Hmmmm well I had coffee today with a familiar face who expressed to me that my blog is dry. Yes indeed. I'd love to tell you that I've "found myself," "fell in love," or "won the lottery" but I haven't been searching, tripping, or buying tickets respectively. "What have you been doing?" you ask. Well, that's also a complicated answer.
A picture is worth 1000 words. (I once asked a high school English teacher if I could just draw the essay rather than write out the 1,000 words; she was less than pleased with me at the idea.)
March 2010 Zihuatanejo Mexico.
The only picture that's missing here is the one Shanthi so so so badly wanted to get (well other than the one of the crocodile, but that's another story). We were entering the water after letting ourselves bake all morning and she commented on how high the waves were. My response? "They're fine. We'll be fine." The final sentence of "What could possibly go wrong?" didn't actually make it out of my mouth because I was too busy swallowing heaping amounts of salt water while desperately trying to hang on to (1) my contacts and (2) m'bottoms. As I was coming to, a photographer appeared from NOWHERE only to ask if we wanted a photo. Only to never see him again, we waved him off, thankfully for me, but Shanthi was kicking herself for not capturing the moment where I was a mess and she was still put together. I have assured her--as I will all of you--that we have many many years in front of us that will include many such moments.
For highlights that were documented, please visit the below link to see me, Shanthi, Bernie, Kendra, Katina and Marlene enjoying the weather, sites, and stairs of this beautiful Mexican fishing village. And its one Greek restaurant (I swear they find me, I swear) where they played the theme to Zorba and I danced and Katina was nowhere to be found...how convenient.
MEXICO Highlights:
Photos from a Plane!
Shrimp Tacos
Life is a Beach
Olga's home cookin'
Fun about town
Helping Marlene with her Beachtime PB
June 2010 Depoe Bay, Oregon and environs
Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good pun. I might even say that from time to time I upset people I love because I simply cannot control my verbal response (shots of punicillin don't help). So when I had trouble finding a B&B on the Oregon Coast, is it any surprise to you that I shouted "SOLD!" to myself, alone in my apartment, when I found "Pana-Sea-Ah," the B&B to "cure your ills"? The innkeeper was a great guy and reminded me of my friend Jamie. I felt at home immediately there. I took about 3 days to drive the Oregon Coast and back, to take in what I could from Astoria to Newport. Do I remember the crazy native names of the points? No. Can I recall the places where I ate (well other than "Tidal Raves")? No. Do I remember the stretches of roadway where I had the most fun? Absolutely. Below is a link of some points that I really enjoyed, and yes, those photos are taken from the driver side of a fast-moving vehicle, and joyfully so.
OREGON Highlights:
Bridge to Astoria over Columbia River (I love bridges so you will see many photos of them)
A rainy Cannon Beach, but lovely nonetheless
CHEESE!
A plane that's mounted above ground (this one made no sense)
My "Garden Room" at the B&B. If you have to ask why it's called that...
Views from the room, the day of arrival and the next day when the sun came out
Driving down the coast from Depoe Bay to Newport, and stopping along Yaquina Bay and Otter Crest Point
The inside of a lighthouse where the technology that was developed to reflect light is still used today
A dead seal. I watched kids throw rocks at it. I also was downwind from it, and I do not recommend that.
Newport's marina, home to some of the loudest seals I have ever heard
And really fun road signs (another travel interest of mine)
More to come. I PROMISE!!!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
There Was This One Time...
People: Who knew that one could be so busy and occupied when not working?! I have so many stories I want to share, from Whistler (was there for the Canada win of the Men's Skeleton) and Mexico (two words: shrimp tacos; another two words: with bacon). Of course, I am just getting my head around all that I want to write, but I am experiencing technical difficulties, as my internet access has been flakey at best. So, I have sought to find free wifi (thanks for all those suggestions!!) to take care of some things, I still haven't found time to do things like my taxes. So I promise promise promise to write more soon.
In the meantime, I leave you with this thought: If you had a month to spend however you wanted, what would you do?
In the meantime, I leave you with this thought: If you had a month to spend however you wanted, what would you do?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
I Need Someone Who Knows How to Get Things.
So last summer I anticipated late winter doldrums and planned a trip with some of my closest girlfriends. Though some could not make it (we'll have some babies to celebrate this summer and fall, and have recently welcomed William Constantine Hughes!), coordinating shedules was still a bit of a bear. All I knew about where to go when I asked them if they could make it was we're going someplace sunny and probably sometime in February. We finally settled on late February and the number of bodies.
I started to look for places via the interweb. I found several properties in sunny locales and in the process was reminded that I do not like this kind of thing. Managing details that is. So I found a place Trat fit the requirements but that I didn't love. My old and good friend Marlene gave me wise counsel: just pick a place that you want to go to and we will all be ok with this. Things always work out-esp when friends are nearby! So I dumped the place in PV and then found this one, a condo owned by a very nice lady named Mona who lives on Manhattan's upper east side. That actually makes her name Moe-na.
I am so glad and so fortunate that the timing of it all worked out that we left Sunday the 28th. This allowed me to voluteer at the Olympics. And now, in a span of three days, I have gone from sub-freezing weather to swimming in a warm ocean.
If you haven't figured it out by the title or the photo, I am spending this week in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, with some of my dearest friends. The photo was taken on arrival at our/Mona's place. I am flanked by Marlene (left) and Bernie. Katina and Kendra are with me, and Shanthi is on the way.
I think we're going to be just fine.
I started to look for places via the interweb. I found several properties in sunny locales and in the process was reminded that I do not like this kind of thing. Managing details that is. So I found a place Trat fit the requirements but that I didn't love. My old and good friend Marlene gave me wise counsel: just pick a place that you want to go to and we will all be ok with this. Things always work out-esp when friends are nearby! So I dumped the place in PV and then found this one, a condo owned by a very nice lady named Mona who lives on Manhattan's upper east side. That actually makes her name Moe-na.
I am so glad and so fortunate that the timing of it all worked out that we left Sunday the 28th. This allowed me to voluteer at the Olympics. And now, in a span of three days, I have gone from sub-freezing weather to swimming in a warm ocean.
If you haven't figured it out by the title or the photo, I am spending this week in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, with some of my dearest friends. The photo was taken on arrival at our/Mona's place. I am flanked by Marlene (left) and Bernie. Katina and Kendra are with me, and Shanthi is on the way.
I think we're going to be just fine.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I Blame Oprah
I found myself this morning, on my day off, standing in line at 8:20 am for the Olympic Store to open. Never in my life have I done that. And the kicker is it was for mittens.
If you've been watching the coverage you will know them. They are red, with the Canadian flag's maple leaf on the palm and the Olympic rings on the back. Oprah opened a show wearing them last week. It would have been easier for me to be audience member to get them.
I didnt want to risk loaing my spot to go get coffee for the 45 minute wait. The line was a block long by the time the store opened at 9 am. The mittens were in a bin (given how quickly they sell out one might think that they would at least put them out on a table, but no) and EVERYONE was there at 9 for them. The limit on the number to buy has been reduced from no limit prior to the opening ceremonies (where was my head then?), to 4 last week, to 2 today. Eleni was not pleased with this news. People were pushing back and forth and crowding. We were all here for the same thing. I don't understand what happens to people on these situations. I have never been to Filene's Basement. I have not trained for this. I find myself unprepared. I was trying to be nice and disapproved of those who weren't. I actually had to tell a lady much older than me to "take it easy." Finally some nice man just started throwing out pairs to those of us in the back who couldn't reach. The hoarding still happened though, as people held onto what they grabbed. People clutched onto their booty, while eyeing others'. Negotiations began. "Anyone have a small for this large?" I slowly made my way to the second queue, this time for the cashier, to make my way out. I was out by 9:15. I rewarded my heroism with a banana-nutella crepe.
In the creperie, an older couple came in. The man was in shorts--chilly for that, I thought--and he was walking with the aid of hand crutches. I was sitting in the rear and gazed at the couple through the window. Once he made his way into the cafe, I noticed he had 2 prosthetic legs. With Paralympics on the collective Olympic brain, I did not think twice about it. What I did contemplate, however, was: Why bother with socks?
If you've been watching the coverage you will know them. They are red, with the Canadian flag's maple leaf on the palm and the Olympic rings on the back. Oprah opened a show wearing them last week. It would have been easier for me to be audience member to get them.
I didnt want to risk loaing my spot to go get coffee for the 45 minute wait. The line was a block long by the time the store opened at 9 am. The mittens were in a bin (given how quickly they sell out one might think that they would at least put them out on a table, but no) and EVERYONE was there at 9 for them. The limit on the number to buy has been reduced from no limit prior to the opening ceremonies (where was my head then?), to 4 last week, to 2 today. Eleni was not pleased with this news. People were pushing back and forth and crowding. We were all here for the same thing. I don't understand what happens to people on these situations. I have never been to Filene's Basement. I have not trained for this. I find myself unprepared. I was trying to be nice and disapproved of those who weren't. I actually had to tell a lady much older than me to "take it easy." Finally some nice man just started throwing out pairs to those of us in the back who couldn't reach. The hoarding still happened though, as people held onto what they grabbed. People clutched onto their booty, while eyeing others'. Negotiations began. "Anyone have a small for this large?" I slowly made my way to the second queue, this time for the cashier, to make my way out. I was out by 9:15. I rewarded my heroism with a banana-nutella crepe.
In the creperie, an older couple came in. The man was in shorts--chilly for that, I thought--and he was walking with the aid of hand crutches. I was sitting in the rear and gazed at the couple through the window. Once he made his way into the cafe, I noticed he had 2 prosthetic legs. With Paralympics on the collective Olympic brain, I did not think twice about it. What I did contemplate, however, was: Why bother with socks?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Fun with Apps
Normally that would mean appetizers, but not this time. Here's a little photo I took this morning at the north part of the village. As you can see we have a small flame up here too. I used colorsmash to adjust the color you see in the photo. Hope you enjoy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
