and I opened a present a few days late

A few weeks back I was at my BFFs house having a holiday celebration with some really great people when the UPS man pulled up and left a box on the porch. As you can imagine, Scott panicked a bit, worried that I had somehow caught a glimpse of my Christmas present as it was delivered to his house. I did not see enough of the box to determine what was inside but as as my close friends and family would attest, I asked EVERYONE what could possibly be in a box that measured about 32 inches tall by 8 inches by 6 inches.

The guesses ranged of everything from a telescope, to a camping tent.  I had a guess of a table, of a piece artwork (not a painting), some rather inappropriate guesses of intimate objects, snow shoes or other winter items.  I was very excited about this box because one of the best aspects of Christmas (and birthdays) is when you open a present and see yourself in the eyes of the gift giver.  It is like saying, 'so, you see me as a .........'

Well, believe me, I was utterly shocked to find a hand quilting frame, I would have never guessed this is what the box contained.  As I sit here and think of all the hand quilting projects I have completed on my lap with a quilting hoop on my lap over the years, I realize that this is really a great gift! Very unexpected and very much appreciated. I do not have a quilt to put on the frame (yet) so I downloaded this image of the frame from the web.

Pretty amazing, right? When I opened this gift I said, 'so you see me as a ..........quilter!' And boy did he get it right. Of all the gifts that could have been in the box, this was the best. Thank you Scott. 

Yep, I opened my present early,

but in my own defense, it was peer pressure.

Since Ashelyn is going to be out of town on Christmas, Nicolas decided we should have our celebration tonight amidst the Christmas tree, fried tacos, and 27 Dresses.  I kept changing the subject in hopes of swaying the majority - but it was no use.

Ashelyn got me an oven mitt and pot holder to replace the ones she burnt while baking cookies last week - and I got her Pinch & Pour collapsible measuring cups so she can bake more cookies.    

After a 2 to 1 vote I opened my present from Nicolas, and was amazed to find a Nikon CoolPix, as I was fumbling with the box and contents Nicolas said, 'It is a Nikon, and it is purple!' I kept thinking of how difficult it must have been for him last month to sell his brand new Nikon to fund the unexpected purchase of tires for his Mustang, knowing that the brand new Nikon he bought for me was under the tree waiting for Christmas.  He could have easily kept the CoolPix for himself and bought me slippers, I would have never known.

This year my son didn't buy me a Christmas gift, he demonstrated what a gift should be

(taken with my new purple Nikon CoolPix)

My Frosty Christmas

Now that my decorating is completed and my shopping is in order, it is time to enjoy the magical events this holiday season has to offer.


The first of many activities scheduled was a dinner and a musical performance with Scott, his children and their significant others.  Scott did an amazing job selecting a restaurant with great cuisine and proximity to concert.  In a secluded corner table, I was able to enjoy the chatter that abounds a family of accomplished and interesting individuals.  We planned to walk the three city blocks to the venue but paused briefly as we left the restaurant so Scott could take the leftovers to the car.  I watched him walk past a panhandler, then stop and turn around.  He walked back to the man and looked him in the eye as he offered him a dinner of spare ribs and corn bread.  Seeing the generosity in Scott's action was a great start to a wonderful Christmas season.


Needless to say, the evening was perfect in every way and I look forward to spending more time with him as we visit my children and various other family members these next few weeks.

BLUE MAN GROUP

Last summer my children asked me which Las Vegas show I would just LOVE to see.....the only one I could think of was Blue Man Group, but I had already bought myself two tickets to the Kingsbury Hall performance and was waiting the six months it would take for December 7th to finally arrive. (BTW: the kids and I saw Mystre in Vegas in August, amazing!)

I was very excited as the day finally arrived that I could see the Blue Men.  Scott and I drove up to the university about an hour before the performance, parked the car and decided to just 'walk around until we found a place to eat.'  It was a very clear and cold night but the walk was refreshing.  We passed on the pizza joint, the burger joint, and the bagel joint and wandered into Indochine Vietnamese Bistro.  If you are in the area I would recommend you try this place for lunch or dinner, the restaurant was very quaint and the food delicious.

I had Bun Cha Gio which is basically a salad of rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and spring rolls served with a tangy dressing.  Scott had a noodle soup made of clear beef stock, rice noodles, fresh vegetables and most importantly an array of spices (the kind that make your mouth burn), which is his favorite!

After our tasty dinner and after a short walk to Kingsbury hall we settled into our seats to enjoy a night of fun.  The Blue Men started the evening by providing some audience activities to get the crowd fired up. I was amazed at how they used the slightest face gestures and body language to convey so much.  It was as if every movement was in slow motion, allowing the audience to catch the subtlities. The light show filled the hall and the music seemed to rock the seats.  It was certainly worth the wait to see them.

Today was a good day to:

watch the morning news from the elliptical

eat ice cream for breakfast (Haagen Dazs carmel cone, right out of the carton)

have my hair colored, and my nails manicured, my eye
brows waxed and my teeth cleaned

spent 12 minutes in a turbo tanning bed

wrap Christmas presents

snuggle up on the couch and watch Castle



Merry Christmas to Me!

Yep, I opened my Christmas present!
Santa must have known that I have been good all year because
it was dinner, shopping and The Forgotten Carols with Lacie.

Wait, maybe Lacie was the one that was good all year.....

Regardless, spending the evening with my daughter helped set
the tone for a joyous holiday season yet to come.

My Thanksgiving (in no particular order)

-A daughter (and son-in-law) willing to open their

hearts and home to my son.

- A very significant other who brightens my

day with laughter and love.

- Great friends willing to spend their morning

cooking a yummy meal.

- Loving parents and siblings who suppport me

with phone messages or in person.

and

- The freedom to make any decision I choose, while

realizing my full potential in this life.

Veteran's Day

I was leaving the house last weekend as Nicolas was returning home from 'drills' and what my eyes fell upon was a very impressive man dressed in his ACU's.  As he stood before me in his full military uniform I realized just how proud I was of the decision my son has made to do something of great worth in his life by serving in the Army Reserves.

Nicolas has opened my eyes to many unique experiences thus far, I knew nothing about dinosaurs before he came along, and nothing about scouts, ballroom dance, or Veteran's Day, and although Nicolas says Novemebr 11th is not about him per se (his comment is "I am not a Veteran'), I still became very emotional this year as I celebrated this day with more memorial than every before. I will savor these six years of reserve duty he is completing and look forward to a lifetime of Veteran's Day to remind me of the sacrifice made by my son and thousands of others on my behalf.

Date Night

I thought the first snow storm of the winter season would make for a good excuse to stay indoors and keep warm but one great guy decided that Friday night should be date night and off we went to enjoy an evening together.

We made the obvious choice for our 'dinner and a movie' an headed to the Gateway Mall where some of the finest restaurants in the city can be found.  Once we were safely parked in covered parking, we made our way to Z Trejas, who can go wrong with southwest cuisine?  After yummy enchiladas we headed to the theatre to watch Tower Heist, the movie my date had suggested.

The movie was a great choice but I left the theatre fearing the drive home on snowpacked roads.......... SURPRISE! the streets were blanketed with a thick layer of rain and as we headed home I realized that the best cure for the winter blues is getting out of the house and going on a date! 

My Best 5K Ever

was NOT today! I blame it on....

1.  The weather: who runs in 60 degrees? sunny, no wind, not a cloud in the sky?
2.  My shoes: there has to be something better than a Nike!
3.  The iPod: maybe Coldplay instead of Tom Petty would have helped.
4.  The route: I didn't see anyone else using the course I had selected.
5.  The time of day: no reason, just thought I'd throw this in!

It was a Nightmare on 13!

I've avoided haunted house for most of my adult life
 
having been to 'Night of the Living Dead" I remember why,
they scare me to death! Am I a baby or what?

Africa Is Life Changing

IT IS OFFICIAL!
I am very excited to be selected to be one of about 25 volunteers who will be traveling to Naivasha, Kenya early next year with Africa Is Life Changing, Inc. a humanitarian, non-profit organization whose on-going mission is to nurture the value of women and children. I have been assigned to the work with a team of medical volunteers to provide training in various areas including reproductive health, disease prevention, including HIV/AIDS and health screenings for women and disease prevention and general wellness children.

Since my passport is up to date and my travel vaccines are current, I will be spending the next several months concentrating on increasing my knowledge of Kenya, for sure I want to know more about how the country was settled by the British and how their independence came about.  I am anxious to study an atlas and see how the country is layed out, where the mountains begin and where the rivers flow.  I doubt I will be able to learn any one of the 40+ languages spoken in Kenya but I will be able to learn more about the Masai tribe who live in this part of the country and the Kikuyu tribe which occasionally occupy the area.

But more than anything else, I will be counting down the days until I am in Africa!
http://www.africaislifechanging.org/

Picasa for SENIORS

Earlier this year I logged into my blog and found my images missing?!?! What the heck?

I was running the photo program that came with my computer to edit, store, and upload images but something I did with my photo files deleted by uploaded files, and my profile photo was missing in Facebook as well! When I started asking around I found out that if I used Picasa these problems would be eliminated and I would be able to add slide shows to the blog as well. I was convinced!

Well after maintaining a blog for nine months and using Picasa for five I ended up with an unbelievable amount photo files (mostly containing 1 image each), I realized I needed to learn a little bit more about how Picasa manages my photo files within their program, how photo changes affect my stored photos and how the 'cloud' photo storage program works.

Enter the library, why pay for a book?


The only help guide available was 'Picasa for SENIORS" What an insult! Does the author really believe that the comprehension of this program is age related? Like if you are young you understand the program and do not need a manual, but if you are a SENIOR you do not understand the program, hence the manual? You know there is a third option. there's me!

I want to read the manual, try some of the techniques and bookmark the place in the book, then set the book aside.  A few days later I want to go back to the manual to review what I have learned or to read ahead and learn a new trick or tip.  I want to work ahead at my own pace and look backwards when something doesn't work right.

I need a manual for Picasa because I want to understand how the program works, and not because I am a SENIOR!

Jillian's Wedding

It is said that the 'weddings and funerals' in our life brings us together as a family, well I am blessed to live close enough to my children that I can see them in the good times and in times of sorrow and in many times in between! Nonetheless, at the wedding of Troy and Jillian Brereton I took the opportunity to have this

picture taken - It is my hope that in this photograph we may look back on this moment and recall a time when all was good in our family.  Children, life doesn't get much better than this. --Mom

Zebra Chic

Happy Bridal Shower Jillian!

In prelude to Jillian's wedding on Monday, Lacie hosted a bridal shower and scrapbook party for the women of the groom and brides families.

The shower was held in a centrally located condo clubhouse in Salt Lake. The dining tables set in black, white, and fuchsia, with dinner and silverware to accommodate the luncheon of croissants and salad. Photographs of Jillian were centered at each table.

Guests spent time scrapbooking recipes and marriage advice for the newlyweds to be included in a memory album Lacie is assembling.

Camp Frost

I spent Labor Day weekend in a cabin overlooking Bear Lake.

It was the first time I have been to Lava Hot Springs, went tubing (Bear River), or mountain biked. 

 



But the best part of the weekend was enjoying the company of some really great friends!

My Son Rocks!

I had one very stressful night! I replied to a text with a question waited 2 hours for a reply from a friend that is very consistent in our communication.  When I attempted to resend the text my phone failed to to send, then locked up. No calls or texts in and no calls or texts out. Since the phone is 3 years old and because I broke my Kindle earlier this week, I expected I would be replacing the phone and went online to evaluate my phone upgrade options.

Nicolas pulled the SIM card out of the back of my phone to verify that the phone was malfunctioning rather than the network, which gave me temporary access to my messages, etc.  He then used his laptop to update my phone (apparently it was not current), then he synced my phone to my laptop and restored my phone to last March (yep, my last sync date).

I (Nicolas) was able to retore my password vault, contact list, and photos but the information is 5 months old, which mean that all my newer friends and appointments for the next 60+ days are missing. What a small price to pay for a situation that could have ended up alot worse. With a very big sign of relief I will say, 'NICOLAS, YOU ROCK!'

The best gift of all!

Back when Nicolas was at AIT he asked me if I was interested in going to Las Vegas when he got home; unbeknownst to me, he and Lacie were in cahoots with a plan to surprise me with a trip to Sin City for my birthday.

As we are heading out the door for Vegas, Nicolas launches into this story about how he 'forgot' my birthday present at Lacie's house so we would need to take a side trip to Eagle Mountain to pick it up.  Seeing Lacie at 6 am dressed to the nines with hair and makeup should have been my clue that the kids had something up their sleeve.  I kept looking at Nicolas grinning and Lacie standing beside a stack of luggage and soon realized that I would be able to spend the weekend with both of my children.

If you were to ask Lacie and Nicolas what they got their Mother for her birthday it would go something like this, "we planned an out of town trip for her complete with a stay in the Hilton, designer dinner and a Las Vegas show (Mystere).  If you were to ask me what I recieved for my birthday it would be, 'I was able to see my children agree on a plan, work together towards a common goal, and enjoy each others company in the process.'  It really was the best gift of all.

My View

This afternoon's road trip took me south on Redwood Road, past the four corners, and Saratoga Springs, and past the gravel pit, to the wide spot in the road which turns into a shooting range.  We shot 2 handguns I can only describe as 'black' and I proved that I COULD hit the broad side of a barn at 20 feet!

A Celebration of Me

Buried admits the New Year's resolutions I made for myself this year was a 'Century Bike Ride' so I was pleasantly surprised when my friend Donielle asked me to join her for the ULCER 2001 (a 107 mile 'race' around Utah Lake).  I was especially excited when I realized the event would be held the week of my birthday, unfortunately, I was was scheduled to work Thursday, Friday, and Sunday so I knew that I would need as much mental toughness for this ride as I would need physical strength.


Team bikers were the first called for the 6:30 am start but Donnielle and I felt we needed every spare minute we could find in order to complete the course by the 5:00 pm deadline so we snuck into the pack as the second wave of riders took off at 6:45 am. 

We averaged just under 18 miles per hour as we pulled into the first rest stop 28 miles into the course, thus far the course was remarkably easy, the day was cool and pleasant, and everything was going as expected and we were having a great time. We were comfortable with our pace and decided to skip the second rest stop at 37 miles (9 miles) and push forward to the third stop at 48 miles (20 miles).

The third rest stop was at Lincoln Beach on Utah Lake.  The boat dock, pavilions, and lush green lawns made for a very picturesque lunch of pasta, fresh fruit, cookies. Perhaps the most thrilling part of lunch was the soda fountain serving all the ice cold Diet Coke you could drink! (I stopped myself at about 4 ounces). Donielle and I made this our primary resting point and after lunch patted ourselves on the back for successfully completing the first 48 miles.


ULCER 2011 pavement markers to keep you on course

 Our next full rest stop was at mile 72 (24 miles) with talk among the riders of a water stop near 65 miles.  I visualized Lincoln Beach on the south west corner of Utah Lake and was anxious to start heading north towards home.  Unfortunately Lincoln Beach in on the east side of the lake so the next 24 miles was biked in a southwest direction over rolling hills and among farmland and orchards.  The winds coming out of the south were hitting us head on and to be quite honest, this was the most difficult part of the ride for me.  I had never been to Genola and I could not see the Wasatch Front Mountains, so my surroundings were unfamilar.  I was fighting nausea as my heart rate hovered around 160 beats per minute and began to doubt that I would finish the race.

We missed the water stop and rode directly into the rest stop at 72 miles-an abondoned gas station in the middle of....I am not real sure where.  By now the temperature was soaring around the 90's, the wind had completely dissapeared, with no trees to provide even a brief amout of shade.  And I could smell a landfill! But I was now heading north with rest stops at 80 miles, 90 miles, 100 miles, and the finish.  Somehow I felt energized. 

I officially finished the race at 6:38 pm (20 minutes before the course closed) with a time of 9:25:51, an overall pace of 11.8 miles per hour.  I finished slightly behind Donniele placing 225 in a field of 234 women bikers. I am not sure when I will have the motivation to do another Century Bike Ride but a 30 or 60 mile race would be a lot of fun.



Hard to believe I had the energy to take a photo after 107 miles

 

August: My Birth Month

As I plan to spend time with the many special persons in my life today, this week and later this month in what appears to be a celeration of my birthday, I am increasingly aware of the unique imprint each individual places on my life.

T Sibling: White wedding cake with fondant icing makes birthdays so much fun, can't wait for next year!?

Girl Child: A sewing lesson, what a great idea!

Parentrals: Unlimited chauffeur services so I could get my personal life caught up-got to love them.

That One Person: A Large Band, and sushi and surprises at a height that I least expect them!

Boy Child: A wide open freeway, room service and the King.
V Sibling: A picnic dinner and theatre under the stars....did you pick your favorite production or mine?
Boy Child: To Be Announced
Coworkers: Who can turn a free lunch? Thanks guys.

Above the Clouds

My birthday weekend started with a road trip to Baker, Nevada. Who knew that four hours from home without cell phone or internet service one could get so much peace and quiet!  

Wheeler Peak, 3 miles from summit

Saturday mornings adventure started in the Great Basin National Park at the Summit Trailhead. We arrived early to hike Wheeler's Peak in order to avoid the risk of afternoon thunderstorms that often develop during monsoon season.  The cool morning temperature was a welcome relief considering the challenge ahead, we would be starting our hike at an elevation of 10,161 feet, and would gain 2,902 feet in elevation in just 4.3 miles!

The first mile meandered through magnificant pine meadows and past Stella Lake, but the picturesque setting was just a facade for the real work that lie ahead as we approached Bald Mountain (far right of photo, off screen).  Now above the treeline and exposed to the elements we began feeling the effects of a high altitude climb while watching a storm develop in our path.

The last 100 yards (the steepest) was impassable due to a large snow field on the trail so to overcome this obstacle we climbed straight up and over the massive boulders which stood between us and the summit. This photo taken at the summit shows a very tired hiker seeking shelter from what little protection the mountain had to offer. The skies were very dark and as we watched clouds come up over the summit then settle in the valley below, we knew we had little time before lightning would rein down us.  Remarkably enough, we were able to descent quickly and in the safety of the SUV witnessed the rainstorm this region is so famous for. 

Doctor W

The words every women hates to hear their Pharmacist say is, 'your doctor won't refill your birth control without an appointment.....' with the appropriate eye roll of disdain suggesting as if you would attempt to fool the entire health care community by obtain an additional month of contraception medication without proper authorization.

Proper authorization really should be, 'look lady, I am too damn old to get pregnant' but truth be told, I can't remember the last time I had a sinus infection, bronchitis, or other infirmary that would require an  office visit with any frequency then biannual at best.

I survived the weight in and somewhat excelled in the height measurement at 5 foot 5 and 1/2 inches.  I bypassed the urine test but came back strong for the PAP smear and ended the visit with 2 tiger tops and 1 lavender vial of blood collected and a referral to IMC for a current mammogram.

All this for birth control! I am awaiting the results from the two labs examining my body fluids and look forward to next week when the radiologist will be taking a look at my breasts.

Emerson Garden

The first zucchini of the season!

As the story goes, at the end of summer last year, Scott realized that I enjoyed gardening far more than he did, and offered to lease me his garden spot for $1 per year. Truth be told, I would have paid much more money for the opportunity to play in the dirt (but don't tell him). The garden sits on the south side of his Sugarhouse bungalow, raised 2 foot with landscape timbers.  It measures 25 x 10 foot and comes with the companionship of Lola, a very friendly Springer Spaniel. 

I planted herbs: anise, chocolate mint, basal, and a plant the nurseryman identified as curry which smells good as a potpourri but is inedible.  I planted vegetables: pumpkins, kale, radish, tomato, and zucchini.  And to tie everything together I planted a wide variety of flowers: african daisies, columbine, echinacea, sunflowers, sweet william, marigolds, calla lilys, and some alyssum.

As with all gardens, the view in the early morning hours as the plants struggle to find the days sunlight is amazing; here is a look at the garden today and while I am very proud of the view from the back porch, I am already looking forward to removing, rearranging, and reconsidering this years plant choices in next years plantings.

Dirty Girl Run

In what appears to be the first official weekend of summer, 4th of July weekend, Vanasa and I started our summer (weekend) with the Dirty Girl Run at Wheeler Farm. We met for a donut breakfast at Scott's house then drove Sam 'topless' to the event.  We drew the third heat which meant we were able to sleep in, but as our heat began at 10:30 were were certainly feeling the effects of a very warm Utah morning.

The events obstacle courses included a section of hay bales, a section of tires, a vertical climbing wall, military style nets to crawl under and large construction pipes to hurdle and walk through.  The late spring run off through the farm provided plenty of opportunities to walk through very frigid streams and while the entire course was four miles, bottlenecks in several areas and other hazards made it difficult to maintain a runners pace for any length of time.  This all woman event is geared to having fun with friends and not so much working out.  Yes Vanasa, I had fun! Thanks for inviting me.





My Next Quilt

While visiting some of the best quilt shops in Salt Lake last week at the annual Shop Hop I stumbled upon a line of fabrics by Lily & Will by Moda available in either pastel yellow, pastel blue, or pastel green and chocolate brown.
The quilt shop displayed a log cabin inspired quilt set with a solid cream center square and two row of logs varying from fabrics within the line.  The blocks were set with solid cream sashing and brown cornerstones.  It was important that I took note of every detail of this quilt while I was in the store since I decided not to spend the $8 for the pattern - I reasoned that if is was to use the quilt as inspiration (rather than a template) I would have final project that was my own rather than a copy of work done by someone else.
I enjoy sewing in the summer as endless sunlight bathes my sewing room with natural light, with quiet music in the background, I feel a peace.

MISSING: ONE ROOMMATE!

After spending I don't know how many days roommate-less, I am now down to 48 days and a wake-up until I will be sharing my apartment once again....here are some of the reason why I am anxious to have my roommate back from Georgia:

- Season Two, Episode Three of 24
- Grape Powerade Zero on sale 2 for $1, four cases would be a killer deal but would take me 48 trips from the car to the apartment
- And did I mention I am out of propane?
- I only cook for one so I never have leftovers.
- Road trips, and bike trips and plane trips....at the spur of the moment
- Theological analysis of life's mysteries
- A house full of young men I do not know, all hungry and sprawled out on the couch

Nicolas, come home soon...I miss you

S C R A B B L E

A shout out to all of my Facebook friends with a word of apology for the posts I am sending concerning my new obsession.....Facebook Scrabble! It started innocently enough as all addictions do, I was looking for a free version of Scrabble to download to my Kindle and while on Google I came across the Facebook edition and had to give it a try.

I clicked on 'create a game' and chose 'public' and was hooked up with Lisa C who's second word 'juntos' was placed across the triple letter and double word squares essentially shutting me out of the game.  I would forfeit but I have my pride to consider. (juntos: pertaining to a small group)

The second game was played privately with an employee I was working with.  I added her as a Facebook friend then created a game called 'worktime' and away we went.  The game lasted over three hours as she and I took turns logging into our Facebook accounts and adding words between work assignments.

I am also in a public game with Jhoy, Kenan, and Kellie and two private games with family members.

BTW: if you have a frowny face because I have not yet invited you to play Scrabble online, just download the Facebook Scrabble APP, create a private game, and invite me.

Day Seven

Tracy and I have already began talking about the next vacation....Australia in 2012 ??? I am told the scuba diving is amazing.  So even after receiving detailed instructions for debarkation, it was no surprise that we were running a little late and slightly disorganized as the day started. Who's idea was it have the guests vacate their staterooms by 9 am ???

After a leisurely breakfast and an on board announcement, 'will the remaining eight passengers please vacate the ship'...we headed to customs, and finally to the transfer to the airport.

Tracy, give me a few days to catch up on laundry and feel my birds and I will be ready to book our next adventure.

One last look back...



On board the Triumph with New Orleans skyline





Where am I?





Tanned, relaxed, and full of great memories

Day Six

A relaxing day at sea was a welcome change to the hussle of the last few days. The first thing on our agenda was the Debarkation video we were required to watch so we would know how to get off the ship. Then breakfast, pool time, lunch, more pool time, and dinner.

The Rome Lounge presented a tribute to New Orleans with a song and dance revival including a Mardi Gras parade, performers suspended from the ceiling and fireworks.  We still had two separate comedy shows, casino time, photos from the upper deck and bar time before retiring to our staterooms well after midnight.

Day Five

I am not going to lie, this whole cruise was Tracy's idea...he decided he wanted to go scuba diving in Cozumel for his birthday and well, here we are in Mexico.  Happy Birthday Tracy! I hope you are enjoying your vacation, I know I am.



http;//www.mayasites.com/gervasio.html

  Today, while Tracy was diving, I decided to go on a sight seeing adventure: The town of San Miguel, located on the island of Cozmuel, occupies 7% of the island while a tropical jungle occupies the other 93%. The town has a population of 70,000 and I was interested in the 'feel' of the country far beyond the tourist spots lining the coast.  Luckily, I was able to find friendly taxi cab driver willing to show me his country.

Our first stop was Maya archaeological site of San Gervasio, a site dedicated to the Mayan goddess lxchel, deity of midwifery, medicine and weaving. Here I am pictured at the arch at the mouth of a path which lead to a ceremonial alter.

I tried to photograph one of the many iguanas of the area but the truth is they are larger than house cats and very fast...it was all I could do to stay on my toes and avoid having one of them carry me off!

 

The high moisture content in the San Miguel area prohibits underground burial of the dead. Here is a photo of the elaborate mausoleums found in the city's cemetery.  In addition, the perimeter stucco walls of the cemetery has 18 inch square 'cubby holes' for those on a more economical journey through the afterlife.

Day Four

Let the adventure begin 

Today started with a room service breakfast and a transfer to a luxury bus for a two hour ride to the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza (pronounced chicken pizza) in the town of Progreso, Mexico.  Unfortunately, I forgot to pack my wallet, Tracy and I were a little bit late meeting the group on the pier, then Tracy dropped something in the bus bathroom, loud enough to alert the tour guide.  As we were leaving the ruins Tracy decided he wanted to haggle with a vendor over a $25 hat but with several hundred dollar bills in his wallet he was in no position to negotiate.

As we were walking to the cantina to get a drink (and break the hundred) we ran into the tour guide who reminded it us that it was passed time to board the bus. Tracy ran back for the hat and I started a very slow stroll to the bus.  As I was getting on the bus the tour guide asked me where Tracy was and I said, 'he will be here soon, he stopped to use the bathroom' to which the tour guide reminded me the bus had a bathroom. SNAP!

Two hours later as we got off the bus I asked Tracy if he would tip the tour guide (no wallet, remember?) Tracy came up with 4 one dollar bills, 3 twenty dollar bills, and all those hundreds......he gave him $4 which seemed to be okay until we got back to the boat and realized Tracy left his phone on the bus.

Surprise!!! The cruise line contact the excursion company, but the phone was not found.

Day Three

When I looked out the window this morning it was evident that I was no longer on the river.  Massive oil rigs and tanker ships were scattered throughout the Gulf on all sides of the Triumph.

With clear blue skies, and a small breeze blowing in from the ocean, the lounge chair on Lido deck was the best seat in the house.

Day Two

The Carnival Triumph, docked on the Mississippi River, set sail from New Orleans, Louisiana at promptly 4 pm this afternoon. From the upper deck I was amazed at how flat the area was (it's no wonder tornadoes can travel such long distances in this area).

It is going to take a few days before I remember how to get around this ship....dinner on deck 4, room on deck 6, pool on deck 9 and if I get up there before 10 am I can get some breakfast.  Casino on deck 5 and somewhere there ought to be a bathroom!

Eight hours into the cruise and we are still 'rolling down the (Mississippi) river' maybe tomorrow we will see ocean water.

Day One

Pre-cruise: Bourbon Street in the French Quarter

New Orleans, Louisiana

Lacie and Nicolas, this shout out is for you!

My New Favorite Gadget

About the size of a library card....

a WATERPROOF digital camera!

The Kodak mimi is the most amazing camera/camcorder I have ever owned.  The battery is charged by directly plugging the camera into my laptop so there is no cords to loose or forget at home. 

We (the camera and I) are going to Cozumel this week, check back for some great uploaded photos.

Mother's Day

Partway during the morning I began to feel an overwhelming gratitude for my children...which seems a little odd when you consider I would not be spending any part of the day with either of them today.  Maybe it is the solitude that pushes my memories back to days of hands-on mothering when each moment of my children's lives was superimposed onto my own.  Each decision they made, was my decision, each breath they took was my own.

Go ahead, ask me what I got for Mother's Day. I got two amazing children standing of the cusp of adulthood and I couldn't be happier.

Quilting by Betty

My new best friend is the quilting lady Betty.  I met her In the back yard of her Taylorsville home and was given a tour of her utility shed which holds the biggest long arm sewing machine I have seen.  I just picked my first quilt up and was amazed at he the spectacular design she had created which turned my quilt into a masterpiece, and its a good thing she is quick and inexpensive since I have never had so many projects going at once, here is what I am working on:

1) Floral quilt for Quilts For Kids, needs binding.
2) Pink baby quilt, needs to be quilted, and binding.
3) Animal quilt for Quilts For Kids, needs backing, quilting, and binding.
4) Polka dot baby quilt, needs piecing, backing, quilting, and backing.
5) Polka dot quilt for Quilts For Kids out of spare material????
6) 12 block appliqued quilt, I am on block #2 so I don't think Betty will be seeing this anytime soon....

It feels good to be back in the sewing room again, I've missed the feel of fabric as it moves under the pressure foot, thank you Betty.

TLC

If I could invent the perfect gadget this week it would be a brain implant that would provide a constant feed of channel 30 (TLC) into my mind - this would allow me to follow every single detail of the events leading up to the Royal Wedding, without spending the week on the couch.

Thirty years ago the English monarchy threw a shy preschool teacher into the spotlight with the expectation that the 20 year old country girl would be able to navigate not only her role as a new wife, but also this new responsibility of civil service.  Almost immediately Diana achieved her greatest success, that of becoming a mother, and by standards of 1986 she may have been a suitable choice for the palace, but by today's standards it is easy to see how inadequate she may have been.

Price William's relationship with the future Queen of England began the night he saw her modeling a see-through back dress. Undeterred that she had a boyfriend, he kissed her later that night at a bar.  Throughout the next years we saw them living together as man and wife as they expanded their common interests and more importantly, achieved their individuals goals.

The monarchy needs this bright, educated, warm woman to stand besides its King. Kate Middleton is the future of England and I am excited to witness this event and more importantly, I am excited to watch her in the future.  Too bad we can't get the royals to do a reality series like Nick and Jessica or Dean and Tori...now that would be MUST SEE TV!

Augusta, Georgia

After a week of rollercoaster events and emotions, I had the opportunity to drive Private Downs from Basic Training to Advanced Individualized Training.  It was our understanding that he was to report for duty at Fort Gordon on April 15th by 1700, but after two buildings and an encounter with a pesty Drill Sargent we were told Nicolas had a weeken pass until April 17th at 1130! Information I wish I had when I booked airline tickets.

It became Nicolas' first time off base dressed in his uniform and even though we were in a military town, there were surprisingly few soldiers in sight.  We found a PF Chang's and part way through the meal Nicolas was approached by restaurant patron.  The woman leaned in close enough to Nicolas to whisper in his ear.  I heard Nicolas say, "no Madam, that is not necessary" however, she continued speaking to him until he began to weep.  The conversation become solemn as she spoke and he cried.  When finished, she left a payment for Nicolas meal was quickly gone.

Still weeping, Nicolas pulled a notebook out of his pocket and began to record the events, both her words and those feelings he experienced.  Once the event was set in ink, he looked up and sad, "she wanted to thank me for the service I do for my country, which is why I do this for my country."

HOUSE

Of all my favorite programs recorded on My DVR this week, my favorite program today has definitely been House.  As the program started, House was passing time outside the State Penitentiary by making a martini, in time 13 emerges from the building and gulps down the drink. One has to ask what crime did 13 commit? How long has she been doing time?  How will House put her back on the team?  And in the background House mentioned that it would have been he and Cuddy's 1st anniversary, his new wife is out of town with her boyfriend, and Taub is 'dating' Racheal again...What great TV!

Here is a list of the my other favorite shows I will be recording (not in order)
Cake Boss
The Good Wife
Bones
Modern Family
Sister Wives
Body of Proof


  

Holding my breath!

I am not sure how this blogger thing is going to work, I like writing but I still think there is still a large part of my personality which enjoys tactile senses; touch, taste, smell.  These senses that are oftentimes blunted when we dive head first into cyberspace-facebook, text, email, instant messaging....  I miss the feel of a person when I can not hug them, and that little gesture they do with their hands is gone when I am reading post on a computer screen.

But, in order to understand technology you must embrace technology and I am giving this new media my best shot.  I am blogging!