A Day Off - Sort Of

My daughter, Cari and her fiance, Sam are taking Mika and Tomo to the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studio, Hollywood for lunch and then into Hollywood to see the sites today.  I have the day off - sort of.  LOL.  I am going to clean house ~~ oh, boy!!!  I am so far behind on everything.  I have dust bunnies the size of bowling balls and the bathrooms need some touch ups.  I do a daily swipe of the bathrooms but I want to do the big clean on all three today. The floors will get a proper vacuum and wash, the dusting will get done and any laundry left over from the other day is going to get finished.  I hope to get done by 3:00 so I have time for a nap before they get back and want dinner.  Wish me luck, kids....  I'm goin' in!!!  LOL

Until later...................   ô..ô

Where Did the Week Go?

Wow, this week flew by in a flash.  I guess that old saying, 'time sure flies when you're having fun' is true.  Having this 16 year old girl living here has kept me running in many different directions and having a lot of fun.

Thursday I helped take the group to Riverside Community College where the girls got an escorted tour of the campus and an opportunity to meet with students to discuss the differences and similarities between the U.S. and Japanese educational systems.  They had a great time!

We had been home about an hour when a transformer in front of our house blew and we lost power for the next 13 hours.  What an adventure that was.  We ate dinner and spent the rest of night living by candle and flash light.  The good thing was it was the coolest night we had in the past 30 days.  We were able to open up the house and have a decent breeze which cooled the house to about 77 degrees so we could sleep.  All of us camped out downstairs since the 2nd story was still too hot to sleep comfortably.  The power company worked all night to get things going again and by 4:30 the next morning our power was back on.

Friday, we had an afternoon activity at a large market where the girls could see how Americans shop for their groceries.  They were pretty amazed at the selection of items we have.  They couldn't get over the beef section of the meet counter.  In Japan, it's about 1/4 or less of what we have here.  They have a lot more fish than we do.  After the market, we had time to stroll around the little mall for an hour.  They enjoyed going into a store that sells accessories and then they went into an ice cream shop for a cold treat.

Today, I went to the mall with 3 of the girls and two 16 year old daughters of other host families.  I let the girls go off on their own while I did some shopping.  We spent 4 hours at the mall.  They had so much fun.  We met around 4:30 and I took Mika and her friend Tomo to buy post cards, to the market to buy the stuff to make spaghetti and then back home.  While I fixed dinner, they showed Sam and Cari how to make origami cranes, hats, boxes, etc.  We sure had a fun night.

Tomorrow is a down day.  I'm in need of a day to catch up on house work and to just do nothing.  Monday, Dennis and I are taking Mika to see an Angel game.  Tuesday Mika is going to Disneyland with another family but I still may have to help car pool some of the girls to an afternoon activity.  Thursday night, I'm going to take Mika and Tomo back to Anaheim for another baseball game.  Friday is the farewell party and Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. I have to take her to the bus that will shuttle her and the group to the airport and back to Japan.   My head is spinning!  LOL 

It's sure going to be quiet around here when she goes home.  I'll have 3 weeks to get ready for our cruise to Alaska. 

Meet Mika

Here are 2 pictures of Mika.  I am going to start taking more.  I bought a little photo album and some post cards of Riverside today.  I want to make a little album for her to take home that has pictures of the house, us and the post cards inside. She is taking lots of pictures of herself with friends but we are not with her during those times.

Tonight, we are going to Downtown Wednesday Night in the older section of downtown Riverside where we will meet up with 3 other host families.  It's like a festival every Wed. night during the summer.  There are food booths, craft booths, bands, art exhibits, and lots of other things going on for the girls to see.  It is near the historic Mission Inn so we will take the girls there and show them around the 100 year old hotel.  Twelve U.S. presidents have stayed there over the years and their portraits hang in the lobby.  I think they will enjoy it.  It will give them a good insight into the diverse ethnic makeup of our community. 

Last night I asked her what she wanted to see while she was here and she told me, "Disneyland," as if I didn't know.  LOL I DO NOT want to go in this heat.  I promised to work very hard to find a family that was going and who would take her with them.  I promised that if I could not find another family that I would go with her but we would have to go from 4:30 p.m. until it closes at Midnight.  I was lucky! Another family that is going on August 1st will include her in their excursion and the great thing is, they are hosting one of her best friends.  Phew!!!  Saved....

Not much else to report right now.  I have so much to catch up on that I can't spend much time writing and/or reading journals right now.  I will catch up when Mika goes home and my life returns to it's normal, boring pace.

Until later....................   ô..ô

 

 

Promise Kept Better Late Than Never

As promised, I've posted a picture of myself holding a postcard from Linda at

 ;http://journals.aol.com/lsfp1960/LindasWorld/

I apologize that it took me so long.  I am putting a post card in the mail to you today. 

 

Tuesday Question

Ever get an invitation to a wedding that refers you to a web site for the dress code for the ceremony?  A friend's son is marrying a girl who's parents are from India.  They are both children of doctors so there is a lot of money on both sides.  The web site says:  Formal gowns or Saris for ladies in bright colors - no black.  Suits and ties for men, black is OK.    This rubbed me the wrong way, to be honest.  I think it assumes quite a bit.  It assumes that every woman invited has the money to go out and purchase a brightly colored formal gown for the wedding or if they are from India, they must wear a colorful sari which are not inexpensive.  Does it mean if some one does not have the money to buy a new brightly colored gown that she should just not attend?  Am I being too picky or is this wedding just out of my league? It seems very superficial to me.  Is what someone wears to the wedding more important than having that person there to celebrate the beginning of their life together? 

 Makes me feel like that $30.00 Target Gift Card just ain't gonna cut it as a gift.  LMAO  -  Just kidding about the gift card. 

Starting The Week Off Right

After I dropped Mika off at class, I went to Curves and did my work out.  It felt great.  It's been nearly 8 weeks since I went.  I had a lot of family things come up and I joined the fitness gym for the water aerobics classes so Curves has been on hold.  With Mika here and having to be at class at 9:00 I can't get to water aerobics for 2 weeks so it's back to Curves.  After I finished, I had to come home and take another shower.  The humidity really amped up the sweat index but I think that's a good thing when you are exercising.  Now I just need to drink some extra water today to make up for it.

I wrote about our little earthquake yesterday.  About 1/2 the comments came from people who had experienced one personally and 1/2 from those who had not.  I suppose if you have never felt one, it might seem very scary and strange to all of a sudden feel the ground shake and hear the house rattle.  It sounds like a big truck or thunder as it comes.  You can actually hear it before you feel it.  We have been through so many that when we hear the first thunder of a storm we usually stop and wait for the house to shake then when it doesn't we know it was something else.  LOL  There have been four quakes in the 51 years that I've lived here that have made a significant impact on me because of the damage they have done in surrounding areas.  I personally have never had any damage to a home I was living in, thank you, Jesus.  I would rather have an earthquake than a tornado or a hurricane any day.  I would prefer if we never had any of these things that cause so much heart ache for so many.

I want to write about the weekend.  Some really neat things happened that I want to be sure to enter in my journal.  On Saturday morning, I drove to Brea (which is about a 40 min. drive) and met two girlfriends for lunch.  I used to work with both of them in the early 70's but I have known Linda since I was a little kid.  We grew up in the same neighborhood and it was a coincidence that we got a job at the same place.  Vicki and I have kept in touch over the years and see each other about once a year.  Vicki and I hadn't seen Linda in over 20 years.  I found her by going on a web site to see if my high school class was having a reunion next year.  I scrolled thru all the names from my high school and found that she had registered and left an email address so I sent her an email.  She was as happy to hear from me as I was to find her.  We met at The Cheese Cake Factory for lunch.  I knew her instantly.  She hasn't aged at all (well, maybe a tad).  We all exchanged hugs then sat down and fell into a conversation as easily as if we had seen each other the day before.  We chatted feverishly until we placed our orders and then we each took about 20 minutes to talk about what had been and what was going on in our lives.  We pulled out pictures of our kids and their kids (if they had any).  We talked from 11:00 to 1:30 non-stop.  I think we could have talked the entire day if pressing engagements hadn't forced us to stop.  We left promising it wouldn't be another 20 years before we got together again.  Time is just to precious to let friendships like this go for so long.

Yesterday we went to Laguna Beach for the day.  We were hoping to escape the heat but it wasn't much better there.  It was about 90 degrees, very humid and no breeze.  All of this very unusual.  We took an Easy-Up (like a tent with no sides) for shade, chairs, coolers with our lunch and lots of bottled water.  Bryan, Shannon and the kids were there along with Cari and Sam, Dennis and I and Mika and her best friend, Tomea (pronounced Toe-May).  Everyone except Dennis and I went in the water.  We have an aversion to ocean water.  It's not too clean off our coast line.  Younger people don't care about that.  They just want to cool off and have fun.

While they were down by the water, two seals came ashore.  The lifeguards immediately had everyone out of the water and moved everyone at least 25 yards down the beach to give the animals their space. They drew quite a crowd.  They looked at the people - the people looked at them and within about 5 minutes they were diving back in the water and disappearing again.  About 15 minutes later, here they come again.  The lifeguards repeated the same drill.  The seals repeated their drill.  This happened about 3 more times over the next 1-1/2 hours.  It was like those seals were teasing everyone on the beach.  You could almost imagine them having a conversation, "Ok, now, let's head back in and make 'em scatter."  LOL  Megan, Nathan, and Andrew thought it was great to see them - the adults were getting pretty annoyed.

Last night, Cari and Sam took Mika and Tomea to Calif. Pizza Kitchen for dinner.  They tried pepperoni for the first time and liked it.  They said in Japan they have corn on their pizza.  I guess they had a great time.  Cari just got the biggest kick out of the girls.  She said they were so funny and having a great time out with the University students. I hope to post some pictures soon.

Until later......................................   ô..ô

 

Just A Teeny Tiny Entry for Tonight

Didn't I say I had the feeling we were going to have an earthquake?  Well, it hit this morning as we were getting ready to go to the beach.  A 3.7 centered in Mission Viejo which is southwest of us.  We could actually hear it coming and then there was a good sized jolt followed by some rocking.  A few minutes later there was an after shock of 2.something that rocked us lightly and shook the double doors in my office.  It was so funny because we heard it approaching and thought it was thunder.  We had thunder storms last night.  It was overcast this morning and had just started to sprinkle a little when this happened.  As the jolt hit, my husband and I both said at the same time, "I guess that wasn't thunder." 

Mika and her friend, Tomea were upstairs getting ready.  We heard some noise from their room so Cari went up to make sure they were OK.  They thought something had fallen in another room.  When Cari told them we had just had an earthquake they were very surprised.  I guess in the area of Japan where they live, earthquakes are very rare. 

No reports of damage or injuries.  These little quakes are good.  They let off a little stress at a time, hopefully preventing THE BIG ONE. 

Tomorrow, I will write about our day at the beach and how things are going with Mika and our family.

Until then.......................   ô..ô

 

Saturday Weather Update

The high today (according to the reading on the thermometer in my car) was 114 around 2:30 this afternoon.  I went to the market around 8:00 this evening and it was still 103.  I live in Riverside, California which is normally pretty hot during the summer -- between 90 - 105 but I do not remember heat like this in the 18 years I've lived here.  We also usually have a 5 or 6 day hot spell and then it cools off to between 85 - 90 for a week or so before going back up.  It also usually cools off enough at night where you can open up the house to let the cool night air in and give the A/C a rest.  This is unending!  Day after day after day.  I'm going mad, I tell you, MAD....  LOL  I am getting a little dramatic but the truth is I am really tired of it.  It's especially difficult because we have a guest who wants to get out and see So. California and experience our culture.  Who in their right mind wants to go out in this weather? 

Tomorrow we are going to the beach where it will be 95 instead of 115.  Big Whoopy.  LOL  I hope the drug store has some sunscreen with SPF 156 for my fair skin.  LOL

Until later...........................             ô..ô

Getting to Know Mika

Mika arrived yesterday afternoon after a 13 hours of travel.  It took 4 hours to fly from her home town to Tokyo and another 9 hours to Los Angeles.  Host families were asked to pick up their students at the study center at 4:00 p.m.

When I entered the room where everyone was gathered I was greeted by 25 smiling 16 year old girls in school uniforms.  "Hello!"  They all called out to each person entering the room.  As I scanned the group, I could see excitement and adventure and fatigue in their expressions.

It was taking a long time for their American teacher and Japanese teacher (who came with the group) to get their paper work ready,  so I stepped forward and asked, "Where is Mika?"

They all said back, "Where is Mika.."  then there was some giggling and this adorable girl with the cutest round face waved her hand and called back, "That is me!"

We met in the center of the room and shook hands.  I introduced myself as her host mom.  We just smiled at each other and then she rejoined her friends and I stepped back with the other host families.  After that, several other host parents called out the name of their student and introduced themselves.  I could see relief on the girls' faces when they saw that we were as excited to meet them as they were to meet us.

We were friends from the moment we met.  She is just adorable.  Friendly, outgoing, funny and interested in learning everything she can about our life here in America.  She fits right in around here.  After a dinner of tacos, which she loved, my daughter and her fiance took her out for coffee or tea and then to the grocery store so she could pick out some foods for her lunches.  When they got back, she and I worked on a short homework assignment that helped us establish the house rules about bedtime, what time to get up, what chores she can do, who takes her to and from school, etc.  Around 9:00 she went upstairs, took  her shower and went to bed.

Today, I took her and then met two other host mom's close by so I could take their students the rest of the way to class.  Both host moms work so I volunteered to take the girls in the mornings.  After dropping them off a 9:00, I ran a few errands and then went back at 1:00 to help drive them to the Mall for an afternoon of shopping and unwinding after their traveling. 

They were so funny!  Oh, my gosh, they are cute.  They wanted to take pictures of everything and everyone.  There are guys selling cell phones from little booths in the center of the mall.  For some reason, the girls had to take their picture with these guys.  The guys looked so bewildered by the attention but were good sports.  After the pictures, I followed up and explained that they had just arrived from Japan and were just so excited about everything and everyone.  All the guys took it with good humor.  Their favorite stores:  American Eagle, After Thoughts Accessories, and The Disney Store.  We learned that they do not like lemonade and they think American candy is too sweet.  They don't like it at all.  They all wanted to take pictures of the Sweet Factory but when we asked them if they wanted to shop in there, they all said "NO, too sweet!"  I wish our kids felt that way.  Another thing they shy away from is carbonated drinks.  They went to the food court and 90% of them ordered fruit drinks like smoothies and said they didn't drink Coke or Pepsi. 

I took her Japanese teacher in my car to the Mall.  When she found out I was Mika's host mom, she asked how Mika was doing.  I told her she was doing great and that we really liked her.  She asked if she was too loud.  I told her no, she was very polite and not loud at all.  She looked surprised and she and the three other girls who were in the car all said at the same time, "Really?  Mika is not loud?"  Then they all laughed.  I guess she is quite the talker in class.  It was cute when I told Cari what the teacher had said, she laughed and said, "That's funny because two of the girls asked me if Mika was loud at our house and when I told them, no she is quiet and polite, they looked bewildered and said, "Really?" I wonder what we have in store once she warms up.  LOL  We're all pretty animated and noisy.  Shewill fit right in.

Well, it's 11:30, I'm exhausted from being out in 111 degree heat driving the girls around today.  I'm going to bed.

Until later..........................   ô..ô

To Kill A Opossum

I don't know about you but I think the opossum is just about the ugliest critter I've ever come across.  They look like huge rats with their beady eyes, long snouts, and long tails.  I get the CREEPS when I see one because they look so dirty and sneaky.  If you ever corner one, they rear back and hiss while they raise their front paws and show their long claws.  I think they could do serious damage to a small animal and I always have been afraid that my Kasey was going to corner one and get hurt in the process of killing it.

Last night, one of those creepy crawlers was slugging along our back fence when Kasey caught wind of it and bolted through her doggie door into the warm summer night.  In full hysterical wail, she let it be known that the nasty little guy better get the heck outta Dodge.  She barked frantically and that didn't motivate the stupid thing to budge.  It just made it freeze in it's tracks.  She darted around, through and between the bushes trying to figure a way she could get on top of that fence and grab it.  During that futile exercise, she was snorting and almost groaning.  She'd jump up and come within a foot of it, realize she couldn't reach it and the cycle would start again with the barking.

I opened the back slider and called her but it was pointless.  I mean she's a TERRIER.  They have ZERO sense when they are in that hunting mode.  She didn't even look back over her shoulder at me.  Hmmm...I thought for a minute...what can I try?  I ran to the frige and plucked a string cheese stick out of the meat and cheese drawer.  In normal times, the tearing of the plastic rapper will bring her bolting in from outside.  Last night, I think I could have waved the unwrapped prize in front of her face smeared with peanut butter and hunks of cooked salmon and it wouldn't have deterred her.

This called for serious measures because I live in an area where her bark carries for miles.  My conscious could not let it go on.  I put on my shoes because I knew I had to walk across the grass and if I was going to take the risk of stepping on a doggie land mine I didn't want it touching skin.  Then I went into the laundry room, opened the drawer containing her leash and pulled it out.  As I turned to head back out to the yard, here she came looking like she was almost smiling.  Tail wagging and this look on her face like, "I can't believe were going for a car ride in the middle of the night!"

Jeez!  That dog could actually hear that leash come out of the drawer in the middle of all that drama!  I laughed so hard as I clipped it on her collar.  I locked the doggie door and closed the blinds so she couldn't get out again and couldn't see it through the glass.  Then I took her in my office and let her off the leash.

She bolted for the door again and when she found that she couldn't get out, she cried, whined and yelped.  I picked her up and scratched her back and as long as I did that it distracted her but the second I stopped, she would jump down, go to the slider and the drama would start again.  Needless to say, I was getting pretty ticked off.  I wanted some sleep!!!

Finally around 3:15, I put her back on the leash and took her outside, praying that the critter had moved on.  Luckily, there was no sign of him.  Kasey scanned the yard.  She sniffed, looked, and sniffed again.  Satisfied that her territory was once again safe from the intruder, she lead me back inside.  Once off the leash, she crawled into her bed and fell asleep for the rest of the night. 

Today, each time I caught her napping, I woke her up and made her do laps.  I wanted to wear her out so maybe we could both get some sleep tonight.

 

Blah, blah, blah

It's Wednesday, as if you didn't know.  Kasey looks quite lovely this afternoon.  She had her bath this morning and her toenails clipped.  She can probably go another couple weeks before having a haircut.  I had my nails appointment and then I came home to get some things done around here.  I will confess I have not been as productive as I should have been.  I am going to post this entry, pay some bills and then drive to the post office so they will go out today (I missed the mail man by an hour). 

We are going to have a 16 year old girl in our home for 2 weeks which should be a lot of fun.  The thing I'm most concerned about is what to feed her.  I don't really cook like a normal housewife.  I will grill 6 chicken breasts and serve 2 a day for 3 days in salads for dinner.  We have something like cottage cheese, baby carrots and cantaloupe for lunch and breakfast is cereal and a banana for Dennis and an apple and peanut butter or yogurt and fruit for me.  I don't have any  juice, chips, cookies, or other 'junk' foods in the house.  A loaf of bread usually goes bad before we get 1/2 way through it.  I was going to go to the market today but I think I will wait until she gets here.  Then I can take her and let her pick out some things she likes.  I know the Japanese kids usually love Raman noodles, white rice and pizza.  If I hear of a family going for pizza I will ask if our student can go with them because we don't eat pizza.  It will all work out!

Sunday we are going to Laguna Beach to celebrate Shannon's birthday.  When I talked to her about the other things I wanted to do, the beach was the one thing that she said would be the most fun and relaxing for her so that is what we are going to do.  We will pack a picnic and spend the day down there.  Should be very nice and a lot cooler that inland.

Until later..................     ô..ô

Heat Induced Insanity

During the summer I feel like I'm in a time warp.  It's the heat.  Each day is the same as the day before and there is no hope that tomorrow will be any different than today.  Hot, hot, hot.  I hate the heat.  I can't put it any other way.  I would rather freeze my a$$ off than be hot.  Living in this part of Southern California, I have developed good coping skills and I survive.  The thing that I'm having a BIG problem with this year is our electric bill.  The electric company is charging 3X more for each kilowatt we use that exceeds what we used last year.  Last year we had a mild summer.  The air conditioner wasn't running 24/7.  It just seems unfair that we get penalized for something we have no control over.  Ahrrrrr.  It just drives me nuts!   Ok, now I'm stepping down from my soap box.

I must have lost my mind in this heat.  LOL  I have volunteered to host a Japanese Student for 2 weeks starting THIS Thursday.  My daughter's friend, Stephanie, is the group leader and she is desperate to find 13 more homes for this group and she has a day to do it.  She called me a week ago and asked. I was assertive and told her, "No, we've had enough of that."  We have hosted 7 other students from Japan over the years and feel that we've enjoyed it just about as much as we are going to enjoy it.  Today, she called again and I caved.  I guess it was all the whimpering in her voice that got to me.  Anyway, we will have a 15 or 16 year old Japanese girl living here for 2 weeks.  I am expecting someone who speaks very little English and who understands even less.  I am already working on my patience because it is an amazing thing -- after about 3 days, the ability to communicate is established and things smooth out and just get better (USUALLY).  I'm hoping for the best.  We have only had one student who was absolutely awful.  He was a high school kid mixed in with a group of university students and he did not want to come.  His Dad made him come and he was NOT going to have a good time no matter what.  He actually slept fully dressed, shoes and all, on top of the covers every night he was with us.  I was really glad when it was time for him to go home.  The others were wonderful and when they left there were tears and heart ache.  I'm prepared for either but do hope for the later.

I would write more but I have to get busy preparing my house for our visitor.  I will be taking pictures to share!

Until later.....................   ô..ô

Sun-less Sunday

That tropical system from Mexico is arriving.  We have an overcast sky but it hasn't cooled us down.  It has just added humidity to the mix and increased our misery index by 100 X.  YUCKKKY.  I have the A/C on AND the ceiling fan AND a small fan blowing on me while I type this just to keep the air circulating in the room.  I get to stinkin' LAZY in this weather.  I just want to go from this chair to the couch but I will get some little projects done today so I won't fall behind and have to play catch up the rest of the week.

My first priority is to call my Daughter-in-Law today and find out what she has planned for Thursday.  It's her birthday!  If she's free, I want to take her to lunch and treat her to a shopping spree at her favorite store.  They are strapped for cash right now so I know she hasn't bought any new clothes in a while.  If I give her money, she won't spend it on herself.  I might even suggest staying at the house with the kids while she and a girlfriend go shopping.  I'll just see what she wants to do.  It's important to me that she gets to do something fun for herself.  She gives everything to everyone else all the time.  Once in awhile, she needs to pamper herself.

I went online at my favorite store and I bought 2 dressy jackets and a hooded jacket/pants set for the cruise and saved big $$$.  I just love when that happens.   I'm getting my wardrobe lined up for our trip.  I need to make a list of what I have and what I still need.  Then I can set a budget and start planning so I don't have a lot to do at the last minute.  If anyone wants to look at Coldwater Creek here's the link.   http://www.coldwatercreek.com/   

I'm going to log off for now.  Until later...............   ô..ô

SATURDAY UPDATE

Good news:  It didn't get to 112 here today after all.  Last I heard it didn't break 100 degrees.  It's 97 right now which is hot but it's not miserable. 

When I went to meet the Personal Trainer this morning, I didn't think it was going to be that hot.  It was so beautiful outside!  It was warm but there was a nice breeze and it just didn't feel like it usually does when we hit the 112 mark.

The personal trainer is more like a used car salesman if you ask me. I went in and he sat me down and tried to sell me a bill of goods about how I needed 3 training sessions a week for a year at $39 each. That's nearly $6100 a year. Ahh, I don't think so.  I know the benefits of weight and strength training but I resent the tactics the health club uses when they call you in for the 'free session'.  For $6100 I can go to Europe.  Screw the weight training.  Even once a week is over $2000 a year when I'm already paying $30 a month for my regular membership. 

My trip was not a total waste.  I did get a Starbuck's Iced Latte out of the it.  Mmmm, good.

I'm going to have some lunch and then I have a little bit of cleaning up to do around here.  I can't see the top of my desk again so I want to clear it off.  I have to a few loads of laundry but I'll wait until later in the day to do that when the need for electricity slows down a little. 

Cari and Sam are going to the Angel game tonight so I guess that means Dennis and I will be watching it on TV. 

Until later................    ô..ô

 

A Few Things To Start My Saturday

My Angels finally won a game in my presence.  YIPPEE.  And what a game it was! 4 - 0 over the Diamond Backs.  What made it special, for those who are Baseball fans, is that John Lackey pitched his 2nd complete game in a row and his 2nd shut out in a row.  That's quite rare these days.  There were a few outstanding defensive plays and a home run by Big Daddy Vladdy, Vladimir Guerrero our power house right fielder.  A great game on a very warm night with a very good friend - doesn't get much better than that.

I'm keeping the red font color because this is the color my face is going to be after my work out this morning.  I meet with the personal trainer in an hour.  Am I looking forward to it?  Ah, not really.  LOL  I'm hesitant but going forward.  I'll just see how it goes before making a commitment.  Wish me luck.  I'll let you know how it goes later in the day.

Oh, and it's supposed to be 112 here today.  Yes, 112.  The misery index factor is going to shoot thru the roof.  There is a large brush fire burning northeast of here (no threat to us) and there is no hope of containing it unless the weather cools.  We may get a tropical storm from Mexico early next week that could bring humidity and rain.  That would feel awful because who likes humidity, but it would help put out the fire.  We'll put up with the humidity to save homes, lives and brush.

I am outta here for now.  Until later...................   ô..ô

The Boys Are Back In Town

The Angels are back in town after a road trip and the All-Star Break.  I'm taking my friend, Joan S. tonight for a girl's night out.  She and I try to go to a few games each season.  It's fun to go with another woman who enjoys the game as much as I do. Hope they win tonight and break my losing streak.  I've been to 8 games this year and haven't seen the Angels win yet.

I woke up early this morning - 6:30 - and got to my water aerobics class.  It was a great way to start my day.  I feel refreshed and energized.  After class I went to Sam's club and stocked up on fresh fruit.  I bought cherries, green grapes, strawberries, a fresh pineapple, cameo apples and 2 cantaloupes.  I will probably end up sharing some of the bounty with my neighbor, Barbara.  I doubt we can eat all of this before it goes bad.  Cari came home from work with fruit too.  So much for our communication skills.  LOL  At least she brought home different fruit.  She got peaches and green apples.    I love summer time when there are so many varieties of fruits and vegetables available. It makes staying on program so much tastier!

This journal entry has been sitting un posted for the past hour while the gardeners were here.  They came late today for some reason.  I feel so sorry for those guys out there in the heat!  They must feel like they are going to melt.  I think I've mentioned that my dog, Kasey, HATES the gardeners with an hysterical passion.  She hears their truck pull up and she goes into high gear.  She has this piercing high pitched bark-cry-warning-yelp thing that she does that raises the hair on the back of my neck and sends chills down my spine.  It is the most annoying sound I have ever heard.  This would go on the entire time the gardeners are here if I had not discovered THE DOG WHISPERER.  He's an amazing dog trainer on the National Geographic Channel.  In fact, he has a book out.  His name is Cesar Millan.  Check out his Web Site at www.thedogwhisperer.com if you are interested.  When the gardeners show up, I pick up the dog, put her in my office with her back to a wall and stand right in front of her.  I make her sit down and if she tries to move around me, I step in front of her and tell her, "No".  She sits there and may whine a little to let me know she's not thrilled with having to behave but she does not go into the frenzy she once did.  It is not easy for me because I have to do this the entire time the guys are here.  I am hoping that eventually, if I am consistent, she will not need me to stand over her when they come;  that she will learn to stay quiet while they are doing their work.  He claims that it will take time but that the dog does learn the new behavior.  I hope so.  She's 7 years old and I have let her get away with it for too long.  Wish us luck!!!  Cesar says there are no bad dogs just bad dog owners.  I hang my head in shame and admit that I have not trained Kasey very well.  She is my first dog and I have treated her like a child instead of an animal.  I just love her so much and I have projected human-like emotions onto her.  I get all worried that her feelings will get hurt.  LOL  My gosh!  She's a dog!  If I ever have another dog, I will have training first and then will have training with the dog in the puppy stages.  I will better socialize the animal and will be the Pack Leader instead of letting the dog rule the roost.  Ahh, live and learn. 

I have to share a secret.  I cannot float.  It is true!  I sink like a darn rock.  It is so embarrassing.  In the water aerobics class we do these exercises where we have to float and stretch using a little noodle thing as a flotation devise.  I lean back to float and I just keep going back until I submerge and sink.  I come up sputtering and look around to see all the other ladies just floating so pretty.  What gives?  The instructor says, "Hold in your tummy muscles.  That'll help."  So I lean back against the noodle-thing, suck in the tummy and sink like a rock.  It's hopeless.  I talked to my daughter's boyfriend about this and after he stopped laughing hysterically, he told me that there are just some people who cannot float.  I don't want to beone of those people. How am I ever going to be a synchronized swimmer if I can't float?  I'm seriously thinking about taking some swimming lessons.  That might help.  One of Cari's friends from church is a swimming instructor.  Maybe I'll call him and see if he will give me private floating lessons.  Couldn't hurt. 

Ok, that's if for now.  Until later.......................  ô..ô

 

 

 

 

A Few Funnies and One Serious

I called my sister this morning and during our talk I told her, "Hey, I have an appointment at LA Fitness on Saturday morning with a personal trainer to talk about weight training..."

Without missing a beat, she replied, "Who the hell are you and what have you done with MY sister?"

LOL

I read this in some one else's journal the other day:   A cute sign in a gift shop window: 

   "All unattended children will be given an espresso & a free puppy."

Now if that doesn't motivate Mommy to stick close to the kids, I don't know what would!

I'm cleaning this morning.  A few loads of laundry, the floors, 2 bathrooms, and some dusting.  It's HOT so I'm going to shower after the work is done.  NOT very excited about it, I guess that's why it's 10:45 and I haven't started anything except the first load of laundry.  As soon as I post this, I promise, I'm off to get started.

I am going to write about something that I have not wanted to share but that I need to get into my journal.  It's one of those, "YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS ONE" kind of stories and because of all of the sad things I've posted over the last few months I just didn't want to add something else to the mix.  But, here goes.  I've written about my Aunt Helen falling and breaking her hip.  I've told how she went through a very scary time after her hip replacement surgery and that things were looking up since she was sent to a rehab facility.  She had been doing very well.  Her spirits were great and she was walking up to 260 feet with the use of a walker and the aid of her physical therapist during her therapy sessions.  Well, last Saturday morning, one of the male nurses helped her into the bathroom.  When she was right in front of the potty, he left her for her privacy.  As she turned to sit, her foot slipped and she fell and broke the other hip in 3 places.  Iknow!  I couldn't believe it either.  My God!!!  What else can go wrong!!  When Vicki called Carol and me in Cambria on Saturday morning after Helen had been transported to the hospital, we felt as if we had been kicked in the stomach.  She was, of course, in a great deal of pain.  She had hip surgery on Monday afternoon.  The doctor did not do a hip replacement this time because of the type of break.  He had to pin the bones and insert a metal rod down into the large leg bone to stabilize things.  Her recovery is expected to take at least another 12 weeks and the doctor told Vicki that she will most likely have to go into a nursing home or a good assisted living place. 

Now, Vicki and her sister are clearing out the new apartment that she spent a total of 5 nights in.  They are putting all of her things in storage until she gets to the end of rehab and they know what kind of facility she will require.  The good news is, she is accepting this set back with grace and humor.  She is determined to get well and do the therapy.  Her surgery went much better than the first and there were no complications with her lungs this time at all.  She went right from recovery to a regular room  No time in ICU at all this time.  Thank You, God!!!

So, there you have it.  Another SAGA..  Jeez, will this dark cloud please move over the ocean somewhere and leave our family alone, please!!!   I think we've had our share for a long, long time.

Now, I'm going to go clean this dusty house. 

Until later..........................................    ô..ô

 

      

 

This and That

It's hot today but not as hot as predicted.  It's 93 which is about 9 degrees cooler than expected.  If the weather man is right we could see 104 degrees before the week is out. 

I was listening to talk radio while running errands this morning, the host was taking calls from people complaining about their electric bills doubling from last year.  The host was giving tips about conserving electricity and on rebates the power companies are offering if you get an energy efficient air conditioner, refrigerator, or heater.  If you install dual pane windows you can qualify for a rebate.  We changed our windows a year ago and it has helped keep the house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.  The new homes being built around here are required to install the dual pane windows and energy efficient appliances.  I am not looking forward to our electric bill for this month.  It is going to be a choker. 

My doctor's appointment in SLO went well.  My blood work came back great.  I didn't lose much weight this time but I'm not upset about it.  With all the stress and things going on around here in the past few months it's amazing that I didn't fall back into my old pattern of using food to comfort and calm myself.  Dr. N told me that stress can really get in the way of weight loss and he gave me some new strategies for the next two months.  I know the water aerobics class is going to really help.  The exercise is great and I think it will give me an emotional as well as physical boost.  I haven't been drinking as much water as I had been so I am making an effort to drink my 5 pints a day.  It seems like a lot at first but I remember when I was drinking that much before I actually wanted that much water.

When Carol and I had our alone time while I was in Cambria, we spent a lot of time talking about how both of us have spent a great deal of time and effort working through the issues that have made us fat.  We went on the program about 4 weeks apart and have been talking a lot about the feelings and behaviors that are behind the over eating and using food as a sedative.  It's not all about taking off the pounds.  If the underlying causes aren't addressed, those pounds are not going to stay off.  I made a commitment in the very beginning to do it right this time.  To me, that means attack this from every angle.  I am seeing a doctor.  I am eating the right foods.  I am taking the vitamins and minerals he has told me to take.  I am exercising.  And, I am dealing with my feelings in a healthier way.

The myths I am overcoming are:  I always thought if I treated people the way I wanted to be treated that eventually they would get the hint and fall in line and start treating me equally.  I thought that everyone else's needs were more important than mine and if I put myself first, ever, I was being selfish.  I thought if I disagreed with someone I should just keep it to myself and let it go.  Don't create any conflict...there's enough conflict in this world without me creating more.  Don't even bother asking for what I need or want because it doesn't matter - I won't get it anyway.  Oh, there are so many more but these are the major ones that I am overcoming. 

You see each time I used to make someone else's needs more important than mine (and I'm not talking about the day to day things like if your kid needs to eat and you need to go see a movie), instead of confronting it, I would shove those feelings down with food.  Stuff it down.  When I would get to the end of the day and realize my husband and kids were going to bed with all of their needs met for that day and I hadn't had so much as a 'thank you' or a 'can I help you' I would eat over that.  I felt like I was running around every day making sure all of their needs were being met and yet never once did they look over their shoulder and think, "I wonder what Kathy/Mom needs today."  The resentment began to built and I piled on more pounds. 

As a kid, my needs were never addressed.  There wasn't any money to provide more than the absolute bare necessities and if I ever said I wish I had more clothes or new shoes my dad would respond in anger and my mom just wouldn't hear it.  So, I was trained from early on to think that my needs were foolish, unreasonable, and I should be ashamed to have them.  I don't blame my parents anymore.  We have come a long way in our relationship and those hurts have all been addressed.  Yet, there are still scars on the little girl who still lives inside of me that effect how I operate in the adult world.  I carried over into my adult life and marriage the feelings of being inadequate and unworthy.  I was a victim. 

Now, I realize that I'm not a victim at all.  Each day I have a choice about how I am going to relate in this world.  I have the power and the ability to get my needs met and I also have the responsibility of making sure I take care of myself in a way where I feel whole and satisfied at the end of the day instead of depleted and empty.  It is a process that is going to take time and one which I probably will never complete.  It doesn't matter if I ever get it 100% right as long as I continue on the journey and I am going in a positive direction.

I remember one afternoon when the whole family was together and I informed them all, "Things are going to change around here.  I'm not going to be your door mat.  You are going to treat me the way I treat you."

They all looked pretty stunned.  "What do you mean by that?" my son, Bryan asked.

"Simply, I want to be treated the way I treat you.  Lovingly, thoughtfully, and kindly.  I want you to stop and think once in awhile, 'I wonder what Mom would like.' and then I want you to follow through and see that it's done."  My tone was kind and sincere.

"Oh."  He grinned and shook his head.  "OK, I think I can do that."

Since November 1, 2005, I have had to do some gentle reminding.  LOL  But the biggest thing has been, my family as seen me take such good care of myself and has seen me respecting myself enough to work my program and stick with it this long, they have naturally begun to show me more respect and love because I am giving that to myself and I'm open to receive it from them.  When conflict arises, I'm not backing down unless I know it's the right thing to do instead of just giving up because it's too hard to stand up for myself any longer.  (LOL, that sounds like we have huge battles...  we don't but there are some times when things come up where we have opposite views and I make my feelings known, now.)

I guess that's enough for now.  I just wanted to get that written down and out of my head. 

Until later.............................ô..ô

 

Four Days In Paradise (Part III)

I'm still chillin' after the weekend.  I have jumped back into my life here in Riverside but I'm still on vacation MODE in my head and heart.  I guess writing about the weekend has kept that feeling going.  I hope it doesn't end when this entry is finally complete.

Early Saturday morning, on the way to our 2 mile walk along the ocean, Keith, Carol, Dennis and I stopped off at one of the shops on Main Street so Carol and I could go in and see a mutual friend.  While she and I were talking to D. the guys went next door to a store that sells carved wood items imported from Asia and Africa.  When Carol and I finished our visit with D. and headed back to the car, Dennis took my hand and lead me into the Import Store.  "I want you to see something."  I knew something was up.  He never wants me to see something inside of a store.  LOL  He took me in and began showing me all the beautiful pieces of carved wood sculptures that were on display.  Dragons that stood at least 3 1/2 feet tall that were carved out of a single piece of wood with the finest detailing were right at the door when we went in.  There were graceful giraffes, a pot-bellied gorilla, birds of many varieties and a beautiful carved bull elephant.  Dennis pointed to the elephant, "What do you think of this?"  I told him, "He's beautiful."

Dennis smiled, ran his hand over the smooth mahogany wood and said, "I want to buy this."  I glanced at the price and felt my eyebrows disappear under my bangs.  EEK.....  I nodded and swallowed, "You do?"  He nodded and knelt down to get a better look, "There is something about this that just touches my soul."

"Oh, God."  I felt my heart rate increase a little and my blood pressure go up a tad.  "It's kind of expensive............"

"It's art!"  He announced proudly. 

Well, I couldn't disagree with that.  It is a beautiful sculpture and it is a piece of art.  But it was a lot of money for a chunk of elephant shaped wood.  He could see the wheels spinning in my head so he backed off a bit.  "Let's talk about it."

I agreed and we left.  During the rest of that day, the topic came and went.  He was doing most of the talking.  He would talk himself into buying it and then talk himself out of it.  It was art and worth it and then it was too expensive and the money could go other places.  It was a WANT and not a NEED.  On and on.  Finally he asked me again and I said, "Look, you never go out and spend money like this.  Why don't you take the money out of the sum your Dad just left you and think of this as a gift from him?"  His eyes lit up and he smiled, "OK.  I think that's a good idea."  So after about 9 hours of negotiating with himself, Dennis finally decided to treat himself and we went to the shop and he brought the elephant home.  He has a royal place in our entry where he can greet all who come to our door.  He is beautiful and I am amazed that someone could sculpt something this detailed out of one piece of wood.  The tusks were added.  I'm not sure if they are real ivory.  I doubt it because I think it's illegal to import ivory to the U.S.

Sunday morning, with the elephant bubble wrapped and seat belted in the back seat of our car, we were off to have breakfast with Carol and Keith before heading home.  We visited with them for a little while and then hit the road around 9:00 a.m.  After a stop at Starbuck's in San Luis Obispo, we headed south on the Highway 101 until we got to the Guadalupe exit.  Since I had never seen the sand dunes before, we decided to drive out there.  What a beautiful drive.  It's about 9 miles from the 101, down a road lined with fields of crops like lettuce, strawberries, corn, and other green things I couldn't identify. 

The Guadalupe Sand Dune State Park is one big sand pile.  Miles of white, clean, perfect sand dunes that roll along the coast line from Guadalupe north to Pismo Beach.  The State has protected these dunes so people can't use dune buggies and other gas powered vehicles to destroy the pristine sand and coastline environment.  There are a few plants that have adapted to the sand and grow there but it pretty much looks like a scene out of the Arabian desert movies.  It was rather foggy that morning so I wasn't able to take more pictures.  We hope to drive from Guadalupe to Pismo Beach along the ocean instead of on the freeway the next time we go to Cambria to see the rest of the dunes and the coast line of that area.

After the sand dunes, we found our way back to the 101 and finished our trip home.  When we got out of the car in Riverside, we were slammed with 100 degree weather but we were also greeted by a very happy little Westie who missed us very much.  We hired one of Cari's friends to babysit for Kasey while we were gone.  She got lots of attention and loving but there's nothing like having Mommy and Daddy back home.

The end....................   ô..ô

Four Days In Paradise (Part II)

After posting these pictures, it helped me remember that when we first got to Cambria, my sister was at work at the Olallieberry Inn.  She is an Inn Keeper 2 days a week at this beautiful Bed and Breakfast Inn which is 4 houses down the street from her house.  It was built in the 1920's and restored in the 1970's.  The picture does it no justice at all.  It is a beautiful 2-story home with a large kitchen, sitting room, office, and 2 bedrooms which are rented out on the first floor.  There are two or three bedrooms on the second floor.  We couldn't go up there because guests had already checked in.  There is a large covered white wooden deck off the back that over looks a beautiful garden and lawn.  There are pathways thru the garden and little benches under trees and little tables with rod iron chairs set up on the grass under trees for guests to have their morning coffee outside or an iced tea later in the day.  There is also another building that has an additional 4 rooms that over look the garden.  The painters were there finishing the new blue color with white and plum trim.  It looks so fresh and pretty. The large tree in front is a California Redwood and probably well over 100 years old.

After Carol got off work, we walked into town following Gracie who takes herself.  Leash in mouth, she trots down Main Street enjoying the comments she gets from everyone who knows her and the visitors who think it is so cute to see a dog walking herself.  Her first stop is the Antique store.  She goes in to see Donna.  Donna always has a dog cookie for her along with a hug, a scratch and loving words.  From there we head up Main to the corner liquor store where she dashes inside to greet Annie who always opens up the beef jerky canister to give her one of her favorite treats.  Carol always hands Annie a quarter behind Gracie's back because she has always thought Annie does this out of the kindness of her heart.  LOL  Annie probably would just give her the jerkie but since Gracie has made this such a habit, Carol wants to pay for it.  From the liquor store, we wander down Main and just window shop and enjoy the cool afternoon air.  There are no more treats waiting for Gracie but she meets people who know her and she gets hugs, pats and lots of attention.  It's about a mile or more round trip and we are back at Carol's house.  We make this trip every afternoon we are there.

I have to take a short break but I will add more this afternoon...  until then    ô..ô

 

Four Days In Paradise

We had such a great weekend.  We got into the 'relaxation, vacation, kick-back mode' after lunch which was about Ventura - 2 hours into our 4 1/2 hour drive north.  It's difficult to enter that MODE while driving through the Los Angeles area but once the 101 takes you all the way west and you can see, smell, and feel the ocean that MODE creeps into your system and the relaxing begins.

It was a beautiful drive.  The hills are a combination of deep green trees in yellow fields of drying grass.  The area had a lot of rain so there are still quite a few wild flowers on the hills and sides of the road.  Bright yellows, vivid purples, some reds and blues and whites dot the slopes.  The vineyards are so lush and green this time of year. They seem to go on for miles. When I was up there in early February, they were brown sticks tied to stakes.  Now, they have come to life and their leaves are so thick and hearty.

We arrived in Cambria around 4:00 in the afternoon.  When we got out of the car, the cool, moist ocean air felt SO good.  What a relief after day after day of over 100 degree temperatures at home.  We stopped at my sister's home first.  It was good to see them and of course, to be greeted by lovable Gracie their 11 year old Golden Retriever.  She is so funny!  She ran up to me then stopped, looked around to be sure Kasey wasn't anywhere to be seen  and then proceeded with her happy greeting.  She doesn't approach me if my dog is around because Kasey is so bossy with her about me.  She really liked having me to herself this weekend and I liked it, too.

After dinner, my sister took us to the house we rented for the weekend.  It was so nice!  She and Keith picked it out for us.  It belongs to friends of theirs who live in New York and visit Cambria 3 times a year.  The man who owns it is a former U.S. Ambassador so there are many wonderful items from his travels in the house.

The house was built by a woman who was the daughter of one of the Baldwin Brothers (not the actors, LOL) of the Baldwin Piano Company.  One of them had built a huge Victoria mansion in Pasadena, California in the 1920's.   When that house was to be torn down, his daughter had all the doors, stained glass windows, leaded glass windows, the mantle of the fireplace, and a beautiful wood arch way removed from that house to be used in this house when it was built.  The arch was the center point of the architectural plans.  I've posted pictures of some of these pieces above.  When she died, the house went on the market and the current owners bought it.  It also has a detached 2 car garage with an apartment above it.  They rent out the apartment to a single woman who works in town and she oversees the house and property.  The upstairs has an ocean view and the back of the property faces the forest and will never be developed.  The first morning we were there, a mother deer and her baby were eating grass in the back yard.  It was so pretty.

On Friday, I had a doctor's appointment in San Luis Obispo so my sister and I drove down for that while Dennis and Keith went for a 2 hour hike along the coast line.  After my appointment, Carol and I headed to our favorite store and did some shopping.  I found a beautiful outfit for the cruise and it was on SALE...  I couldn't believe my luck.  Carol bought some cute cropped pants and a t-shirt.  We had lunch and then stopped at a little road side stand to buy Santa Maria strawberries on the way home.  We got 1/2 a flat, which is 6 baskets for $9.  Each berry was large and perfect all the way through.  It was as if they were picked for a VIP and delivered to us by mistake.  LOL They were the kind of good that make your eyes roll back when you bite into one.  I think we polished off about 6 each on the way home.   When we got back to my sister's house, Cari and Sam had arrived to join us for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday we went on a 2 mile walk along the coast.  I posted pictures of that, too.  The path is great.  My favorite things were seeing all the wild flowers (which did get my nose and eyes running because I'm allergic - but I wouldn't have missed it for anything), the many pelicans flying low to the water, the sounds of the seals barking at each other while sun bathing on the rocks off shore, and also the sounds of the many shore birds that livein that area.  Because Carol and Keith know almost everyone in Cambria, we met many of their friends along the path.  That was fun.  We would stop and chat for a few seconds and then be on our way again. 

We met Cari and Sam for lunch at the Main Street Grill which is not fancy by any means but they have the best food in the village.  After that, Cari and Sam went on a tour of Hearst Castle, Dennis took a nap, Keith went to work for a few hours, and Carol and I did what we do best = Shopped.

I'll finish the saga later....  Too much to report in one entry.

Until later...............   ô..ô

Sputter, Sputter, Fizz, Fizz

What a day!  I was busy from 6:30 this morning until just now and it's a little past 8 in the evening.  This is Wednesday so Miss Kasey had her 7 a.m. grooming appointment.  After that I had a nail appointment.  From there, I dashed to Costco to pick up a few things and then I zoomed home to get a few loads of laundry started before heading back out for a doctor's appointment at 2:30.  While at Costco, I picked up something for the gal who does my nails so I had to drive to her house.  I called her when I was close so she was waiting at the curb when I drove up to fetch a huge package of paper towels.  From there, I had to go to the drug store to pick up medication refills and two new prescriptions my doctor wrote for me today.  Since traffic up the hill to my house from the drug store is an absolute mess with the construction going on and the middle school getting out, I decided to just sit and wait for my medications to be filled.  That ate up about an hour.  I strolled around the store, looked at greeting cards, bought a loaf of bread and then sat in a hard plastic chair outside the pharmacy while I waited.  Soon everything was ready so I wrote my check and went out to the car.  I put the key in, turned it and nothing happened.  Zip, Zero....  no clicking, no grinding, no engine start, no lights on the dash.........nothing.  I tried again and again then after banging my head against the steering wheel until I got a good sized knot (just kidding) I dug my cell phone out of my purse and called Dennis for help.

My Knight in Shining Honda came speeding down the hill and into the parking lot to save me.  He popped the hood expecting to remove a dead battery but the battery indicator light was green which means it's in good shape.  We looked at each other and said naughty words....  By this time it was 5:15 p.m.  I got on the phone and called the service department at the Chevy dealership.  They sent a tow truck and assured me that they didn't mind keeping the car until we can deal with things on Monday.  Oh, Yes!  All of this running around was preparing for a weekend away.  We are leaving in the morning for Cambria, California and will return on Sunday afternoon.  Phew, I'm out of breath!!!

Needless to say, I'm about 3 hours behind in my efforts to get ready to go but I will catch up and I will be ready to go tomorrow morning around 10:30.  Cari and Sam are coming up on Friday which will be fun.  Sam has never been there so it will be great showing him around.

Cambria is a little town on the Central Coast of California just above Morro Bay and just south of San Simeon which is famous for Hearst Castle.  The little town is very unique because 1/2 of it is on the beach and 1/2 of it is in the pines.  It's quiet, peaceful and just beautiful.  My sister and her husband have lived there for many years.  They both sold real estate for years so they know almost everyone.  Their golden retriever, Gracie, is a celebrity in her own right.  She walks into town carrying her own leash which always gets a lot of smiles and attention.  She has her route which takes her into quite a few shops where the owners give her treats and make a fuss over her.  She is so sweet.

Dennis and I are looking forward to relaxing and just getting away for a few days.  This will be his first time away in over a year.  He needs it so much.  I get little breaks often but he doesn't get away because his work is crazy busy and he has deadlines that he has to keep.  This will be so good for him (and for us!).

I'll be gone until Sunday.  I hope to have some fun things to write about and some great pictures to add when I get back.   Until later........................  ô..ô

What A Fun Day!

We had such a good time today.  It was beautiful in Costa Mesa - warm with a great breeze.  Bud and Andrea Birch hosted the event.  They have the perfect back yard for a gathering like this.  A nice patio, a lovely lawn, a sand pile for the kids with a swing set and slide.  They had a large, 3 lane Slip and Slide set up and a small wading pool for the kids.  There weren't as many people there as I expected which was a good thing when the sparklers came out after dinner.

Bud and Andrea have two girls, Amy (5) and Brooke (3).  Andrea's brother Mike, his wife, Leanne and their three kids, Emily (8), Haley (6) and Colin (3) were there as well as  my son, Bryan, his wife Shannon and their three kids, Megan (7), Nathan (4) and Andrew (19 mo.).  A few of their neighbors dropped by bringing 3 other children to the party.  Bud's parents came around 4:30 for dinner and fireworks.  There was a house full of people.  In all the time we were there, I didn't hear one cross word between any of those children.  They played so well together that it was a joy to sit outside and watch them.  They laughed, splashed, played games, and even made up a little parade to entertain the adults after dinner.  I was very impressed with their behavior...not one of them needed a correction about anything. 

Dennis and I were especially happy to see our dear friends, Tom and Sylvia.  We have known them for over 30 years.  They are parents to Andrea and Mike.  They have another son, Ed, who wasn't able to be there today.  Sylvia used to take care of Bryan while I worked when he was a little guy.  He and her son, Mike have been friends since they were 6 or 7 years old.  Since I don't have any nieces or nephews, I have adopted Sylvia and Tom's kids to fill that spot in my life.  Sylvia is the dearest friend anyone could ever hope to have.  She is thoughtful, loving, and kind.  She'd do anything for her family and friends.  She and I can talk about anything and we do.  LOL  The four of us found a spot to sit together for dinner and had a great time talking, laughing and catching up.

Since Dennis and I have to get up at the crack of dawn we left early.  The people on the street where Bud and Andrea live go all out with the fireworks.  We thought it would be a good idea to get out of there while it was still light so we wouldn't interrupt any of the displays.

There was NO traffic coming home.  It was almost freaky.  I wish it was like that all the time!

That's it for tonight.  I'm tired.  Until later..........ô..ô

Happy 4th of July

I rarely look back at my childhood.  I prefer the now and what is going on in the present so much that I don't want to let my mind wander back to those times.  There are a few memories that I don't mind revisiting and one of those centers around the 4th of July.  It was the most wonderful day of summer vacation.  Our entire neighborhood would get together for a block party that started in the early afternoon with all the kids - and there were at least 40 of us in only 10 houses - swimming in the Charlton's pool.  The little kids - under 8 yrs. old swam first and then the older kids went in.  Each group got about an hour and a half.  After that we all got Popsicles, soda, cookies or other treats to hold us over until the bar-b-cued food was ready.  We would break up into groups.  Some would ride bikes, others would play hide and seek, and a then there was a group of girls, me included, who would play Jacks.  As the afternoon went on, one of the older boys would gather us all together on the hill that separated our yard from the Bloomer's house next door to play "Who Dies the Best."  I swear to God!  He would get a toy gun and take a play shot at each of us, one at a time, and we would take turns dying in the most dramatic way we could possible go down.  Then everyone would vote on who died the best and they got the be the shooter for the next round.  Oh, my God!  Can you imagine children playing that game today?  Back then it was so innocent.  There were so many cowboy shows on TV and some of them had these dramatic death scenes when the bad cowpoke was shot.  We were just imitating that.  There was no gun violence in teenagers and children in the early '60's.  No one could ever imagine a child shooting another child.  To this day, when I see my friends from the old neighborhood we still talk about "Who Dies the Best" and how we would never allow our own kids or grandkids to play such a game.

Anyway, back to the point.  After a wonderful dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, pickles, potato salad, and corn on the cob.  My dad would bring out an old wooden ice cream maker and everyone would take turns turning the handle until the contents froze into delicious homemade ice cream.  He usually made butterscotch which was my favorite.  Everyone got a serving and enjoyed it so much especially after working so hard to make it.  When it got dark,  all the kids sat on the curb and watched the grown ups light box after box of fireworks.  The loud whistles that some of them made had us covering our ears.  When all the big ones had been set off, we each had a box of sparklers to light.  The rule was that as soon as it went out, it had to be put in a bucket of water so no one would get burned.  We all had to wear tennis shoes - no bare feet and we had to have an adult light the sparkler.  I can still remember the smell of sulphur in the air at the end of the night. 

When my own kids were little, fireworks were banned in our neighborhood. There were too many trees and dry bush that could catch on fire.  We went to a few fireworks shows over the years and some parties with friends but we didn't establish the traditional celebration that I had growing up.

Tomorrow, we are going to a bar-b-cue at the home of my friend, Sylvia's daughter and son-in-law.  Sylvia's kids are the closet thing I have to a niece and nephews so I'm looking forward to seeing them.  My son and his family will be there, too.  That will be so nice to have time with them.  The place will be crawling with kids from babies in arms up to about 10 years old.  I'm going to find a shady spot and sit back and watch the fun.

Happy 4th of July!

It's Gonna Be Another Hot One

It's supposed to be 104 today.  Nasty. Dennis is on the phone trying to find someone to take my ticket to the Angel game today.  I'm not going to sit out in this heat!  I'm not that much of a baseball fan.  Why sweat when I can watch the game at home on my couch in the air conditioning?  Right?  He understands - in fact when he came home from the game yesterday he said, "Honey, I don't think you would have enjoyed it very much.  Everyone was using paper towels to mop their foreheads..."  That was enough for me!  LOL 

I do need to go out for about an hour this morning.  There are is no food in the house so I have to stock up on some things.  I hope to get out of here before 10:15 and be back before 11:30.  I want to get my Lotto ticket checked.  If I won that 98 million last night I'd like to know.  There are some people I would love to help right now.  I've always promised God that if I win I would put others needs before my own.  I don't think that prayer ups my chances of winning but it is a sincere thought. 

I want to say a special thank you and give (((((((hugs))))))) to all those who put such kind comments in my journal regarding Erin.  I just can't get her off my mind and I suppose I shouldn't try.  She needs my thoughts and prayers.  Situations like this seem so huge and I think they make people feel so powerless over life's circumstances.  None of us has any control over what is going to happen at any point of our life and something like this brings that message home so clearly. 

I think I'll call everyone close to me and tell them how much I love them. 

 

 

 

 

A Day of Heart Felt Emotions

Last night we got home, after spending the evening with our son's family, to find several messages on the answer machine.  When I heard the one from my friend, Sylvia asking me to call her I knew something was wrong.  It was already nearly 10 p.m. but she's a night owl so I didn't hesitate calling her.  "I have some terrible news to tell you."  she said.  I braced myself and asked, "What?"  "Erin's husband, Brian, was killed in a motorcycle accident Thursday night."  I could hear her words but they weren't making any sense.  "What?"  She repeated the news and then added, "He was on his way home from work.  I guess he was getting off an off ramp and went into a skid.  He it a concret pillar and was killed instantly."  My God, My God.  I didn't know what to say.  "I can't believe I'm hearing this."   She started to cry,  "I know."

   Erin grew up around the corner from us when Dennis and I lived in our first house in Chino Hills.  She is the youngest of four kids of our friends, Donna and Larry.  She's  in her late 20's now.  Brian, her husband was 35.  They have 2 boys, 4 and 2, and she is due to have a baby girl in September.  They were going to move into a new house this very weekend.  Erin is legally blind.  She can see shadows and can make out some forms but nothing more than that.  She and her oldest brother, Jeff, both inherited a gene from each parent that caused this blindness that began to show up in both of them when they were between 8 and 10 years old.  The middle two, Lynn and David  were not effected.  Inspite of her vision loss, Erin has never let anything stop her from doing everything she has wanted to do.  She is warm, loving, outgoing, funny, and delightful.  At her wedding to Brian, when no one was dancing, she got behind the microphone and announced, "This is my wedding and if you guys don't get up and dance, I'm going to cry."  Well, that was all everyone needed to hear.  They all got up and danced the night away so Erin wouldn't cry.  My heart just aches for her today.  I know she is surrounded by her family and good friends.  In the long run, I know her determination and the fight in her will help her get through all of this but, gosh darn it, I wish she didn't have to.  Her children probably won't remember the wonderful man who was their Daddy.  Brian was so warm, kind, friendly and most of all, he cherished Erin and his kids.  It's a tragic loss.