who are making it happen...both "on" as well as "off" site-

Reality Check



...and so...after that lovely article by Eric Kurhi of the Daily Review...I step out this morning...into this...times 3...that's right, 9  9'X20' panels (9!) covered in this stuff...they came within 1 inch of panel #24 (which obviously wasn't finished today)...but WE WERE NOT STOPPED!

 

Here is panel #22...which highlights the visual arts...



accompanied by the only "tuxedo type birds" indigenous to No. Calif. - the Black Phoebe
(well seriously, who else would be appropriate for an Art Opening???)







....while Bob, Liz and Osea began panels no. 25 & 26!







...and then "They" arrive...a MOST wonderful foursome of volunteers.... Carol and Liz destroyed the vandalism...



Meanwhile panel no.s 24, 25 &26 await their debut, ALL three are in full swing (may they not be tagged) and should be finished by the end of next week.

They dampened my Spirits (the taggers) but not for long....for diligence and determination are going to win this thing...WE promise (trust me, this is one determined group of volunteers!)

....and quite frankly...THE BEST there is-



 ...and then there's THIS photo...
I include it simply because, well,
I LOVE these people!

You simply never know who is going to
 "happen by" and "make it happen"....

Today was one of those days-