Thanksgiving in San Francisco

Had the best Thanksgiving this year! All of my favorite people together for a lovely meal, one which I didn't have to help cook! I love going to San Fran every year for Turkey Day as mom only wants to lay on her bed all day and watch football games, and this way I don't have to cook. My family in SF always makes the best full on turkey meal with all the trimmings and helping to clean it all up is the least I can do afterwards. This year things were a little less crazy than usual, I think because my cousins new boyfriend was there and she didn't want him to not want to come again! (haha) The last hour is always crazed with more than one control freak trying to make everything perfect, all at the same time. I learned years ago not to go in to the kitchen area at all until it is time to set the food on the table. It's always better than they think it is going to be. They always out do themselves!

The bestest part was the clear blue skies that lent themselves to perfect weather and gorgeous beaches to walk along. Cousin Jan and I drove to Pacifica on Saturday and walked in the clear crisp daylight along the water and it was heavanly! Friday she had to work so I did my best to talk my exhausted 90 year old Aunt Flo into going to the Tutankamen Exhibit in downtown SF to no avail! So I ended up going to the movies and seeing Blindside, which was fun! Just before the movie started security came in and wanted to see everyones tickets and half the room cleared out! It was a pretty funny thing to witness.

I came back on an earlier than usual flight as I had to be back to work Monday at 7 a.m. Then my dimwit bosses decided that Wednesday was a very good day to lay me off from my job. They couldn't have done this before I went to to San Fran so I could have stayed longer????? Needless to say they are not some of my favorite people in this world. I just go on chanting my favorite chant....."Karma"! I'm going to miss those who I have come to love there but those who were ugly, negative monsters are now no longer part of my life and I am sooooo happy for that gift. So I am not complaining at all about this unexpected early retirement. It would have been even nicer if they would have done this last summer when it was in the high 110's. But then that would have meant they would be doing something nice for me. That was never going to happen.
Shout outs to those of you I love there. Missing you very much!

So now I have no excuse to find that perfect job out there or to get this house cleaned out. My mother hasn't thrown anything away in 50 years, so I'll let you know when we have the garage sale! haha

our Thelma and Louise shot!

2 Donkeys and a Wedding

Had the best day yesterday! Went to a gorgeous wedding at the Springs Reserve followed by the reception out at Bonnie Springs Ranch. A real live saloon fest complete with a live cowboy band and staff in costume. Come to think of it most of the guests were in western attire also! It was perfect weather and the drive out to the ranch during sunset with all those beautiful red rocks as scenery was truly breath taking. I witnessed another small wedding out in the desert, a beautiful couple being photographed by a professional photographer with the Red Rocks as their background and then entered the wonderful world of a blooming desert as I drove down the road to the ranch. It was then that I encountered 2 donkeys just standing in the road waiting for someone to either feed them or actually try and make them move. ha ha Folks just slowly drove around them as if they were afraid they would be rammed by them. Lots of folks got their cameras out and started taking pix like they had never seen donkeys before! Well, maybe they hadn't. I'm a native, therefore I am jaded! I've seen it all!! Wish I had thought to bring my camera!
The wedding buffet was heavenly with Prime Rib, new tators, green beans, salad, a pasta bar and best of all a CHOCOLATE fountain with strawberries, marshmallows, you name it! The bartenders were pourer friendly and each guest got 2 free drink tix! The cake was lemon AND chocolate, how can you lose with that??? Gorgeous black forest red roses and candlelight were everywhere and the young couple's energy made me ache to be young again. Mom and Dad Morris looked like they were having a blast! I'm so glad, they worked so hard to help pull off this beautiful day for their kids. Almost makes me want to put on a princess gown! Almost! What a wonderful celebration of love and family and I'm so grateful to have been included. It was great to see friends from long ago once again.
I'm glad the wedding wasn't the night before cuz that was the BYU/UNLV game and it would have been a hard choice to make! The game was so much fun, I really enjoy yelling my head off like that. Missed Cousin C and WC boy. Shout out! You were the only Halls that weren't there I think! We know you were there in spirit. Did you see us on camera at all?? Mom had the time of her life and it was a good birthday gift. I also got her a real #15 jersey and had HALL put on the back! She wore her new BYU watch and earrings and was just stylin'! Here's some of the action below! Happy Birthday to you-59 to 21!!!!!!

Max and mom Shirley Hall (gramma to Max) Pitta's mom and my mom

Julie and Julia

I have to recommend Julie and Julia to everyone who wants to catch a really fun movie...you know, something to lift the spirits in these dog days of a crappy economy and healthcare cost debates with the holidays lurking just around the corner. I belly laughed out loud and longed for the good old days of the 50's and 60's and REALLY longed for France since a lot of it is filmed there during the years Julia Child was training at The Cordon Bleu. It's not just because I love to cook, either, I really liked this movie. It's been awhile since I liked a movie.

I wake each day and thank the universe that summer is practically over and my days of driving in Las Vegas traffic in 110 degree heat are almost over for good. Read my lips, I WILL NOT DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR! I am missing my co-worker Marlene who shared my days and talked me down occasionally. She has been out with surgery things and I am just so pissed that I couldn't think of anything to have removed or repaired myself so that I could have had the summer off, too! Luckily there have been wonderful patients this summer that made my job easier and not harder. I never knew being a social worker could be so hard, but then again I think it's just Las Vegas. There are just no resources to help those who need help here.

Well, I am thinking of going to the big island of Hawaii again soon, maybe in December. I went to a bridal shower yesterday (shout out Bradi and Sue!) and they are going to Hilo for their honeymoon and I got soooo jealous! I love it there so much and just have to get back there soon. I have to use my PTO hours also before the new year or I lose them. Hmmmmm, I think I'll check out http://www.kalani.com/ website and see which week would be best! It's one of my favorite places in the world! Top ten at least! I just hope I can wait till then cuz I am exhausted from my life and need more time off! I know, I know, I just had a week off in July, but when I go to Hawaii I go to Kalani Retreat where there are no t.v.'s, computers, telephones, just good food, breathtaking scenery, exquisite massages (shout out Lillia and her magical Watsu massages!) I sure hope she is still there! Now I'm really getting excited!!!!!!! I'll keep you posted!

Still dreaming of Orcas

Back to reality. Awe shucks! It would help if I could breathe. This heat!!! well, you know.
Just saying!
Had a most wonderful vacation. Did everything I wanted to do, ate and drank everything I wanted to and gorged myself on fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables. Ducked out of the heat by seeing movies and driving up to where it was cooler. Saw my wonderful friends in Oregon!!!Everything went as planned without as much as a hiccup or flat tire. Got my salmon jerky at Pikes Place market and thought of the many times and many friends and loved ones I had been there with. Good memories. Went antiquing in LaConner and ate great Greek food at the old place I used to waitress at that is now called Olympic Gardens right on the main drag in Anacortes. Its been so long since I had a whole week to just do anything I felt like, without any responsibilities, that I had forgotten how wonderful it is. Have to do this more often!!
Until I figure out how to post pix properly, they are stuck at the bottom of this page.

They have summer in Oregon too...........

My Oregon friends have started sending me hate emails and phone calls complaining that I brought the horrible Las Vegas weather with me. With news reporters commenting on the "record highs" "longest stretch of heat" and no end in sight I am really catching some flack. Got to tell ya, it's hotter than hell here because of the 80% humidity that comes with living by the water. Oh and did I mention? The friend I'm staying with doesn't have air conditioning? Happy Birthday to me! haha

No really, I'm having a great time spending gift cards and hitting sales in the land of no sales tax and visiting with friends I haven't seen in way too long! It's so incredibly beautiful here and I took a drive up the Mt. Hood corridor and had to catch my breath as I remembered just how gorgeous it is here.

Tomorrow is my BD and I have the day planned out like a spa day. Chiropractor, massage therapist, followed by lunch with Kathy at her office and then the doc she works for will make my forward crease go away with that wonderful invention in a syringe! Then back home for a nap and waiting for Kathy to come home and help me bbq some steaks and figure out the blender. Thursday we will be off for the great Pacific Northwest and our journey to Orcas Island. Thursday will be fun with Pikes Place market in Seattle, a visit to the little seaside tourist trap called La Conner, then over to Anacortes. I sure hope that little Greek restaurant I used to work at is still there! The way things have been changing these past years I doubt it! I promise to get some pix posted soon! Can't wait for Friday and that ferry boat ride. I never could figure out why ferry boats rides excite me so until my friend told me it was because they are so phallic. Oh yeah, of course. I get it now.

On Vacation......WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 more days till I'm on that plane for the beautiful Pacific Northwest!!!! Today it was 78degrees there!!! I cannot wait! My job just had to go out with a crazy bang today with one of my patients catching on fire from trying to smoke with oxygen on.....even after being warned every day by every body! I really didn't think this day was going to go by smoothly now did I????
Thank you to all that are wishing me well and a happy birthday. I can't think of a better place to be on my big day than the places that I love the most. I bought myself a new little camera to take with me to take pix of my vacation. I'm already excited about sharing my pix with you when I get back!
The ladies from my mom's church brought over a huge strawberry cheesecake for by BD. Like my big fat gut needs cheesecake, but man it sure looks good! My new boss United Health Care sent out a memo today stating that there will now be random drug testing.
Happy birthday to me!

Hanging on by a thread..................

......a very moist thread! I woke up this morning in Florida, I swear it! The humidity is as high as the temp and I cannot breathe! I am just not used to this crap! Thank goodness for the monsoon weather tho, as if it were truly 115 without the cloud cover I am certain I would have evaporated by now. Disintegrated is more the word I'm looking for here. The real bummer is I am seeing that my vacation destination weather is up in the 90's WITH the humidity and I am getting anxious that I won't be able to breathe the whole time I'm there! 4 days and counting until vacation starts and a mere 6 days until I am in Portland and looking at the water and the trees! Hang on baby!!!!! I'm looking forward to a week filled with no news about Michael Jacksons death or Paula Abduls return to Idol. OMG! With all thats going on in the world why is our news so censored???? When I was in Europe all those times all their news channels spoke of was the US news, I couldn't even get away from it there!

Wishing all of you that are recuperating a speedy get well wish! Nothing worse than being sick and stuck inside because of the heat. Let me know if you need anything! Remember tonight is the solar eclipse transitioning in a new era for all of us. Channel the positive energy that it holds to exact change in your life. The solar eclipse will occur from approximately 6 pm to 9 pm. Though we won't see it from our location on the earth, as its path will cross over India, China and Indonesia, we will certainly feel its effects. The total eclipse will begin at approximately 7:31 pm PST and end at approx. 7:39 pm. We have a rare opportunity to create sacred space during this auspicious time and release pain, struggle, confusion and fear, while inviting in more of our authentic true divine nature and assist you in letting go of what no longer works for your well-being and provide a transmission of light for you to step into if you so choose.

Our soul's are longing for this growth and we can not experience it when we are speeding up to maintain the old familiar way of pushing to make it happen. Trust, Safety, Surrender, Self-Love, Spontaneity are all keystones for this new earth reality. Set your intention tonight to align with these resonant frequencies and to integrate them more fully into your lives. Just chanting them like a mantra for 8 minutes from 7:31 pm to 7:39 pm can help to bring them more fully into your energy field. Holding your positive intention for creation at this time is perhaps the most powerful message you can send out to the universe.

Namaste'