Travel Synchronicity

Hi everyone - it's good to be back. I'm looking forward to catching up. I was on a trip that didn't involve much fun, even though it was to a beautiful location.

Trish told me to watch for synchronicities while traveling, and sure enough I had a couple - involving actresses, of all things. 

The night before leaving, I downloaded three movies for the long flights. Chloe, Date Night, and When In Rome.

The first movie I watched was Chloe, with Amanda Seyfried. It was a dark thriller, and had some serious sex scenes, which I had no idea would be part of the plot. As I was watching it, (and hoping the man next to me would remain sleeping, so as to not think me a perv,) I looked up and the same actress was in the movie Letters to Juliet being shown as the in-flight movie. In that movie she appeared to be playing a more demure role. Weird to watch her in a very dark role, only to look up and see her play what appeared to be a very sweet role. Even my husband was amused, and extremely curious about my movie, I might add...

On the way home, I decided to watch Date Night with Tina Fey. Just as I plugged into the movie, I looked up and the in-flight film was with Tina Fey in 30-Rock! So then I noticed in the movie I was watching one of the roles was played by the lead in a Netflix series I had in my bag, of which I had been catching up over the last week, and planned on watching the final episode after Date Night. 

There are thousands of actresses - what are the odds?

Boy Handled

That's what my husband has been calling our trip to Oregon tomorrow. He tells everyone we are going to be "boy handled."

It will be an experience. Our grandson has not been apart from his mother and father for over 24 hours in any one stretch. They will leave for 10 days to Costa Rica, and we will be the care providers of a two year old firmly attached to his parents. We have no idea how he will handle this separation, but we intend to thoroughly enjoy being with him. Now that my playmate is returning to work, this will be our last getaway for a while. Luckily the new company is allowing him to work from Portland, as I would have been alone with my little guy. (It's been quite a while since I've handled a two year old all by myself.) This way his Gumpa will have some quality time before our lives become tied down once again.

In other news, my youngest will be home from Thailand on Friday. Not a moment too soon for her family. She lost her only form of money the second day she was there! Thank goodness for Western Union and Internet cafes. Maybe next time she will listen to her mother when she tells her to take two ways of accessing money while traveling.

On second thought. Probably not.

Out of the ocean and back to the snow!

What is it about sleeping in your own bed after being away? It just never feels so good. The sheets are perfect and the pillows fit in all the right ways. I'm happy to be home although I will miss the ocean, sand, and sea creatures of all kinds. We were lucky enough to see a few humpback whales, one with her baby, still in the protected bay where they have their calves before the long trek to Alaska. April is the end of the season with December through March being the best time to see them. My husband managed to see two sea turtles, but I had a leaking snorkel and missed that highlight.

Spending time near the ocean reminds me of all the reasons we have to fight to save them. Starting with using less plastic, which always seems to make it into our oceans, turn off our lights to help alleviate coal accidents on protected reefs, make sure we don't use chemicals on our lawns that eventually wash into the sea, and since there are many more, I'll save that for tomorrows post.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to catching up with all of you. I know I've missed a ton!

Mahalo

I Found Green!

Hope to catch up with you later in the week. Life is very good in warmer climes. Although even here in Hawaii it is unseasonably cool!

Keep Her Safe, World!

Terra Galleria Photography - Thailand

The hardest thing for me to do is to let my children go off into the world. I know I have to do it. But it just wrenches me in a way that is impossible to describe. We spend our lives protecting them. Then at some point we're pushed out of the equation. We are no longer in charge. And while we know, on a deep level, that we've never really been in charge, we have at least had some idea of where in the world they were at any given time. Not so when they hit a certain age. That's when they make their own decisions to expand their universe.  Off they go, and we have no idea where they are. We know what country, but that's about it.

They'll travel in their own way, without benefit of knowing exactly where they will sleep that night. They will meet people without benefit of their parent's spidey sense, hopefully depending on their own. We did our best to develop it in them, after all. We paid for the inoculations, made sure they were carrying "Deet," sent them all the State Department updates, warned them against carrying their passport where it could be lost or stolen. We assure them we will pony up money if it looks like they will run out (and maybe make a poor decision about where to sleep, what to eat.) But after that? We have to let them go...

We ask the world to watch out for them. Keep them safe. Return them to us, please.

So I'm sending it out there -  Please world, watch out for my little girl. She is sweet, kind, a humanitarian. Her mother often learns from her. She's worth protecting. And if I come across yours? I'll be happy to return the favor!

Retirement Homes & Spring

I had the opportunity to shop with three generations of women this last week. My takeaway - it doesn't matter how old you are, women like to have something that makes them feel pretty. It's spring, and I'm finally digging out of the snow here at Lake Tahoe. My thoughts have turned to flowers, tree buds, birds, and lighter clothing. A trip to the tropics is on our radar and my daughters have also planned vacations. One is going to Thailand, which included a stop at the Travel Clinic, the other to Costa Rica, which doesn't require much more than what she already has, plus a bathing suit. My MIL, who is 97, also needed a few things, however, so my trip to Portland required some time at the mall.

It's nice to know that at 97 you can still care about how you look. She lives in a retirement home that has a certain decorum. They all have apartments, but take their meals in a centralized location that just recently decided ties were a bit excessive for dinner. But forget about shorts, that requires special dispensation. They do not want you out in the hallways in your bathrobe and slippers with curlers in your hair. The expectation is that when you leave your apartment, you are nicely dressed with hair at least combed. There is a beauty parlor in residence, and a small sandwich shop for guests. Most of the people who live there are from a more formal generation. They follow the rules and like structure in their lives.

So I started thinking what the retirement homes will look like for my generation. I really don't think ties will be something even on our radar. We Boomers are not very formal. I hope I don't get kicked out for trying to slip out and grab my laundry in the localized laundry room in my slippers. It would be just like me to test the rules. Not to mention my slippers are rather ubiquitous. In fact it's just like my generation to try and test the rules.

It may be a messy group of resisters in our retirement homes. Chaos in the hallways, calls to our children ...

Almost spring in California...

We had a great time soaking in the warmth. Los Angeles in March is great, but San Diego was even better. Off to the coast and a tour of Hearst Castle, (more about that tomorrow), and home to a light snow. Can't wait to fill you in on the gossip surrounding William Randolph, just in case you've forgotten that story...

Looking forward to catching up with all of you!

Lunch in Big Sur

Here was our view while having lunch in Big Sur last week. It certainly made the tuna fish sandwich. The California coast is really incredible this time of year. You can see why California cows are so happy!

Our next trip will be from Big Sur to Cambria. I can't wait.

Leaving on a jet plane..

Okay, so it's not a private jet plane!

I'm off to help my daughter move. This is the crazy season for her husband, so he is on the run, and she is also moving at her job. My youngest also moved in the last week, and I have heard from her several times, unusual to say the least. Could it be? Am I needed?

Last I heard oldest daughter didn't have Internet yet. Geeze, withdrawals.

But I will have my little guy to chase, and a two-year-old moves pretty fast!

Sea Ranch

For those blogging friends from California, I'm sure you know about Sea Ranch. But for those of you unfamiliar with the California coast, Sea Ranch is a planned development between Fort Bragg and Bodega Bay. It was designed to have homes that would not take away from the beauty which surrounds them. It has about 9 miles of trail all along the ocean front, but many more miles of trails up into the forested areas across Hwy One, which is also part of the development. It is a marine reserve, so the tide pools are always full of life. And you have your choice of several beaches, often with no one on them. A more beautiful spot would be hard to find.

We have brought our family here for many years, especially when our children were young. We would pack up the car with kids, food, dogs, kites and toys and head to Sea Ranch for a week of sun, beach, walking, napping, and just being together. Our lives were hectic in those days. Kids going one way, me another, and my husband always working. This week, every other year, was our time to spend quietly, communing with some of the most beautiful nature in the world. We would rent a different house each time. Some better than others - but that was part of the adventure! Everyone had a good book, and play was encouraged. Friends were not allowed to come on this trip - only family. That way we had them all to ourselves!

They're grown now, but the memories linger. We look forward to introducing our new grandson and son-in-law to Sea Ranch someday. If you have a chance, take a few days and stay at the lodge or rent one of the hundreds of homes that rent for several days, or weeks, and treat yourself to some exercise "Sea Ranch style".

Heading Out - Looking for Adventure (and whatever comes our way!)

There has been several posts about people heading out and coming back. I guess spring is the time to flap our wings a bit, and see what's out there. Here are a couple of snapshots of the beautiful Redwood Forest in Northern California, and of course, the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Hope you are enjoying spring wherever you happen to be.