feels like a sunday

well, happy day after super bowl! a friend of mine asked in all seriousness near the end of yesterday's game, "Why isn't the Monday after Super Bowl a national holiday?" and I think he has a point. Even an awful lot of people who don't watch football all season, find themselves at the enjoyment or mercy of Super Bowl Sunday. We ended up sort of having a floating party between a few houses on the block, which worked out very well.

The weather has been beautiful this week, it was so warm yesterday that it was a rare moment when a fan would have been nice. We've been enjoying it, though rain is on its way by Thursday, which will actually be nice too. Still haven't had enough and still haven't had a really good thunderstorm in a long time.

And now that the big game is over, the season has come to a close and we are already getting excited by the seemingly unlikely possibility that the Raiders will be a fabulous new and improved team next year. :) We can dream...

Best words of 2009!

"And there goes former President George W. Bush leaving the inauguration..."

Finally!

=o)

quoting

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities." Janos Arany

Happy New Year!!

I just love that "brand new start" feeling of a new year! I am not really one to make resolutions, per se, since I think every new day is a new opportunity to do things that are not currently working in our lives, differently. However, I am utilizing the milestone as a starting point for improving a few areas that have not gotten as much attention as things like work have the last several months.

I am excited about the possibilities the coming year holds and hope that each of you had safe and happy holidays and have started the new year out in ways that are joyful and meaningful for you. =)

Mele Kalikimaka

Happy Holidays! Wishing all of you cheerful days, safe travels, happy surprises and appreciation for the special people and important things we have to be grateful for. xoxo

I don't know this guy, but liked the video :)

quoting

Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable.
~ Albert Einstein

quoting

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
- Helen Keller

quoting

"Love is a portion of the soul itself, and it is of the same nature as the celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise." Victor Hugo

sky shows & other tidbits

the sunsets have been even more colorful and spectacular the past few weeks, the Fall sunsets here are my favorite, both because there isn't as much fog that gets in the way and because the sun sets right above the ocean horizon, so no hills, houses or trees to obstruct the view.

A few weeks ago it was a clear and colorful sky, but the water was a barely moving glassy calm, reflecting everything and the wet sand almost a perfect mirror - last night the waves were rolling in at incredible heights, huge fat swells rolling in several feet high and closing out into white water washing machine, making colorful mists and crazy cool reflections of colors everywhere we looked and the wet sand a misty mirror.

Also for our celestial viewing pleasure Jupiter, Venus and the crescent moon have been hanging out together in a cool cluster for the past few days, they look close enough to leap from one to the other. Last night it looked like a big, well - sort of off-kilter smiley face, sooooo cool and wont happen again until 2057.

I think between my other great photographing friend and I, we may have some pics to post soon.

Two of my friends were injured surfing this weekend, one bruised his ribs, board and pride, the other is sporting six staples in his head, I am glad to report they both should be just fine and if you can even believe this (I barely can) the one with staples in his head was looking to borrow shower caps or swimming caps so he could go back out yesterday!!

Thanksgiving was very different for me this year. Due to a number of factors, I ended up staying here in stead of heading up to see my family. It resulted in a very fun though not so holiday-ish day. I met a friend for breakfast and walked through an almost completely deserted SLO town, then came back to the U and met up with friends for an afternoon hike along the bluffs. We hiked for hours, went crab hunting which was hilarious and delightful and then came home to BBQ some delicious steaks! I hope your holiday was filled with family, fun, friends and feasts!

Giving Thanks

My most sincere gratitude for each and every blessing of my life :)

quoting

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

somebody say hoe

Much activity in the front yard today, time for a new retaining wall, so they will be tearing out the very old and unstable wood and replacing it with shiny new concrete complete with proper drainage.

I think this is fantastic for a couple of reasons: with the current retaining wall failing, my house is beginning to lean not so gently forward - away from the foundation, then there are the three rather large and heavy starter castles just behind and above me built in to a rather steep hill that I'd like to ensure stay stable and in place and lastly, I am thinking it will look nice and fresh and maybe even allow me to do a little more with the front yard, and that would be lovely!

All that to say that there is a backhoe ripping up my font yard as I write this and boy is it noisy :)

Subathing in November

If I lived in, oh,say - Hawaii, Arizona, or some other tropical or desert climate, the title would make sense...

As I watched football all day today and saw the snowflakes falling on the field, I had to really remind myself that Thanksgiving is next week - this is actually Fall, because looking around here what you see is a bunch of hot and sweaty people trying to deal with 90+ degree temperatures in a place typically quite mild that has been seeing some ridiculous and odd heatwaves this year.

The Santa Ana's are fueling the heatwave and of course several fires again. It is starting to feel like a perpetual burning and though I feel bad for everyone involved, it has been especially disconcerting because I know and love people and places that have been affected this year by the various fires, which includes some of those special people whose job it is to jump into these chaotic situations to help. Bright Blessings to each of you.

The posts have been sporadic because things have been rather hectic lately and I guess I let myself get caught up in the stress of it, far more than is typical and that I prefer. On the plus side, I think that is dissipating or at the very least I am just handling it all better.

It was a really nice weekend, obviously we had these beautiful sunny days, incredibly bright stars in perfectly clear skies - including a wish on a falling star, but we also had one of the best "community" weekends I have had in a long time. In the last 6 months or so, many of my closest friends here moved onto or within a block or so of the street I live on. We have been gathering and making great meals, playing board games and just hanging out together enjoying general shenanigans and lots of time outside too.

quoting

"Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus."
- Oprah Winfrey

Election Day!

Please vote today!

Thank you! :)