a day spent in the country

My girlfriend Laurie invited me to her house last Friday. After work I drove out to the country where she lives; the drive was beautiful! I had forgotten what it felt like to live in wide open spaces. We walked and drove around their patch of land. I loved seeing her home, and having her share her life with me. It was just what I needed to start my weekend off. Simply Beautiful! 

Winter ~

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.

~Ruth Stout

peace

The quieter you become ~ the more you can hear.

I left my Heart In San Fransisco

Christmas tree in San Fransisco at Pier 39 taken with my camera phone

This last Saturday, my Nina chartered a bus to San Fransisco. My daughter Diandra, my sister Jessica and another aunt and her daughter also went. We have had this trip planned for a couple of months.
We left early in the morning. We had mimosa's (I don't know if that is spelled right) on the way up as well as a couple of raffles. As we drove across the bay bridge, I felt like a little girl entering a wonderland. The architect of the buildings were absolutely breathtaking. I had decided not to bring my camera and immediately felt myself beginning to have withdrawals. I plan to take the bus or Bart another day just to take pictures and have lunch. No one will even no I am gone. (wink ;))
One of the ladies had an idea and threw it at us. She suggested that we could all pitch in for a room at the hotel where the bus was going to drop us off and pick us up. That way we could go to the bathroom and leave our packages there if we wanted. Everyone loved that idea, so she ran across the street and came back to tell us they would rent us the room for $65.00! As we all got off of the bus, we handed her $2.00. We were just to go to the hotel desk and ask them for a key to the room for "Merced." We then all went our separate ways. Our first stop was Old Navy. I got all of my Christmas shopping done there for my Grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Yippee!
We also went into the Mall which I felt was very overwhelming.
I loved the store Anthropologie. As soon as I walked in, I felt as if I was home. I realized that I have never been happy with the way I dress myself. The clothes that were there, were exactly how I have always wanted to express myself.
There are a lot of people in San Francisco. A lot of people who know how to take what they want too. I got pick-pocketed. Hopefully, it was a male, because he took this cute little tampon purse I got from Wal*Mart just loaded with tampons. I bet he wasn't too thrilled by what he thought was just a score! Serves him (hopefully a him) right! It made me mad though. It was a cute little tampon holder...
We then loaded back on the bus at 4:00 to go to the Fisherman's Wharf at Pier 39. We did some more shopping at Steve & Berry's. Everything in this store is under $20.00! We then had dinner. Walking back to the bus, there were different performers on the sidewalk. I enjoyed them and watching my daughter dance. She got some attention as well. We got back on the bus at 8:00 and then came home. It was a blast! My favorite part was spending a day with my family. I am looking forward to next year's trip to the city! I will definitely take my camera.
I love San Fransisco. The business of the city, and the people are so interesting. I didn't want to leave. It was then I understood the meaning in the title of that famous song.

Silver & Gold

Silver & Gold ornaments

I have been decorating this tree for a week now it seems. As I unwrap the ornaments so delicately from the tissue and arrange each of the ornaments in groups of colors, I am thinking to myself, 'When and how did I get like this?' There has always been logic to why I think like this. I will put all of my plain silver and gold ball ornaments to the center of the tree trunk. Doing this makes these balls reflect the lights and make my Christmas tree glow even more. Then I take all of my purple ornaments and place them within a distance from each other so that I don't have a bunch of purples in one place. I continue doing that with each color until they are all on the tree. It is now coming together. I am even humming Christmas tunes.

How do you decorate your tree?

Thanks Martha Stewart

This last weekend, my husband got a Christmas tree. I was feeling a little pressured about putting the Christmas decorations out and I've been dragging my feet in doing so. I started to dive in and get it done but just wasn't feeling the flow of where things should go. So I quit. Our Christmas tree stood in our house bare as can be for a week due to some things that came up that needed some attention. This last Sunday, I told myself come hell or high water, I was going to get that tree done. It took me two days to get the lights on. As I was putting on the lights, I was thinking to myself, 'How did I get stuck with putting on the lights? When did it become my job?' So, I asked my husband as he was walking by, "How did I get stuck with putting the lights on the tree?" My husband replies, "You like to wrap each limb with the strand of lights, remember? Like Martha Stewart." I stated back, "I have changed my mind. You can do it." Husband replies, "My back hurts (and it really did, but he wouldn't have done it anyways ;))." grrr ~ sigh. I am thinking about getting those lighted bush nets and throwing it on the tree...

The Spirit of Grinch! ME?

cornbread stuffing

I want to thank those of you that have left me comments showing concern for me. It meant a great deal to me. It is so nice to know that people care, it can make a world of difference in how you are feeling. A BIG Thank you! Also, if I have hurt anyone leaving them to feel neglected, I am sorry. I am still here. I have just had a difficult time shifting the gears of life. So much has happened this last week, it has me feeling so many things.

It all started the morning after Thanksgiving. I went for my daily walk earlier than usual since I was off from work. I noticed that everyone in Hughson was out and about in their yards putting up Christmas lights and decorations. I was thinking, 'Gee, I haven't even digested my Thanksgiving dinner. Whoa! This is all too soon! There is one more week left of November!' Then when I got home, my husband was getting down from the attic with boxes of Christmas decorations piled everywhere and a Christmas tree was standing in the driveway of our home. Let's just say, I was feeling a little pressured. grrr!
Then Saturday rolled around, I went out for my walk and I noticed every one's yard and the huge abundance of Christmas paraphernalia. Don't get me wrong, I am all for decorating and such... (and please forgive me if you are one of these exciting-ambitious people) BUT! I do believe there should at least be a theme. Some yards have the big air balloon's of Walt Disney (that they keep going around the clock! What happened to concerving our energy?) characters, stick Christmas trees, reindeer's, snowmen, huge packages with lights, lollipops, candy canes and then a nativity scene. Big Sigh. I think to myself, 'how much did all of this cost!?' It is almost like watching neighbors trying to out do each other in the decorating area. What are they teaching their children? Will they continue this in their coming generations? Are they in debt? I just want to get on the highest roof top and scream "STOP THIS MADNESS!"

I have been keeping this to myself, feeling like maybe I have a little of the Grinch spirit.