The Bushman and Lent

Somebody told us there would be no palm trees in San Francisco. They were mistaken. There are plenty of other kinds of trees, but there is also a variety of palms. Some seriously tall ones lined Ridge Road, along the direct route to our favourite coffee and fruit smoothie haunt---the Brewed Awakening. Here are two shots looking down Ridge Road toward Euclid, and they simply don't do justice to the dramatic down and up of the place. If you look carefully, you might be able to see the road climbing again, but the houses on the hillside don't show at all. That is a BIG hill, with several houses perched on its slopes.

This green, green picture is the view from the Rose's kitchen window. Those steps, which Frank has counted and knows by heart, climb up to the main office building for the Pacific School of Religion, in which is housed the Swedenborg House of Studies and Frank's office. What a hard life!
Anyway, I took that picture shortly before we left to tour with Louise, and I wanted to say a bit more about that. For our final sight to see, we went down to Fisherman's wharf and Pier 39. We were pretty tired by then, so we got something to eat and went to stare out over the water at Alcatraz. After we had caught our wind a bit, we walked down to Pier 39 simply to see it, as it had come so highly recommended. It is something to see. We then caught a bicycle cab back to Fisherman's wharf, and the cabbie pointed out a famous San Francisco sight: the Bushman!
He is a man who crouches at the side of a walkway hiding behind a branch. When somebody walks near him, he shakes his branch and growls, just to make people jump. It's very funny! Apparently he makes a good living at this, and has been there a long time.
I loved the playful, relaxed, artistic atmosphere in San Francisco. I love the fact that somebody can make a living in such a creative, silly way.

So anyway, today is the second day of lent, and I'm fighting the flu.
I looked up Lent on the internet, because I've never paid much attention to it. This year, I feel like observing it somehow, but didn't even know why it is and what it is, really.
The idea seems to be to practice a spiritual discipline, in rememberance of Christ's forty days in the wilderness. So, for my spiritual discipline I am giving up the computer game, the SIMS, for the whole forty days, which is huge. I am also surrendering chocolate, yes, even organic dark chocolate. I am surrendering all sugar AND artificial sweeteners, except Splenda. That's gonna be big. Oh yeah, and all caffeine except tea, which I don't like very much.
What the heck am I going to do? Feel feelings? Live life? Horrors!

Knowing I was going to do this, I enjoyed many yummy things the last days of our vacation. I am consequently foggy and exhausted and slightly depressed, which it makes it that much harder. Funny me. What was I thinking?
I've already blown-it. I was dropping off books and audiobooks at the "Silver Spoon" chocolatier, and the woman "Sue" who works there, offered me a free sample. It was in my mouth before I thought.
It was really, knee-bendingly yummy. Dark chocolate truffle.
So I blew it.
I decided that it makes me human, and that I need to get right back on the horse. Soon, this discipline will be habit if I just stick with it.
But, Oh! With fighting sickness, I am SO tired! I want nothing but caffeine from morning to night, and when I feel overwhelmed, which is all the time when I'm sick and have tons I should be doing, I want to escape into the SIMS..... It's my favourite way to pass the time when I'm sick.
Whose bright idea was this lent thing, anyway?