Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Photo taken in San Diego by John B

This is such a lovely time for a holiday and fortunately we are all 'forced' to remember our brave who have fought for our freedom. I just put out flags, a couple of banners, a wooden God Bless America plaque, said a few 'I am grateful' prayers and I have a watermelon in my fridge. I am ready...
The weather has cooled down and its lovely outside right now...feels so much better to have fresh air blowing thru our house instead of AC. I am grateful again for this day...

My man and I just returned from a 2 night camping trip with Timothy and Jammie. When the boy called me for mother's day I said I had a favor to ask. I could tell from his voice he was fearing a manual labor request...more tile? Sprinklers?.. When I asked if we could meet up at Idyllwild and camp he was immediately elated and jumped at the chance. I know how to work my boys...and we all had a great time!
We had been having some hot days above 105 so I loved sleeping all snuggled up and sitting by a campfire. We only have to go one hour to get away and I think there may be a few return trips in our future. Here are our awesome campsites in a basically empty campground...T and J have the cool condo attached to theirs...can you see Grace and I looking at them with envy?!?

Poorboys on the fire! YUM!

Breakfast in the woods...nothing better!

We went for a great hike down to Strawberry Creek and I don't know who enjoyed the creek more. The dogs were swimming, rock jumping and sliding and having the best time! Of course we were all doing the same except for swimming and it was a blast. Well worth the long walk there and back...
I just love camping for some reason...the fresh air, the working together to set up and make meals...Jammie and I blended our menus as if we had made a list. It was great fun to spend time with them in such a relaxing setting and catch up. I was a bit upset I forgot to pull out the games...I guess I am a bit rusty since we rarely camp anymore.

We left poor Buster home alone for the 3 days and he had plenty to say about it when we returned. Maybe we will find a little trailer one day so he can come along and be the cute kitty in the window in the wilderness. I would then love to spend the whole summer traveling around and stopping wherever looked fun and leaving when we were good and ready...ah retirement!

Family shot

Enjoying the creek fun

Beautiful setting..notice Wolfgang already napping!

mom's day

Not a good photo of either of us but we are together and its mother's day.

 Well, Rande and the band arrived shortly before 0200 and spent some time in the hot tub before collapsing into the beds. I said it before but I don't know how they survive the touring life but then again I am not 24 with endless energy.
 My man whipped up pancakes and bacon for everyone once they surfaced and I drilled them with questions between bites. They all seem confident they are going to make it big any day now and seem to all be happy doing what they are doing. It was apparent they were on their last stop before going home and were missing gf`~ dog~ home.  The day was spent relaxing and enjoying the pool and sunshine and beers. What more could they need?! I must say Gracie loved having this much action in her pool and spent most of her day hanging with the band.

Craig Grace Matt and Rande

Grace kicking Gauntlet Hair butt in the dog paddle!

Remember my guitar I placed on a stand for that occasional visitor that liked to play?! Here is Andy
making beautiful music on my guitar! 'If you display it a band will come play it'!

Last but not least is a photo of my daughter wanting to run away with the band. I only had sons to avoid this happening and yet even my sweet pup could not resist musicians and the road. Such a glamorous lifestyle!

It was a most unusual mother's day and yet I wouldn't change a thing. A house full of boys is always  my idea of a good time. It was also wonderful to see Rande and share the projects we have accomplished since Christmas. Of my sons, Rande was always the one that wanted to have his friends come over. "Instaparty!" I guess nothing has changed and I am glad.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend as well~

Back by popular demand

I must say I was rather surprised that a few of you were actually upset about me quitting so I am more than happy to carry on.  I do greatly appreciate your comments and feedback so please continue so I know you are out there!!

 I am delighted to post these photos because it was so incredibly amazing to see. We golfed on a local fancy golf course here in La Quinta called SilverRock. Actually some major golf tournaments are held here and for good reason...its drop dead gorgeous.

I however played terrible and had enough sand in my shoes to start up a new kitty litter box. The bunkers were what you would expect a meteor to leave behind. BIG and DEEP! I also managed to hit into most of the water features just because they were there. Good thing the scenery was so awesome!
As we approached one of the tee boxes that was what we saw! They took my breath away because we scour the mountains all winter looking for big horn sheep...and here we had 10 including babies right in front of us! So cool!

I know right? You are glad I was able to share this with you too!

So this morning I finished a big project and couldn't wait to share it with you. Ready?

  

I found these cool sticks while golfing...they thought I was looking for my ball!

Here is it cheering up our great room!

 I did a piece similar to this one on commission when we still lived in Gig Harbor. I thought it was a great piece when I finished it. Now that I have tried to somewhat recreate another I realize just how far I have come in my craft. My work has so much more detail and I am not afraid to experiment by adding materials I find in nature.  I feel good about my artistic growth and more self confident that I do possess a bit of talent even if I dont have an artist show.

I was motivated to finish this up because Rande and his band are suppose to arrive tonight after a show in Pomona. I need to rearrange my sewing room to make room for a blow up bed...poor guys have to be exhausted with the traveling they have been doing. They leave again tomorrow for a show in  San Diego so it will definitely be a quick stop. I am sure there will be pancakes all around in the morning which makes my man feel good. He makes the best ever...
Speaking of touring...Timothy was in Minneapolis this week and after some mom meddling and exchanging numbers he hooked up for beers with my fav MN kids Beth and Will. Beth and Timothy have not seen each other in probably 12-13 years when she was my babysitter for the boys. I thought it was funny she referred to him as a really cool kid. He is 6'2 and 24 yrs old so not much of a kid left in him but she is right he is very cool! <3

Remember me telling you I went to the doctor and she was slicing and dicing me up for biopsies? Well I had to return to get the sutures out on Wed. and one of the biopsies came back invasive cancer so now I need to have Mohs surgery to remove more of the skin. I must say I walked out and cried...its not like I am afraid I am going to die or anything. I think I just really felt stressed being caught between a dr I dont care for and a dr I have never met. Its not like I can say oh nevermind I'll think about it another day. I hate the idea of being one of those people missing chunks of skin everywhere because they keep getting sliced and diced over and over. I guess its not my call.
I have an appt with the new doctor this week and I'll let you know if I am going to live. I am thinking a neck lift would be perfect right now so that much less skin to worry about!
Thanks for dropping by and for asking me to continue writing.
Happy Mothers Day to all my mom friends. Love you!

So long...farewell...its time to say goodbye

This will be my last post and I feel kind of sad to end my year long journal. I began last June while renting in Gig Harbor and so much has changed in that year. I must admit I have enjoyed writing  because in school it was one of the few things I could do well. No math involved! I began writing though because my sons both had blogs and it seemed like such a wonderful way to keep in touch. Kind of like the 'old days' when we actually wrote letters to our friends and family and filled them with details of our lives. Emails just don't feel  nearly as personal and cell phones allow people to be called at times not convenient to a long chat.
I phoned a friend and told her I never hear from her anymore and she said 'well I read your blog and get caught up on your life and don't need to call'. That was never my intention to have me do all the 'talking' and not know anything about people that matter. As I said when blogging with the boys we were all sharing and it felt right. I want and need to know what my 11+/- followers are up to as well. I honestly think my man likes the blog because he finds out way more and its me talking when he feels like listening!  While I have enjoyed having a blog both of my boys have discontinued theirs and dont have the time to read mine so its just not the same.
Thanks for checking in and reading about our adventures and house projects for the past year.  I hope I have not bored you with my writings and please feel welcome to write or phone if you need an update! I will be delighted to share my story and listen to yours as well.
Thanks for dropping by.

TGIF... I guess

You know your day is off to a sketchy start when you push the on button of your coffeemaker and there is silence. We have had a good run for my 12.99 but I wish he had given me a heads up on the check out date. While I am waiting for that first cup in the am is not the best time. I have been thinking I would really like one of those fancy Keurig one cup at a time makers. I realize they are more expensive but if I am the only one drinking coffee it kind of makes sense. Fine..I really want one because most of my friends have one and it looks cool.  WHAT?!

Can you believe its May already? I was going to post on May Day but I still have issues with that day from my childhood. It was a serious business then to do the baskets of flowers, ring the doorbell and giggle behind a tree. The worse part for me was the kids taking these beautiful bouquets to our teacher. What kiss ups...My mom was not a flower grower... which by the way is shocking because its her passion now. So I would show up for the school bus with a couple of dying geraniums with flowering weeds thrown in. I can still remember, (which is also surprising because I cant remember shit now) going to the back of the room and seeing my flowers in the trash can. Still feeling the pain...

I have discovered it rocks to make friends with the canadians in the hood. When it comes time to leave for their 6 months out of the US they bring all their food and drink to us! Sweet deal! Really sweet that my fav gf's son was just here for Coachella Fest with all of his friends and she wanted us to have the case of beer left. I have never heard of beer expiring (never sticks around long enough to go bad in our house!) but she seemed to think it would so fine with me!
We had a bbq their last night so send them off with good thoughts about us and anxious to come back in Nov. It is feeling kind of sad to see everyone slowly leaving the hood and our town. I can only relate it to a college graduation when you are not and watching everyone leave but your life continues on.

Here is a little piece I finished last month thinking I was still in the art show. I figure I can use it in my art festival booth if I ever...trying to think positive. 

This is the piece I am working on right now and my biggest problem is the fat cat lying on it. This happens the moment I leave my room and no matter how many times I toss him he comes back. I am baffled and definitely not pleased. I am going to have to buy the industrial size lint rollers if this continues.
My man went to SD on Mon. to see a couple of friends so I asked if he would check out a fabric store in Fallbrook that I use to shop at. Well he did and then rather than continue our discussion about what was there he handed me off to the owner. So we talked about what was wrong with my machine and easier ways to fix it. I also asked if she really didnt have any good sky fabric like JK said. She replied that she didnt and could not believe my man knew so much detail about my work. She was impressed and I felt proud.  I will admit though totally surprised because what I see when I am talking to him is so different. His eyes glaze over and I can tell he is picturing himself in his man cave and wishing my lips would stop moving so he can get back to impt stuff.
So it just goes to show if you say something enough times.. a man can piece it together to use later. Way to go babe!

Timothy and Rande have both been on the road touring with their perspective boy bands and both seem pretty darn tired from their schedules. I do not know how they do it nor do I care to try. I can say what Timothy is experiencing is as close to an airline job as you can get. Guess he really doesn't care to pursue that pilot position now!
Here is a sweet photo of T and K in the green room before a show at the Univ of Idaho. Ky seemed to really enjoy meeting Donald and the band and of course seeing his bro.
As a parent there is nothing more heart warming than to see your grown up kids choose to be friends.
Especially mine since remember we are that family of gypsies and never know when our paths will cross. Yeah.  I do wish we would hear from him occasionally about his adventure but maybe there simply is not enough down time or ...you choose the reason.

My neighbor Dave has gotten me hooked on the PBS series Downton Abbey and has been Netflexing us the disks this week so we can see season one. It is so entertaining and I just love the british humor.  We have to hurry tho because they will be leaving Tues for their 6 months in WA. I will miss them ~mostly Dave because he is this easy going laugh alot kind of guy. We are lucky in neighbors..ok well on one side for sure. I was able to get Jackie to stop the barking in the early hours which has been heavenly. Now my man is complaining the birds are chirping too loud...I am here to tell you retirement has a whole new set of challenges but we are definitely up to the job so no worries.
Thanks for dropping by.
Happy May! Oh and be sure to tell a mom.. any mom.. you love her!!