May has flown...

I cannot believe how fast the month of May has gone by. We have a very busy week ahead and for some reason my mind is racing and unable to sleep. Again!
My good friend Gugi is turning 60 on Wed. and I convinced she and her husband this would be the perfect place to celebrate! They are flying in on Tues which is their anniversary so J is fixing a prime rib dinner to celebrate. The following day is her birthday and we are going to Lavender for a candlelight dinner. The next day we are going to ride the tram which J and I have not done for more years than I can remember. I am going to pack lunch and go hike a bit and find someplace nice to picnic. Gug has requested my enchiladas so that pretty much is the plan. Eating, drinking, talking and laughing for 3 days! I always worry about our company hoping I make them feel welcome and they leave saying phew that was fun. My worrying sometimes gets in the way of me having fun so I am trying to flow this time. I want so badly for this to be special.


If I was asked what have you been doing lately I would have to reply sewing...sewing...sewing! Remember me worrying about losing my mojo and not being able to begin again. Well I found it!

 Pretty crazy right? I have been so forgetful lately but I am hoping its because there are so many ideas and creative thoughts in my head I have artist overload. I now have 10 pieces for the art show and still time to make a few more. I am feeling good about this one time endeavor. I am hoping something sells but not counting on it. I just want to be somebody special for a minute.

We have some friends from Montana we have known for 29 yrs email us to meet for lunch. Bill found out at 67 he has cancer and told 6 months to live. I wont lie and say we were not worried about what to say to someone in that situation. Yet we felt it an honor that seeing us was on his bucket list as they travel around. We had the best time and were able to talk about everything. They seemed so positive and strong I felt nothing but admiration. I also wanted the doctors to be wrong and to receive his wonderful humorous Xmas letter come Dec. To plan another meeting maybe in Montana next time...I so want a different ending for them both. Bill suggested we read Proof of Heaven saying it gives one hope its not the end. I am in the middle right now and its an interesting book for sure.

My brother Ron is here at mom's for a few days on his pilgrimage from Mexico to Oregon. Its always good to see him and catch up on his adventures.  He called his ex wife and good friend Sandy who lives nearby only to find out she has cancer as well. Again the 'nothing we can do' 6 months..go live now. My heart feels so heavy for her and wish I knew something I could do or say to help her. I cant help wondering what I would want to do if told this. I liked that movie Bucket List with its Hollywood way of living BIG to the end. I dont think it was realistic however because how do you get over the feeling cheated, why me...anger of it all?  Maybe we should all live as if we only had 6 months to live and try not to waste a day. I have no answers.

As I drove to my mom's yesterday to play dominos I went past an RV lot with a nice class C being displayed. For some reason I wanted so badly to stop and walk thru it just for the opportunity to dream. While I didn't love being 'homeless' 2 yrs ago, there is nothing I would like more than to pack up every May and hit the road. There are so many wonderful places to visit just in the USA and I still want to. I would be happy to even just go some place and park next to a stream and listen. To smell the scent of pine trees and take walks. That would be my bucket dream list...take my home and family with me to experience the joys of being on an adventure. It makes me sad to know it will not happen short of a lottery or selling my home. I cant even win a game of Mexican Train so I guess the lottery is out.  Life.

We are looking forward to returning to the Air Museum on Monday for the annual  B 25 flower drop. It was spectacular last year and just a wonderful way to remember our veterans. I hope you all have fun plans for the holiday as well.

Thanks for dropping by.

Happy 24th birthday baby boy!

 

 The boys checking out the newest member of the family! Rande already seemed worried about your future!! (Actually he was so proud to just hold you...) Happy 24th birthday Ky! I hope its an amazing year ahead for you. xo

I have been awake since 0337 and just hate that tossing and turning hoping my mind will slow down enough to let sleep return. Yesterday was such a stressful day waiting to hear how Ky did with his Alaska interview. He flew in the day before and Ingerlise picked him up and became his Norwegian mor. They also met with her daughter in law who is in training with Alaska to go over his interview questions. We all felt we had done everything possible to ensure this would have a positive outcome. Their interview begins at 0800 and if you make it thru the day you are hired. Very different from American's process but Alaska also makes sure you really wanted to fly for them with their company presentation. I received a text around noon saying out of over 60 people there were only maybe 10-15 left and he was one of them. Woohoo! He had a one on one interview coming up which I felt he would nail. I don't know anyone more personable and conversational than Ky and I was sure they would see what we all see in him. Jerry and I both received the dreaded reply an hour later that no, they were sending him home as well. I wont lie, I cried my eyes out because I really wanted him to get a chance to start over and do something he would enjoy. Traveling! What a perfect birthday gift to start a new career.  Honestly its not like we were hoping for him to be president or anything. Its a low paying, thankless job and yet so evasion to get and so many trying. No matter how I try to justify his not getting hired...too tall, too young, too outgoing, knows too many languages, :^) none of them make me feel better. As a parent you simply want life to give your children chances at happiness now and then. Hopefully he is able to pick himself up and find something new to feel passionate about.

I was also sooo hoping he got hired by Alaska so we would have free passes to Seattle whenever we wanted to. I contacted Isenhower Winery and I am finally going to be their artist of the month, actually months, in Aug and Sept. I need about 6 more pieces which I can accomplish if I try. Last summer I was so prolific because seriously when its 100+ outside why not sew?! Wish me luck and this time I WILL not back out. The airfare is a bugger however.

I am proud to say I finally finished the graduation gift I was making for my sweet friend Meghan in Fort Collins.  I was worried she might not like it as I always do, but it seems to be a winner and she does! I even used some bow hair from Jerry's grandfather bow! I wish her endless luck and good fortune in her music therapy career.

This took me so long to make with so many stops and starts due to company I am now struggling to find my mojo. I am trying to make another rooster piece for my art show and it has sat here for a week. I just hate the beginning and ending of a project because they are definitely the most difficult for me.

Good news to report about Wolfgang...he has risen! He is up on his feet and getting around although I hear falling a lot. Timothy says his shoulder is working just not his front leg. Its all good news for the granddog considering what he had to endure. Looking fwd to seeing him again with the bounce back in his life!

Rande was back this week with his band Youth Lagoon and David D his lighting guy. They played at Coachella on Friday and then came by for a bit of dinner on Sat. He brought a few friends they had picked up along the way and the musicians minus Trevor. I really enjoyed visiting with them and always love seeing David. They left yesterday and played in San Diego which Timothy and Jammie managed to make. Its pretty exciting to see all the wonderful stops they will be making this year including a month in Europe. I dont understand their lifestyles on the road but love that they are seeing the world expenses paid!

Speaking of which Timothy and his band had a college gig at WSU and he and Ky were able to meet up briefly. I always love photos of my boys together as adults being friends. 

We have had the most horrible few days of endless wind and dust and sand blowing. Our pool was absolutely brown with fine silt everywhere. I have been cleaning my house nonstop and basically sick of this powdery dust even in our lungs. Rande was at the music fest in the midst of the dirt flying and said he woke up with mud in his eyes. I believe it. Hoping today is nothing but blue skies and back to normal...

Doesnt make me want to swim...

This is our patio..

You know how you to start to clean and then get serious about it? Then you are disgusted at how dirty things are when it feels like all you do is clean? I would have fired my maid this week if I had one. Instead I offered her a beer for working so hard all day. I am a fair employer if nothing else. Now if I can just get her busy in my sewing room creating cool stuff!

Thanks for checking. xo

'Its a lovely day in the neighborhood...'

Our lives have been busy since I last wrote which is a good thing.  I find myself thinking when summer arrives I will have plenty of time to take naps and float in the pool.
Our visiting or part time friends are all beginning the process of returning home. Our MN friends left the end of March so we managed to squeeze a few more happy hours, bike ride, and hike into the schedule to last us until next year.
Rande arrived the 25th and the five of us hiked Box Canyon. It was a wonderful day and an impt one for J and me. While he was at Mayo our friend John added to his doctor board a photo he had taken hiking Box Canyon. All the hospital staff and doctors asked J about it and would add 'lets get you well enough to do it again.'

Last year with Timothy and Jammie

This year 

I doubt if our friends plan to hike with us again after this day. I tripped and fell right off the bat and landed on a rock on my knee cap. They were sure I would want to go back to the car...but of course I wiped my tears and trucked on. I am not a quitter. Then a bit down the hike J's sole came off his hiking boot. It had simply rotted and fell off! We laughed and he continued on until the other one also came off. Seriously?!? He said it was like walking in moccasins...again they were sure we would want to turn around. J is not a quitter either and we finished the hike. We were a bit slower than last year but that is life now. Great day and an amazing accomplishment for Jerry.

Ky had his interview with AA and felt it went as well as could be expected and is enduring the long wait to hear from them. He also has a final interview with Alaska coming up on the 16th~ how nice to have a back up. We are all praying, crossing fingers and sending positive energy that he gets hired and gets another chance to begin again.

His first unaccompanied flt to DFW...he would be perfect for the job!

 

 

Got a chance to go back in time and went to a Boz Scaggs concert in Palm Desert. I loved it and the musicians in his band were all so talented! Its such a thrill to experience artists enjoying their passion. Boz still has a great voice and brought back wonderful memories for me.

We had Easter dinner and my mom's birthday here on the 31st. She turned 88 and is still going strong and throwing parties! It was a laid back day but good food, good wine and way too much to eat! What is it about holidays that makes us always go too far?!?

We also had some sad news...Timothy's dog Wolfgang...(see him above?) got hit by a car. He may lose a front leg and has been really struggling to heal. We went over last weekend to help them move and it was so sad to see him just lying there. He could barely hold his head up but he definitely knew how to wag his tail. Aren't dogs the best?! I hear from Jammie he continues to gain strength and hopefully our bundle of cuteness and energy is coming back. Speaking of adorable dogs...

Gracie enjoying a beer at the brewpub!

Our dear friend Ingerlise is here for a long weekend and its always fun to have her. It was raining in Seattle so she is delighted to be in the sunshine warming up. Yesterday we went to the Indian Wells Art Festival and both bought beautiful glass vases. I cant wait to pop some flowers in mine and class the joint up. 

Remember my wonderful rose garden we have been working on? Well look at it now! I just love sitting outside enjoying all the colors and fragrances the roses offer. May cut a few to try out the new vase today!

Hope you are all well and happy...and thanks for dropping by~

Last day being 59...

How can it possibly be a month since I last updated? Why is life so fast now I feel like I cant catch up...
Today is my last day in the 50s and I feel fine about it. I had a friend say it was a hard one for her it just sounds so old. I agree but I guess after almost losing my man I value making it to the next year.

Gosh I adore that kitty enjoying my big balloon!

My neighbor Roberta told me she was throwing a birthday party for her husband on the 8th. I had been to a fashion show luncheon all day and was just plain tired. It was also very cold so I threw on sweats and uggs and told J we are popping in to say happy birthday and then coming home. Yep. You got it.
It was a surprise party for me...I dont love surprises and I really dont like to be dressed for a day camping when I am at a party. I did have fun regardless and how lovely that a fairly new friend thought enough of me to go to the trouble. Delicious desserts too!
My best present was the arrival of my MN gf Michelle. It was a last minute good airfare and 48 hrs of talking, drinking and laughing.

We thought we were the hottest chicks since Thelma and Louise on our ride home...while J bbq-ed ribs for us and poured the wine. We were having a little heatwave and able to sit outside and help M thaw. The last day it was 19 in Alex and 91 in Palm Springs! Woohee!

Our  20+ yr friendship touches my heart and I hope we are always and forever each others bf.She helped me save J last fall and we both love her immensely.

Ok here is the next best gift...

Rande and Timothy have both been on tour and ended up in Austin TX at SXSW this week. I told them all I wanted (besides a phone call) was a photo of them together. When I look at this all I see is their big smiles and happiness to be together. When I look at photos of  the 3 of them growing up they always had their arms around each other. I hope whatever women come into their lives nurture their bond as brothers and friends.

Other big news is Ky is heading to DFW the 26th to interview with American for a flt attendant position...finally! While its not what any of us envisioned as a career for him sometimes life throws you curve balls and you just have to pull yourself up and get back in the game. Hopefully he can have some fun traveling and save enough to finish his degree.

Remember how excited I was to share my new garden with you? Well its nothing but bad news now.
I guess there is a reason it was this dumb empty area...its so darn hot it is frying my plants.

It looks worse in person...Maybe melons next year or just some heat resistant plants.

The good news is all our fruit trees look like this right now and the scent is heavenly!

Ok I will be truthful...I have been in a bit of a funk today. I REALLY wanted turning 60 to be more than just another day. I wanted it to be something to remember and to celebrate a new year ahead. We went to Hawaii for J's and while we didnt do much it just felt special being somewhere else.
I told J I thought it was too nice here in March to fly away and we should plan a trip when its hot. So we have kicked around the idea of going up in a bi plane tomorrow. I cant get excited about it anymore because I get airsick in small planes and have not enjoyed riding in them after a couple of maydays in my dad's. It also feels like I am trying too hard to make the day a big deal. I dont like parties so what is left? We are going out to dinner with a couple and her birthday is tomorrow too.
I guess I just need to wake up with a grateful heart and wait for the pecan blueberry pancakes to be ready. Maybe turning 60 is just another curve ball I need to get on with. I have been feeling so fortunate lately and loving our life and home. Yet wondering when the shoe will drop as if I dont deserve this joy. Maybe my 60th gift is to see the good in each day and just be happy.
Thanks for dropping by. xo

A little of this a bit of that

I have always been one of those moms that cries with pride when one of my sons does something remarkable. As if they are an extension of me and I helped make them remarkable. While  I didn't cry yesterday I felt immense pride as if J's accomplishment was part of me too.
On Sept 8th J rode in an ambulance for 31/2 hours to save his life. Yesterday, 5 months later he rode his bike in the Tour de Palm Springs to celebrate his life. We rode with our friends from MN the 15 mile ride and had a great time. They had over 10,000 riders in the event and I have never experienced anything like it. Great fun and we all agree next year we will shoot for the 25 mile ride.

Sept 8th ambulance ride to Rochester

Feb 9th celebratory bike ride!

Tour de Palm Springs 2013 with Lynn and Mary Kay!

Yesterday as we were loading our bikes we spotted our first big horn sheep coming down the mountain. Its so incredible to live in this little cove and have such amazing wildlife out our door.
I doubt we will ever stop getting excited about seeing them this time of year. We had quite a bit of winter weather and snow in the mountains so maybe that helped send them lower. Very cool.

I realized I have not shared one of our biggest remodel projects that John B and Timothy came and did for us in Nov. We had replaced all the carpet in our house last spring but left the old in the dining room. Our plan was when we got back from MN we would tackle retiling it. Well we all know that didnt happen so John said if Timothy would come so would he and there was no talking him out of it. He brought his Jamie and Timothy his Jammie and we all went to work.

The girls working on some pavers around the pool

The girls cruising in Jammie's 'new' bug!

Before with a mauve/brown carpet

Timothy and Jammie arrived and up came the carpet

Timothy using his mechanical engineering degree for precision!

John B using his engineering degree for perfect cutting!

John telling Jamie how to do grout and Gracie shadowing her!

Beautiful design in alcove

Beautiful dining room thanks to Bishops and Kamolzs.

I have a few other projects to share but will save them for another post. Thanks for popping in and have a lovely day!
xo

Where did January go...?

I can't believe its already been a month since my last post. I guess that is the positive thing about blogging is it forces to me account for my whereabouts. What we are probably most happy about this month is our new car! I had asked J when the Westy finally drove off if we could try and go as long as possible with just one. That night he found exactly what we had been dreaming of online. Its a 2009 VW convertible in Harvest Moon with cream interior. Here's the thing..it only had 1445 miles on it! Serious! So we drove to SD to see it and J decided on the drive over we were not going to just jump in and buy another car. He didnt know it was going to look brand new and be such a sweet ride. The previous owner bought it for his vacation home in La Jolla and forgot to use it. Yea us! Well we left it there so he could think about it and a week later it was ours. We look adorable driving around with the top down, with our silly smiles and Gracie ears flying like Dumbo! We even brought a tree (small) home in the back seat yesterday...such a great work car!

 This was also a big birthday for J....65! I felt if you almost die you need to celebrate your birthday big and so I booked us a trip to Hawaii. He was not doing well when I bought the tickets so we decided a trip to HNL would be good enough..just getting away and doing something special.
Oh my. HNL has become so crowded and Americanized we hardly recognized it. Where was Don Ho and the hula dancers?!
We had a great time just being together and celebrating where our lives are headed so well worth it.

Maitais by the pool!

Shave ice at Matsumotos Haleiwa

This is my favorite...on the left is J flying home from Mayo in Sept. On the right is J coming home from Hawaii in Jan. I would have to say the photos tell all about his recovery and this is just the new normal and perfectly fine.  Oh and he has his last appt with the neurologist today...
Other big step is this weekend we are signed up to ride 15 miles in the Tour de Palm Springs. 5 months ago exactly he was riding in an ambulance...Yea you Jerry!

I have been meaning to share another project I have going...outside our dining room they made this alcove. Not sure why because its just plain stupid and good for nothing...until now.

See what I mean about just being a dumb waste of space ?

So after a couple of trips to Home Depot I created (with Rande's help) this winter garden box. I added river rock around it and laid flagstone we had so its clean and a bit decorative.

This is what it looks like today! I love my little garden if for nothing else the smells of herbs, tomatoes and good soil. Everything seems to be doing well which says a lot for where we live. Worse soil correction clay ever to work with...but plenty of sunshine!

Ok I will wind this up with the butterfly pillow I mentioned to you all last post. I made it for the PS Woman's Club auction luncheon.  Finished it yesterday and must admit it sure wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I sewed into it about 200 beads and hopefully someone will think they simply have to have it. I have a sweet friend that started the bidding for me at $50.00 so now I wont worry about that walk of shame when no one buys it! Phew!

Thanks for dropping by and sorry I have such big pauses between posts. I'll work on that!

Goodbye 2012 and hello 2013!

Not going to lie...was really ready to kick that old 2012 to the curb. So far the new year is coming together nicely and I have high hopes! Today is 4 months since J entered the ER in Alexandria and as I write he is at the gym with his buddy. Is he completely recovered? No. Will he ever be? No idea. Is he improving and working hard? Yes.
Favorite thing about 2012? I would have to say we made some new friends we cannot imagine a life without. Plus winning first place in a juried art show? Priceless! What a confidence booster some recognition can be...

For New years eve we had a lovely champagne and cheese fondue party! Just for two! Its not my favorite 'holiday' and I so loved staying home and keeping it simple.
We have been working on a few projects together and basically just enjoying the warm in the sun days. So glad we chose to live here...its perfect for us!

Our other really big new year news is the sale of our Westy. Its been fun having it back in our lives for the last 41/2 yrs but it has also been very costly at a time we couldnt afford the luxury.

Best campsite ever! Beach number 2 WA coast.

Best time camping... with Timothy and Jammie.

Another favorite memory was camping on Flathead Lake MT and opening the back end to sleep under a zillion stars. It was a treasure in our pockets to experience that...
We were mixed about selling it and couldnt help worry we would regret it. A very nice couple from San Luis Obispo area bought it and I hope it has lots of great adventures ahead. We were sad as it drove off but woke up the next morning feeling nothing but relief we were done trying to sell it. I think what continues to make me sad is the idea we wont camp again. Its no secret I enjoy it more than J but some of my best memories as a family were made while camping. I know we cannot afford an RV and J doesn't care for trailers so I see no solution. I have to accept I wont ever be one of those retired campers playing cards with cocktails by the campfire I use to envy. No one ever said life is fair.

I am working on a piece right now that is so much fun I cannot wait to get up and head to my 'studio'.
Its a gift for a friend graduating this spring with a degree in music therapy. I am trying to incorporate her music and violin into it and so far I love it! I am struggling with the best way to begin sewing because there needs to be a proper order to it. I hope to show you the finished project soon!
I am donating a butterfly piece to my mom's woman's club auction and need to get busy with that too. I laid awake in bed last night trying to visualize what I will do...no wonder I have sleep issues! This is the year I am going to also start sewing for "little dresses for Africa"...I am feeling frustrated with trying to be a successful artist and I am running out of walls to hang my art. So I guess I will venture off for a bit and try to make a difference with my work.
I am off to sew~thanks for dropping by.