Measure for Measure

Every year there is a Shakespeare On The Lake series. It's held on Sand Harbor, which is also our favorite beach. This year the two plays that you could choose from were Measure For Measure, or Much Ado About Nothing. We went to Measure for Measure last night with a group of friends.

There is something magical about watching a great play, written by The Bard himself, while enjoying a good bottle of wine and wonderful food. You can either bring a picnic, or buy there. We chose to buy dinner there, and some of us had grilled tri-tip sandwiches or grilled fish tacos. The menus were varied and well-prepared, showcasing fresh vegetables and lean meats.

As I sat watching the sun go down on the Lake, and stars appear in the sky, I swear I could smell the beautiful clear water. I have always thought water didn't have a smell, unless it was chlorinated or not clean, but now I can actually smell water, including the stream running behind our house. Fresh clean water is what I am grateful for today. It is our last day on the beach with our daughter and grandson, and I will drive back to Portland with them tomorrow for a few days. So today is our last summer day together. It's bitter-sweet, and I will enjoy it to the max.

Hope your summer is going well, I have enjoyed reading your blogs this past week. On occasion I've tried leaving comments that have been eaten by Google. As soon as I pick a "user" which is Google, my comment disappears. Especially for those blogs outside the US. Firefox won't even let me sign in, so I've been using Safari. Anyway, I will visit you again. Have a great day!

Break Time

I'm going to take a break from posting for the next week, in order to spend time with my family, who are here visiting. My grandson is very busy. He requires lots of attention! I will be visiting all of your blogs and catching up on past posts. I've missed having the time to read what you have to say!

Remaining Flexible

http://www.terragalleria.com/index.html

We are currently experiencing a cold front. My husband said something today about snow in the mountains! What? This is August! Yes, I know we live in high elevations, but August is summer, not the start of fall. Of course this had to happen just as my family arrived to spend some time at the beach. Now, we are having to make alternative plans. The ice chest and floating toys remain with the beach umbrella, stored away.

Isn't that just the way? You make plans, have it all arranged in your mind, and when the time arrives, your plans are only a blueprint. Time to regroup, find ways to assuage your disappointment, and move on.

Maybe the man who decided to blow away all those women in the LA Fitness Center should have considered this concept. Women didn't like him? Hmmmm, I wonder why? Could he have always been a person with a "chip on his shoulder?" Always blaming someone else, in this case women, because he couldn't connect with love?

Flexibility is my word for the week. I'm working on being flexible in my thinking, in my desires, in my outlook. It's not someone else's fault I feel disappointed. I need to own my feelings. I may not have control over what happens in my life that is not in the plan, but I do have control over how I respond.

So we're off to do something different today. There is an art show in Truckee, CA, a mere twenty miles from here, or bathing-suit shopping in Reno, or a walk along the beach. Swimming will have to be another day.

But this day is perfect. Because I want it to be.

Bad Ju Ju Closet Finale

Here is the closet we had built into our spare bedroom. It took about six months of pinning the contractor down to do it, and seven weeks of actual work (it was supposed to take three days). He managed to avoid me with the skill of a true Houdini. The end result was not what I had planned, but will be enjoyed none-the-less. It doesn't have the doors I wanted - to match the entry door to the room, it has a pull-out laundry bin instead of tilt out, it doesn't have the shoe rack, and they built the bottom cabinet too low for the hanging bar. But they charged a fraction of what Closets by Design quoted, and since we did the painting, it looks pretty good.

Isn't that what life is all about? Dreaming of what you want, working to get what you want, but being satisfied when the dream isn't exactly what you expected? Learning to enjoy the dream anyway. Learning to be happy with what you have, and not bemoaning what you don't.

I really like my Bad JuJu Closet. It has drawers for my guests to use, a big space for soft luggage, a place for laundry, and a hanging bar for short things. I love the green glass pulls. All in all, I'm happy. And for those of you following along on this "test" of my ability to keep my temper - I passed!

But we will not be doing anymore projects for a while!

Perfect Market

I am preparing for my daughter and grandson, who will be on their way here this afternoon. So off I went to the local Farmer's Market in Kings Beach. The market is small, with less than ten vendors, but they have everything I want. I used to enjoy the one in Lake Oswego, when we lived in Portland, but it was big and took a couple of hours to scan and then shop. This one takes about two minutes to see what everyone has to offer. Then the shopping is over in less than half an hour. Perfect. More time to spend cooking and planning for my very special guests.

Look at these strawberries! It is so nice to be near California and all it has to offer in fruits and vegetables.

This is the view the vendors have while they are open:

Hope you are having a lovely day!

Dynamic Dynamo

(Here is where we found her one day - she had put herself in with the dog.)

When my children were four, I can remember them being a challenge. Four is a time in the lifespan where they understand many, many things. However, they do not always understand the consequences of their actions. So they have will, ability, and impulse working at high speed, but the frontal lobe, the center for higher reasoning, will not kick in fully for another twenty years. If you add intelligence to the mix you are apt to have a dynamic little dynamo of a four-year-old. Which is exactly what my great-niece is - a dynamic little dynamo.

My brother, her grandfather, is smitten, and very patient with his little sweetheart. He's protective of her and makes sure she has all her needs met. Her mother is a young mother, and hard working. Father not in the picture. Which has caused some problems lately as she wants to call her grandfather Daddy, like her cousins do to my nephew, their daddy. He keeps reminding her that he's Grampa, not Daddy. We all feel more than a little sad, when this is said.

Anyway, yesterday Lu and I dead-headed the hibiscus plants, gathered apples from the apple tree, read books, and watched The Backyardigans, stored on my computer (for emergencies with my grandson.) We were getting ready to leave, luggage in the car, saying our goodbyes when Lu grabbed my purse and started twisting and pulling. Fearing she would break the strap, I let go, thinking I would just get the purse back after she held it for a minute. Well, she immediately, in a flash, ran it over to the pantry, tossed it in, locked the door from the inside and pulled it closed! My purse was locked in the pantry. You need a key to open it. Well from the looks of dread on my brother and sister-in-law's face this was not going to be easy. The key had been missing for some time! A locksmith had to come out and open it the last time the pantry door had been locked. He'd charged $40, and because they are outside of Sacramento, probably more for the drive.

So for the next hour Lu and I read books while my husband, brother, and sister-in-law tried everything in the book to get that door open. Hangers, knives, thick pieces of plastic, credit cards, screwdrivers. Taking the door off the hinges was not an option, unfortunately. My brother finally sawed through the lock. The knob will need replacing, but my purse was freed!

After a great visit, wonderful swim, and a party with my family and cousins, we were finally on our way home. But I'm very honored that Lu liked her great-aunt enough to try to get her to stay a while longer, thinking she couldn't leave without her purse. And, it worked! She got an extra hour of story time.

Shrangli-La, Sacto Style

We are off to spend the night with my brother in Sacramento, CA. Earlier in the week a neighbor said he had just come from Sacto, and it had been over 110 degrees. I noticed it has cooled down, and the forecast is in the low 90's and high 80's for the next couple of days. Just as long as it's hot and the mojitos keep coming, I'll be fine. My brother's property is first rate. (He he, I didn't say terrific.) He has a giant cabana with built-in refrigerator, sink, bbq, ice chest, big bar, lounge area, 9ft deep swimming pool with waterfall, hot tub, outdoor fire pit, and numerous tables, etc.

My cousin has been there for a week.

She calls it her Shangri-la.

She'll be leaving and we'll be arriving.

Works for me.