Sounds like great adult fun, Karen! Today, we have: played playdough, played in the snow...the sliding was pretty good down the top of the garden down the field...played with matchbox cars (80 something of them), princess castle...and gone to McDonalds (one time treat)...now I am letting them watch cartoon because I am tired, too! You should hear the bartering for snacks...lol...Neil is on the road tonight so it'll be Chinese (he won't eat it)...so treat for Me!
Sunshine, sitting in...doing nothing....sounds like Heaven!

Thanks for the explanations! I don't remember being limited to one yard or the other. There was never much traffic anyway.

The backyard is the yard out back of the house; if you play there your ball is less likely to go in the road

The dooryard is the yard out front, by the front door. Unless mom said go play in traffic I wasn't usually found out in the dooryard.

On Wall Street we had little or no back yard, it was lawn on both sides of the house. Was my porch by the front door the door yard? Jeez..........

I always heard play in the backyard!

Sounds like you're all having a nice holiday. We have a lot of "together" times, but not at Christmas. Right now Omer and Rafi (my sons) are in Panama with a friend. Omer is surfing, and Rafi is probably relaxing on the beach. He's still sort of recovering from his separation with Kristine. Danit and Darren were supposed to go to visit his parents in Denver for Christmas, but they postponed the trip. Things are a little tight financially for them right now, so they'd rather go another time. Besides, they're having extra cold weather in Colorado right now, and neither of them likes the cold. Actually, it's been really cold in L.A., too, but I guess it doesn't compare to the snow and ice kind of cold.

Karen, I guess I managed to grow up in Vermont without knowing what a dooryard is. What is it?!

For my family supper has always been the end of day meal. Dinner is something that we might eat Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, or Sunday "dinner" . It's fancier or just plain more food. Oh well.
I was happy to have the boys arrive; as always I fell for the "We'll be really late." story. They know I'm anxious for them to come home and they tell me something like we got started really late, they blame each other; the roads are really icy and we had to go super slow on the highway, had to work late; you get the idea. Then when they know I'm upset and worked up they pull in. Sometimes they are actually telling me these stories while parked in the driveway. I'm just such a weak vessel and they have such fun at my expense. so of course they pull this Christmas eve and then waltz through the door. Jeez. So we had our usual Christmas eve events but we did it quite a bit later than usual.

Maybe it's a Vermont thing, Kathi. Like Jesum Cro.

So did Santa come and bring you all nice presents? Did you hear about the crazy guy here who dressed up as Santa and went to the house where his ex-wife and her family and others were having a party and then started shooting at people? He killed 8 people. Why are there so many sick, crazy people in this world? Sorry, I shouldn't have even mentioned this. Not exactly what you all need to hear right now.

I say supper too, Lori! Must be a "Springfield" thing!!
All of my kids will be home on Friday. Tomorrow Neil and I are going to my
niece and her husbands for Christmas dinner. It'll be a nice "adult" time...before all the kids arrive. I just went to church for Midnight mass (which is actually 8:00...in the middle of the mass, all the lights went off...luckily, they had lots of candles going. It was really pretty...and the lights came on after about 10 minutes.
It is raining here now...making the piles of snow go down. I am sure it won't all disappear and that Santa will find his way, he'll have to pretend that its snow!
May you all have a joyous Holiday, filled with love and joy!
Happy Thoughts.............

It's nice to see someone else says "supper" besides me. My kids laugh at me cuz no one in L.A. seems to say supper; they all say "dinner." Anyway, Merry Christmas to all of you! Enjoy the holiday and your families!

It's Christmas Eve. Dave, Jack and I just finished supper and tracking Santa via Norad. He's in France. I'm waiting impatiently for the boys to arrive. For me, Christmas will start then.

God bless all of you wherever he finds you this evening.
- Pat

Thanks, Karen! I like the feeling of holidays and vacation, but I can't say I'm caught up in the holiday spirit. We've been lighting the Hannukah candles and eating "soofganiot" (the Hannukah donuts), but that's about all--but that's okay, I'm just taking it easy, not complaining....

karen, the words to the kenny loggins Christmas song you posted and the idea of knowing the spirit of the holiday reminds me of a fav poem of mine that was written by emily dickinson.

hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul,
and sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all,

and sweetest in the gale is heard;
and sore must be the storm
that could abash the little bird
that kept so many warm.

i ’ve heard it in the chillest land,
and on the strangest sea;
yet, never, in extremity,
it asked a crumb of me.

Yes, we have at least 15 inches of snow plus the winds are brutal. Windchills are way below zero...I went and got the mail, enough of being outside!
I spent the day with 3 of my teacher friends doing lunch and our little Christmas.
It was fun...instead of us cooking, we ordered Chinese...from the little trailer on Clinton Street. Pretty tasty and easy! Plus we ate at my house, so even better!
Stay warm...happy thoughts!

We are enjoying 15 inches of fresh snow. If the wind would die down this would be much less of a big deal.

Yes, yes, yes, it is snowing. We have had a foot of snow since Friday and it is snowing heavily now. Personally, the White Christmas thing is getting to be very overrated! I am tired of shoveling already....luckily, Neil is home today, so its his turn with that fun tool. We have had 2 snow days...1 late start and 1 early release...we are now on vacation until Jan. 2, when they scheduled a inservice day.
How crazy...a Friday...heat up a school for one day then a weekend...after vacation.
What were they thinking?
Drive carefully...I am hibernating today!

The concept of a white Christmas is no longer up for discussion, we are about to get smacked with a foot or more of snow and it has just started. Yikes! Guess we better hit the grocery store today.

watch out Kathi, if I'm getting it then I think you either already did or you will, right? How many snow days have you already had?

Karen when your family be home?

2 days 19 hours to go..................

3 days and 8 hours according to Norad; Santa is gearing up

Kathi try it again. She has reposted the opportunity because so many people missed it first time around and wrote in. It's under Oprah's gift to you (left side of screen about 1/4 of the way down)

I just checked the site and it seems to be available. It's good music! No versions of Grandma got run over by a Reindeer.

We sang those songs all week in Kindergarten...not quite like the mall...but I know what you mean, Lori! Talking about music, I guess I missed the Oprah music deadline because I couldn't get the songs to download...but thanks for mentioning it Pat!
Still snowing here.............

Avi's sister couldn't stop humming "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" when we were at their house the other day. When you go to the mall, you hear that song over and over, and it gets stuck in your head. I do love those Christmas songs, though.

Did you get your free download of Christmas music from Oprah? It's good stuff

Forecast for today: SNOW....SNOW.....SNOW until 3 am tomorrow morning....how much? We will wait and see. Another storm coming on Sunday with even more snow then todays...so stay tuned for the snow bulletin! Let's see if we end up with a early release!

Pretty scary about the broken gondola tower. You're lucky you missed that experience. It's been really cold here, too, and we can see the snow on the mountains in the distance, so I can pretend I'm in Vermont.

It's snowing here but starting to lighten up a bit just now. We have 4-5 inches of fresh on the ground. It's pretty in the trees out back. The delivery guys had to shovel a little to bring in my living room furniture . We ordered it a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and it arrived today. Now we having more than one chair each to sit down.

We spent an overnight in Portsmouth early this week. Stayed at the Wentworth Inn. It was beautiful. We had a fabulous view of the ocean and the grounds. I spent the morning at their spa. Very very nice. I fell sound asleep during a facial. Yummy.

We visited with Kevin and Colin both nights, on the way down and back. They'll be home for Christmas next week and then we probably won't lay eyes on them for months. Colin has a new job cooking at a pub a couple of blocks from home so he walks. Kev is still doing his massage therapy classes and will finish up in early April.

We're going to the Bangor Auditorium tomorrow to enjoy A Leahy Celtic Christmas. We're looking forward to some holiday entertainment. It should be a good show. Like a Christmasy River Dance.

hi kathi, you are right. in the last three days i found snow all the way from whistler to vancouver to seattle to madison to champagne illinois and then all the way here to burlington and it keeps on coming. i can't tell you how many SUVs i saw doing dog tricks like- roll over and play dead. seeing SUV wheels raised in worship to the skies is a different look. i was fortunate to arrive here without more than a couple hour delay and i had no car issues across about 1000 miles of driving in the snow. my checked bag was not so lucky. i hope it will show up later this morning. i was also fortunate to be safely away from whistler. yesterday, a gondola tower broke on a gondola that i rode on four times- just two days before. i saw pictures with gondola cars hung like over ripe fruit. the good news is that it is not their new peak2peak gondola. on that one it is the highest you can be suspended from a cable in north america (i am pretty sure). so now i have to regroup and head back to the office. dum, dee, dum, dum

SNOW DAY....SNOW DAY.....SNOW DAY.....We are suppose to get 3-6 inches of white snow today...school is cancelled...I have mixed up bread and that is rising..got lots to do....and I suppose I'll have to shovel too...Another storm coming on Friday..bigger then this one...so....when to do shopping????? I have to make my granddaughter a birthday card...so that will be my first priority this morning (her birthday is Saturday and she will be 4)...
Richard you will find lots of snow when you get home!

well it was pretty cold on the mountains today at whistler and blackcomb. it was -20 C and with wind too. the snow was thin and terrain was limited. in spite of it all (including 20 minutes on a chairlift that stopped), it has been really fun. i found powder on some off piste trails and along the edges of the open trails. there are friendly people here and a real party spirit. i haven't been around the whole apres ski thing for a while. people from all of the former english colonies seem to have come here for the weekend. i guess we, in vermont, were an english colony too. wow, i guess i was with kindred spirits and the party following rebellion and liberation continues here. i think i will go back to the bar and buy a round for my new found mates and we will raise a glass to our liberation from victorian oppression, tea, and scones. i hit the road early in the morning and will drive five hours to seattle. then i start my three day journey home. it has been a long time out on the road, but it has had some very good moments. the high desert in new mexico was special. i see why georgia o'keefe dug it there. be good, have fun.

My God Richard, that all sounds exhausting. I like to travel but not like that for sure. How do you stand it.

We are iced in here also. The trees are beautiful but there are many branches down. Power outages like in VT but it's slushy on the roads as the temp. is rising it's "just" raining now. I think I won't go out though I have a water exercise class at 11:30. I have a little wrapping I could do like you Kathi and there's always the ongoing UNPACKING. Dave keeps reminding me that we haven't been moved as long I think and it's OK that we aren't able to find anything. It's driving me crazy.

You are lucky to be away from the Snow and ICE, ICE, ICE. Everywhere is closed today because of the weather. Trees down...luckily we have power here. It took Neil a hour and 20 minutes to drive to Brattleboro...now he is driving in MA where it is mostly raining.
So what to do on a snow day...hummmm....baking, wrap presents....I think it will be a good day!
Travel safely Richard....be careful snowboarding....got to watch out for those "old" Vermont bones.

hi. i am on a bit of a walkabout. over the last couple of weeks i have been in huntington beach, tempe, oakland, san jose, albuquerque, santa fe, portland, seattle, vancouver, and victoria. the funny thing is that my flight from santa fe to portland also stopped in san diego and reno. hey, that is nuts. the outcomes have been good. the prospects of remaining employed are always a concern and i am doing some high stepping these days to be walkin' fo' da' cake. saturday will be cool running at whistler. i will be snowboarding and the jamaican bobsled team will also be arriving in whistler this weekend for training in preparation for the next winter olympic games. sunday, i am off to chicago, madison, champagne, and home for a day. then i go to providence, boston and i am back to burlington for the holidays. i find it all a little odd that a person would travel as much as i am traveling. when is someone going to figure out that "beam me up, scottie" thing?

Yes, I think it is an especially friendly place! And I'm glad we're all still in touch.

Well Lori, I may not have been one of those guys, but I still liked you. Spfld. was one of those rare and wonderful towns where you can move away, (end of grade 5 and move back0; start of grade 6 and find your friends are still your friends. And here we all still are all these many years later. We're a lucky group!

Yes, those East School years were good, weren't they? I think 5th and 6th grade were 2 of my best years. I liked a lot of boys, not just Brian. There was also Chris Daniels, Ricky Vogel, and Dickie (not Richard!) Loveless. I was so mad that my family moved away after 6th grade. The next 2 years were downhill for me. Things only got better when we returned to Springfield in 9th grade, but by then everything had changed and none of those guys liked me anymore!

Patti, that's good you found someone from P.I. living nearby. I think it gets a little harder to make close friends when we get older, but I'm still in touch with friends from all different periods in my life--high school, college, Israel, and the ones in L.A. of course. Karen and Richard (and Brian) go back to grade school years. Wow, that's a long time! One of my best friends here in L.A. is 87. I can talk to her about everything. She's like a mentor to me.

Oh my goodness kathi,what a memory you just evoked! Way back in high school those young ladies who were involved in Jr Miss went to the Hartness House one afternoon to be interviewed by the judges and that was a question that everyone was asked! Something about how many best friends do you have and the importance of it being the count of one hand's fingers. Oh my goodness. I'm amazed your remarked brought that back to me. Of course my fondest memory of that day is that I had a head on collision with Mike Graham on one of the corners going up the hill to the Inn on my way to the interview!

My friend Barb and I did all the cooking...the whole idea was to make it a nonstress night for everyone at school...with all the construction, etc...we never see each other to talk. So, it was a nice time for them. I had fun, too....
I think sometimes all we have in common with others are our life circumstances...like school and friends with kids parents...work..friends with those we work with...high school friends...we don't always get to stay friends w ith all of them! I always feel your "real" friends stay friends no matter what. You are suppose to count on one hand the number of "real" friends you have..

wow that's a long time Karen, Congratulations to them!

Kathi, I can't believe you cooked so much for your party that's amazing. Did people bring something also?

I went to lunch today with an old friend from back in P.I. We were friends through our sons way back when they were in school in town. Over time as our kids separated so did we. Why do we do that I wonder. Is our children the only thing we have in common with people? Some probably and in others much more I'm sure. Excuse me i'm just have a little conversation here with myself. So anyway, I found out she and her family were living in a neighboring town, called her up and we hopefully will be grown up friends without our kids.

I'm making gluten free lasagne tonight. yum.................

Congratulations to your parents Karen! How wonderful...Whatever they have done, has worked!!! I agree with you...may we all be so lucky!
It is so cold here today...high was 14 or so...guess its really winter!

Wish we were all closer then we could do fun things like that for each other!!
Karen could decorate for us....I could help cook....and Lori, you could write poems about how nice your friends are!!! haha

Kathi, can you come cook for me?

The staff get together at my house went great! Everyone had a great time, eating and visiting....My friend Barb and I made all the food, so all everyone had to do was come. So with lots of good food (of course...we had: shrimp cocktail, meatballs, veggies, dips, spinach/ricotta puff pastries, ambrosia, spinach salad, marinated chicken, ham, potato salad...and probably more that I forgot..cookie trays for desserts. The next day, I get a note of thanks from the teachers and was taken out to lunch (didn't have to do lunch duty) by our principal and secretary. I was surprised but managed to make the most of it!!!
Just put my Christmas tree up (after going to cut one down)...I'll let it rest before decorating! Now to do shopping......

Boy trying to log into accounts and change my profile are a pain. If I don't remember part of a log in they can't sent it to me because I know longer receive mail at the address they have on hand. I was just placing an order from St. Jude's and had to completely re register. But I got it done.

I had an international evening with the folks at Time Warner and Dell yesterday. First fellow was in Pakistan. Interesting enough I guess but then I hd sever hours with mohamed in India. His is originally from Dubai and has been here in the us on two occasions meeting with friends. CA at Electronic Arts is where his friends are. So he and I were working on my laptop. I no longer have wire connectivity. no IP address. So I even took my Dell apart and remvoed the card for wireless but it help. My new warranty took 24 hours to kick in so I was supposedly going to speak with Mohammed again tonight about what they be doing for me next. The times are way off and i'm heading to bed but they are just up and at em over in Bangalore. I have taken a sleeping pill so I'm not likely to be very responsive to the call. Oh dear.......
We did speak about the situation in Mumbai. Bangalore is quite a ways away but Mohamed had many serious things to say about it. He felt there could have been nothing to be gained in such a terrible act. Many public official are in trouble and are quitting over their grave error.
I'm falling asleep by now.
karen V if you're reading thanks for the heads up on the Hallmark card virus. I receive 6 of them. They were all over the school email program. No word on if anyone opened them,.

Kathi, your grandchildren are so cute!

Karen, I'm also trying to fight the results of overeating the whole Thanksgiving weekend! The pounds stick like glue at our age. It's so annoying.

Now Avi's brother and his wife are going through a serious crisis in their marriage. Seems like they shoved a lot of stuff under the rug and just kept smiling, and now it's all blowing up in their faces. It doesn't look too hopeful right now. I think that if both sides want the relationship to work out, it will, but that doesn't seem clear in this case. They haven't been able to have kids, and that has put a lot of stress on their marriage. Life isn't easy.....

There was about 2 inches of snow....so only a 2 hour delay this morning for school.
It is actually quite nice starting at 11....and ending at 3:10...Made the day go by really fast!

SNOWING here....suppose to turn to rain later on....maybe a late start to school tomorrow!!! Fighting a cold which is very annoying because I dont' have time for that....we are having a staff get together here on Thursday night and I have too much to do...just don't feel like doing it now...maybe later.

My oldest granddaughter cried from here to Northampton because she didn't want to go home...how sad is that!

Today I'm just resting and taking it easy. We had all of Avi's family here on Thursday. I thought we'd be 23 people (with a few friends), but we were "only" 20. My sisters-in-law help a lot, though, so it really wasn't that bad. But then we had a replay on Friday--not with the whole group, but about 12 of us--cuz it was my mother-in-law's birthday. At least we got rid of some of the left-overs. I've never gone shopping on black Friday, and now after hearing the news about that guy in Walmart that got crushed to death from the crowds, there's no chance I'll ever go. What an awful way to die.

It's quiet here now as the boys have just headed back to Portland and Taylor is in her room talking on the phone with a friend. Usef Islam is on the stereo, Jack is napping in a chair and Dave is researching cameras. I was knitting but I got distracted and here I am! We sent some food home with the guys and hopefully the desert thing is about over. Overload!!!!

Taylor and I went to a knitting specialty store today for their big sale but we all avoided the whole black friday experience. Tonight will be quiet I imagine. left overs for supper and a movie from Netflix. I think we'll watch Hairspray. (the new one)

Happy days .................

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!
We just got back from my brother-in-laws house in MA. He made an amazing meal...and of course, many many desserts...I don't need to eat for a week. Neil was excited with a big screen tv and surround sound...It was like sitting in a movie theatre..anyways, I have decided that 2 l/2 hours in the car with tired cranky kids is really not that exciting!
I think that people are decorating now because Thanksgiving is so late this year.

I too like to take my holidays one at a time. I will do some Christmas decorating as weather allows after this weekend. I like to start with winter things like snow men and hold off on Santa till we're closer to the actual holiday. It'll be interesting to see what my new neighborhood looks like.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone wherever you are, whatever you choose to do. - Pat

Karen, I heard from Kellan. He very nicely gave me permission to use his art work. It's a very cool, wintry piece.

We have friends from P.I. stopping by tomorrow afternoon for a visit. Our first official visitors! then tomorrow evening in dribs and drabs we will have 4 more family members come for a few days. I'll be pooped by the time Friday night comes but it'll be the good kind.

My son Rafi said it sounds like college dorms for old people! That pretty much captures it.

Here in ME the Assisted Living Facilities are primarily not nursing homes and not afiliated with a hospital. The one you describe is very much like where both of our mother's lived for a while. Lovely private little apartments with optional dining areas that look much like a gracious dining room in a hotel somewhere. Many local entertainers and functions are held for the edification of the clientele. Many are still driving heaven help us and have garages and storage facilities. They're pretty nice. For me the biggest downer was not having your own "front door". Though the place my grandmother lived in for years in Milton, did have "front door"s to all the apartments. Very nice.

Yesterday our poetry group met in the Assisted Living Home where one of the women now lives. I couldn't believe how nice it was--a cozy, warm, nicely furnished house. She had her own room with a little garden outside. I said I'm moving there when I get to that age! It's so different from the nursing homes I've seen, which always seem kind of shabby, depressing, and stinky. They arranged a room for us to have our meeting in. We had a huge table loaded with refreshments. Some of the group met a little earlier so they could have lunch there, but I passed on that cuz I was imagining nursing home food like tasteless chicken, boiled potatoes, and jello......

Karen, I just checked out your son's site, too. He has an amazing imagination. I showed Avi the site (cuz he does graphic arts on shirts), and he liked the drawings, too.

Don't worry, Patti, I'm not sitting here grading you all on your spelling!

BRRRRRRRRRR..........
High in Springfield today was 20 with a cold wind blowing. I went out shopping to find my grandchildren snowsuits and boots so they will be able to enjoy the lovely winter weather in Vermont and Connecticut. I am snuggled under my fleecy blanket watching Food Network Thanksgiving cooking....such excitement!

I tried looking for an e-mail address on the site and didn't see it but that doesn't mean it isn't there. I'll send my e-mail adress to you through outlook. Thanks - Pat

Wow Karen i like Kellan's work very much. I was trying to find an email address so I could ask his permission to use his work as desktop graphic on my comp. I particularly like the Land of Frost. It seems quite apro po for right now. (think I spelled that wrong) Hope Lori doesn't notice, she always told me I was so good at spelling. .................

karen, kellan's work is so good and he has done lots of good work. he got it from somewhere- patience and grit.

Well, you learn something every day. I never heard that expression, but maybe I just don't listen to the radio enough. When I'm in the car, I usually just listen to one of my CD's--unless I'm in the mood for silence, which I am a lot of the time!

The sad part of these fires is that we are only hearing about the "stars" homes that are effected by them...Rob Lowe talking on Oprah...Christoper Lloyd...all that destruction is sad for all. Air quality, beautiful wildlife and land compromised in part by human error. Human lives fighting these huge fires is scary too...

Gas prices here are below $2...first time in forever. Sad for the people who booked their oil prices in at $4.89 a gallon and are stuck in those contracts. Someone is going to be making money somewhere! And its not the general public.

It is 17 degrees here this morning...very cold yesterday with the winds. HOpefully, those winds won't be blowing for recess today! Found my thermals!!
Have a good day everybody. Happy Thoughts...............

What is a CarBQ? Burning cars? They said one of the fires was caused by a bonfire. Our cars were covered with white ash.

Thanks for all the good thoughts about my surfer score friends! Doing it was actually very enervating.

So the party was this a.m. A rousing success! We had 8 ladies arrive. Several who had moved here in the last year and had not met one another. A couple who said they used to do this sort of thing but for some reason stopped. I imagine it's because so many of their neighbors left. Just a thought. There were moms with children who were a common age and did'nt know it. So we did a good thing on several levels.

pat, great surfer score. i think that having the party puts that one (never turn your back on the ocean) pretty high up there for a score, but you get to pick. it is a good time to take the surfer rules test after you have done a ton of personal work and change. it often shows that things are quite good even though you probably feel like you just got hit by a beer truck :-)

karen, i am glad that i do not have to do a daily drive in traffic. good luck getting to court. i also like how the price of gas is causing some people to slow down a little (me too).

Lori, do they report CarBQs in LA on the morning commuter radio stations? They do in Connecticut. Brave Kathi survived rain and CarBQs. By the way, I can tell you about a wild place to get a burger in San Diego if you ever head south. I also can tell you why the seahorse tatoo on the waitress's arm is upside down. It has to do with what she is doing when the seahorse is right side up. The tail is wrapped around a chicken cuz she likes 'em. She says you can imagine it to be whatever bird you like. I didn't really get that part. It looks like a chicken. What are you guys smoking in SoCal?

I'm glad to hear from you Lori, we all are. Too bad about the BBQ. ick.........

Driving in the pouring rain is definitely an accomplishment. At least you had something to look forward to at the end of the drive, Kathi.

Yes, Karen, we can smell the fires here. Smells like a barbecue (from animals getting burnt?). It's not right where we are, but it looks smoky at the horizon. They tell us to stay inside and keep the windows closed--and use the air conditioner.

Patti, you deserve a 10 for going through the surfers rules in public!

kathi, you know i travel plenty. driving to cheshire ct in the rain is an accomplishment. i have never seen a place that had me on the edge of my seat as much as going through connecticut in the rain. it can be like driving into the spray of an aerosol can. not fun, but your destination sounds good :-). i will be driving to providence at the end of this week. i better mount the winter tires.

karen, you are really making me re-think surfer rules with a scale that goes up to 12. this is disturbing. maybe you can help the judge re-think punishments for crimes committed. driving in morning traffic may be one that could be given out to the guilty crooks.

As everyone here knows, I am not very worldly nor do I travel much. So, I can proudly say that I drove to Cheshire CT this weekend all by myself in the pouring rain to find my daughters new house. I spent last night and today, visiting with my grandbabies (who really aren't babies any longer)...helping to unpack and make things easier for my daughter. All my children were together helping each other, which was very heartwarming to see. Now CT is the central location where we can
all meet...us being the furtherest away...but it is much much better then 13 hours on the road one way to see them.
I, too, saw your house picture Pat...and wish you much happiness in your new home!
Guess you have us all thinking Richard with your surfing rules!

Alrighty then, The Surfers' Rules

1. Have passion: Am I smiling? Since you ask, yes I am. give the girl an 8.
2. No dare, no flair: Have I joined the volunteers at the local library, inspired a knitting group at same and signed up for the local wreath decorating class? UhHuh. Again, 8.
3. Expect to wipeout: I'm going with shit happens here: Well, I still break into tears alot and have a lot of worry (among other things) that I won't see my "girls" anymore, so I give me a 5.
4. Never turn your back on the ocean: the Boy's Scout's Motto fits here I feel; expecting the unexpected and rolling with the punches; my neighbor across the street moved here in Aug. she has decided the WE need to have a getting to know you party. So we will, at 10 next Wed. Hope somebody besides us shows up! Score? help me!
5. Always look outside: It's been raining since we moved in for the most part. So I've enjoy the wow Christmasy feeling o discovery when I open incorrectly marked boxes. I'm still looking for my cutting boards. They were with the bread machine. go figure.... Score me a 7 here
6. Move before it moves you: That was interesting, I'm not sure I fully apply this, but I have to say, I think I've jumped if not dived into the deep end or certainly I've tried to so...I'll give myself 6.
7. Never surf alone: I am delighted to say that I never surf alone, any more. *8

Richard, never doubt that I love you. I began to love you one prom night when you called and asked me to the the prom. You certainly made me laugh over and over through the years and were if you don't know it, a constant friend. - Patty

Wow, I didn't know the surfer rules had so much history behind them! I don't know if I want to give myself a score right now, but that's good that you periodically evaluate your life. I try to do that every year on Yom Kippur. I can't say it changes much, though. The same things need improving every year.

Patti, I got the picture of your new house. It looks beautiful. Enjoy it! You changed your email address, too?

hi lori. the surfer rules have an interesting twelve year heritage with me. while i was attending uvm (the second time) and was working on my masters degree in business, the vp of ford motor company's global purchasing came to speak to us. he controlled something like $4.5 billion in annual purchases being made under his span of control. the list of countries around the world that do not control that level of annual tax revenues to bring management and change to their countries is not a short one. the ford purchasing big dog was on a transcontinental tour promoting the make-over second-coming of taurus. in hindsight, that model is looking good and promising compared to the road that suv's have caused the big three to travel. we all know that ford says, "quality is job one," right? well, the ford purch big d pressed this point and he described the surfers rules. he described how the surfer rules can be used as a summary analysis of quality. his point was to say that the quality of work, accomplishments, and direction at ford could be evaluated by seeing how these things match up to the surfers rules. i quickly scribbled the surfer rules down. i am a good note taker :-) and i checked with my professor after the fact to be sure that i captured them correctly. i have looked, but have not found the surfer rules listed anywhere else.

that is the beginning of the story. from there, the surfer rules have been part of an interesting journey for me. i use the surfer rules to periodically judge the quality of my life. i actually score myself on a seventy point scale every few months. what i do is to imagine a ten point scale for each surfer rule. for example- i consider "have passion" and think about the level of passion i would like to ideally have in my life. i set my own scale from zero (no passion) to ten (all of the passion that i could ever want). my scale is surely different than what another person would pick. then i go through the other six surfer rules, i consider my basis for personal rating, and i record my answers. for me, a strong and positive score is anything above 50 (average individual surfer rule scores at about 7 or 8). i also look to see if all my scores are similar or if there are gaps. for example, it is difficult to get a high score for "expect to wipeout." how can anyone boldly say that they are ready to get run over by a train? also, "never surf alone" has been one where i would like to score a ten, but i have had a lot of trouble getting that score up to the level of the others (maybe, omer has a similar experience). so the overall score tells you how things are going in general and an analysis of gaps provides some ideas for where personal growth can help.

here are my "surfer rule" scores that i would give myself right now.

1. Have passion- 8
2. No dare, no flair- 8
3. Expect to wipeout- 4
4. Never turn your back on the ocean- 7
5. Always look outside- 8
6. Move before it moves you- 8
7. Never surf alone - 8

this is a good score of 51. it is also a tight grouping with the exception of being prepared to wipeout. this gap tells me what i should focus on. my poor score for "expect to wipeout" is due to the fears i have about the tough economic straits we are in, having tons of college loans for my kids, and the fact that i am not getting any younger.

you should score yourself and see if it tells you something.

Richard, I showed Omer, my surfing son, those surfing rules. He liked them--and asked where you got them. The only one he doesn't always follow is the one about not surfing alone--which makes me really nervous. He said it's never so long, though--maybe 15 or 20 minutes in the morning until people start coming or in the evening if he stays in the water a little longer than the others.

Everything seems to be blowing up here. Fires breaking out all over, and last night a helicopter kept circling around looking for someone (after we heard gunshots that sounded like fireworks). And besides all that, 2 cockroaches suddenly scurried across our floor. I was used to seeing them all the time in Israel, but never here. Seemed like some kind of sign!

Pat, change can be so hard- especially before it has happened. "Darkest before the dawn" comes to mind.

Here are the Surfers Rules which are the words that I try to live by.
1. Have passion (the meaning of this is clear)
2. No dare, no flair (the meaning of this is clear)
3. Expect to wipeout (this is similar to the boy scout motto- be prepared)
4. Never turn your back on the ocean (keep an eye out for threatening conditions)
5. Always look outside (stay alert and aware for new opportunities)
6. Move before it moves you (if you are not already paddling when a good wave comes, it will go right by you)
7. Never surf alone (I hope you understand this one)

So maybe it's good to have low expectations. Then things turn out much better than you were expecting!

I wish I could take a picture of my cat right now. He decided that he needs to sit with me. Well, I am on my laptop sitting in my recliner. He jumped up over the computer to the right side of me..laying between my body and the arm of the chair..with my head on the edge of the computer...and he is purring loudly. Hes also prety warm so I guess I'll let him stay!
Hope everybody is well...Happy Vetrens Day...Happy thoughts........

That's awfully hard to watch your children being sad. Kevin too has separated from the woman he thought he would be with for his future. Funny way to say that but I hear him say he'll never marry but wants to spend his life with one woman. He's so sad and it's hard to be even only this far away when he wants to talk so much. The phone can be so awkward.

We are settling in nicely and I find I am happier than I expected to be. How about that...........

Thanks. I think things will work out for the best one way or another. You're right, Kathi, there's nothing we can do but love them and support them--though it's taken me a long time to learn not to make their pain my pain.

Its hard watching our children work out their lives. We want to take away the painful processes for them...but in the end can only offer our support and love. Hopefully things will work out for the best for Rafi and Kristen.

Oops, I pushed "publish post" and didn't write anything. What I meant to write is that we'll put politics aside and talk about other things. I always like to hear your take on things, Karen, and there's plenty to talk about besides politics.... like me feeling sad that my son Rafi and his wife, Kristine, are separating. They really love each other, but it's just not working for them. She has personal issues she has to take care of before she can be in a successful relationship. I feel sad, but also good because I think Rafi has a good, strong sense of himself now, and I trust him to make the right decisions whether that means being with her or without her.

I'm impressed at all you women sports fans. In high school I went to all those football and basketball games to see my friends, not to watch the game. I don't think I cared who won. But I did have fun playing my trumpet in the marching band at football games!

I'm going with my daughter soon to a gospel music performance--The Blind Boys of Alabama. I love that music.

Pat, I am glad that you are back on line with us! Sounds like you have things under control in Hampton!
My daughter and family are moving to Cheshire, CT next weekend!!! I am so excited that they are going to be 3 hours and not 13 hours away!! They decided just to rent to make sure this is where they'll want to stay. So guess where I'll be next weekend?? Hugging those Grandbabies!!! It is nice because they will be 1 1/2 or so from Suzanne and John in NYC...and Andrew and Amy go to CT to visit her grandmother, so they can now all get together somewhere other then my house!
The sun was shining a little bit ago, now it looks like rain...as long as its not snow....not ready yet!

I just couldn't stay awake but I told Dave not to say a word to me in the a.m so I could find out the good news on my own. Earth shattering and world changing. Wonderful.

So, boxes galore even with all the movers took away with them. all the room are just a bit smaller than we're used to I'm adjusting to that. Nothing major damaged but several small problems that the insurance with the company will cover.

What fun though, Varsity state soccer games take place right here in Hampden today with both the P.I. boys and girls playing for the title. Guess where I'll be?!

Okay, then break a champagne glass for me, too, Richard. So it's safe to say I'm really excited that Obama won?! I don't remember people being so passionate about any other election. Both sides have been really passionate about their own candidate--the McCain supporters I know hate Obama, and the Obama people definitely don't have many kind words for McCain and Palin, so I didn't want to offend anyone here. (Avoiding conflict as usual!). I think it's encouraging that Obama DOES get along with people who disagree with him. All the wars are caused by each side thinking they're right and the other side is wrong. It's never that clear in my opinion. Both sides are right and wrong. And now I'll leave politics to the politicians.....

well i can tell you how dangerous i got. at 10:00 when i could see which way the outcome was headed, i went to the store and bought a nice bottle of champagne. i popped it at 11:00 and sat by myself enjoying it until about 1:00. my frugal new england nature told me that the champagne would go bad if not finished, so i did. i woke up at 4:00 still sitting where i was at 1:00. the tv was still on and they were still partying in chicago. i smashed my champagne glass, yelled "mazel tov" to barack, and went to bed.

How dangerous can we get Lori?
We'll see how our "lives will change" for the better...one can only hope.

That's great, Kathi. I'm happy for you! Three hours is definitely do-able, even by yourself.

Is it too dangerous to talk about politics here?

Pat, Wishing you a wonderful moving experience! May you find joy and love in your new home.
Talking about moves: My daughter in NC is moving to Connecticut! I am so excited that my grandbabies are going to be 3 hours away and not 13! The have to be out of their house by 11/15. Neil is flying down to drive the truck up for them...and I will have to find my way to their new place to pick him up....and help unpack/babysit! I can't wait!! Wish them luck...I can't imagine packing up a house, 3 kids, husband and moving 500+ miles while taking Master Degree classes. Guess it helps that they are young! Kudos to my Southern son-in-law for moving up just before winter!

Wow these guys are working fast! We will be in the new house tomorrow afternoon. They'll deliver TH morning but they have almost everything on the truck already and it's only 3:09. they'll probably leave within the hour I think.

Dave is going down to the Dem headquarters tonight to watch the results come in and hang with some guy friends. I had a chance to join a couple of my girls this afternoon at lunch time for a quick so long. Our neighbors have been stopping in too.

Must be exciting to watch a movie being filmed. Any chance you can get an extra job?

karen, what fun that david d. and gimme moore are in town to film. it is funny that he did x-files and that she is like something from x-files, crossed with sex-files, crossed with excess-files. my guess is that bruce willis is still smokin' from whatever that was- but, hey, if it doesn't do you in, then it makes you stronger, right?

Keep us all posted on your new adventure! I am sure things will go smoothly.
Think positively!
It is cold here today..sunny but with a cold breeze. I was going to go out and finish the leaves but haven't yet..maybe in a bit.

Good luck from me, too. I hope everything works out the way you want it to. Change can be fun.

Moving van arrives tomorrow a.m. We're making chili for some friends for our last supper here tonight.

Then they might still be capable of squashing him like a bug if he's in the wrong kind of car. My son, Omer, seems to find the women here boring. Maybe he's not looking in the right places.

probably.

You mean the ones who only care what kind of car a man drives?

what he likes and misses most about LA may not be too big for you. i had the feeling he was thinking most about what he misses as he was describing tall strong women in rural north carolina who he suspects are capable of squashing him like a bug. it is just a guess, but i think it is the women in LA that he misses.

What does he miss in L.A.? It has its good points, but I still don't feel attached to this city.

wow lori, you and wendy are funsters. i did not go in the dark room where you feel interesting things and i am kicking myself for missing it. i also have not been to the winchester house. i have checked it out on-line and will make it a priority on my next visit. there is also a really nice japanese area in san francisco. there are some shops with furnishings that are especially nice. i met a friend of mine from LA, yesterday. He has just moved and is now living in far western north carolina. he says that he misses LA.

Wow, that's a long time to wait on line. I hope I won't have to wait that long. And that's supposed to be shorter than the line on election day?

By the way, Richard, I took one of your recommendations. Wendy and I went to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. It's a neat place. Did you go through the Tactile Dome? It was fun, but kind of scary to be in total darkness for 10 minutes--walking through narrow places, sliding, climbing. I felt a little claustrophic in there, but it was definitely worth experiencing! We didn't have time to go to the other places you mentioned, but we did go to the Winchester mystery house in San Jose. Have you been there? A really strange house with doors that lead to nowhere and tiny steps, really curvy, narrow hallways, etc. I wasn't expecting San Jose to be a pretty city, but Santana Row was really colorful and artistic-looking. Color wasn't what I was expecting to see in the hi-tech world. Anyway, it was really fun going on trains, seeing new things, walking all over, etc. etc. Wish I had more fun friends in L.A.

Patti, at least you have time to say good bye slowly to your friends and life in P.I., so you can get used to the idea of leaving.

Snow squalls here today too and incredible winds. Dave will be home in a couple of days and then the countdown really starts. Our paperwork has all be signed and sent off to the relocation company and we're ready for Monday a.m to close on the Hampden house.

We're going to avoid Halloween by meeting at a restaurant and then hiding out at home.

I've been knitting like crazy. Not having to go into work has meant I've been able to meet some friends downtown to knit while they're on their lunch hours. It's been fun catching up on some projects I haven't been able to finish. Plus our evening group has gotten so large that we can't even all speak with one another. So the smaller group is nice.

Hi Everybody,
I hope your week is going better. It has become cold here in Vermont. Snowshowers today...nothing on the ground in Springfield...but the kids at school were excited.
I wasn't...It is much to early for me...We don't even have all the leaves raked off the lawn! Richard, you might have some on the ground...keep it up North!

hi. thanks for your comments and thoughts about my stinky week behind me. this morning will be the first time people at work will be looking each other in the eye about our co-worker's death. i am sure that means many interuptions for me. of course, i don't mind. i just don't know anything, including knowing what to say. i agree with the view of suicide as a selfish act that has far reaching impact. i also know that some people are in lives that have become so painful that it leads to that place. it is all just so sad. anyway, i will put on my game face and try to get past it.

To answer something I think you asked about Lori. Hampden is approximately 5 miles south of Bangor. Close enough that Dave will will riding his bike to work when the weather allows. We were aiming for south of the city so that we'd get to camp and the boys more quickly. Dave's dad too. We have company coming for Thanksgiving, the boys, Jack, (dad) and Taylor, Dave's niece who is a freshman at Harvard.

Dave will be back this coming Friday night. Then he'll stay with me for our last week here. He's taking a full truck load and pulling a trailer down with him this trip. So all the gardening equipment and heavier house things, like gym equipment are gone as well as a lot of boxes we had packed up ourselves in preparation to show the house.

Richard, I'm sorry about the loss of your friend. There can't be understanding for those left behind.

I hadn't read about the burton situation but went to the web tonight and read about it. The cutting issue is a huge one for me. I've worked hard with a student who is only 11 and spends much of his time cutting. For him and for many county kids the "new cutting" is to use an eraser until you have broken through the skin for the bleed. It's horrible and I've caught him at it, it makes my stomach turn and my heart break. Too many 11 year olds have parole officers and court dates for the way they live.

I have a problem with suicide, too. We had it happen in our family and it is very very difficult to deal with. They have no idea of the aftermath to the ones left behind to pick up all the pieces.
One selfish (in my opinion) act leaves many unanswered questions..making one wonder if they missed the "signs" and what could have, should have been done to prevent such an event. I've never come up with the "answers". We just have to remember the good things.....

Lots of company at my house this weekend. Suzanne and John came up on Friday. Finally got the rest of all the wedding stuff out of my house! I made lots of food...including 2 apple pies, which were pretty tasty! Andrew and Amy came up last night. We played the game Apples to Apples for a couple of hours, and then they played Taboo...it was fun. Today was spent doing leaves...making cheese blintzes...cornbeef dinner..watching the Patroits win...and waving goodbye. Very quiet here now...need to work on those Halloween cards for my little kids...hope things are going better for everyone! Happy Thoughts............

I didn't know about the Burton thing (guess we don't get the news out here in L.A.!), but I agree with both of you.

Sorry to hear about your friend at work, Richard. I have a hard time understanding suicide. It seems like there are enough obstacles in life already, and no matter how desperate or depressed we feel, there's always the choice of doing something else, isn't there? Last night I went to a condolence evening at the house of a woman who is in my poetry group. Her husband died last Monday, after battling leukemia for a year. It was an evening of prayer and spiritual poetry--really emotional. I've never been to a "shiva" like that. People also told stories about Norm, the husband. I didn't know him, but his wife, Jean, is an amazingly strong and special person. People said Norm was a good listener, very empathic, and gave really good hugs. I was on the edge (and beyond the edge) of tears most of the evening just listening to how much love people had for Jean and Norm. And I was impressed that Norm cared enough to vote before he died.

hi, the playboy chicks were something that i also complained about, but here are the words of another that may say it better:

I fear many folks are missing the point of the protest against Burton over its choice of graphics for some of its boards. This is not about freedom of speech or artistic expression. I agree they have the right. And this is not about me or anyone else being "offended". My objection is not moral or artistic. My objection has to do with the influence cultural icons, such as Burton, have among our youth with regard to what is or is not healthy behavior.

I am an avid snowboarder. I am also a professional snowboard instructor, Level II certified by the American Association of Snowboard Instructors. I have ridden Burton products since I switched from skiing to riding and feel strong loyalty to them. Yet their marketing decision relative to showing self-mutilation and playboy graphics caused me to participate in today's protest march.

In addition to being a snowboard instructor, I am also Vice President of the Board of Directors of Spectrum Youth and Family Services. Every day our staff work with youths and families who are struggling with wide ranging issues so common in our society today, including self-mutilation and domestic violence. Spectrum and other mental health and social service agencies work incredibly hard to attempt to undo some of the damage being done among our youths and families by violence, whether inflicted by others or self-inflicted. With regard to self-mutilation, many folks don't know how wide-spread the problem is in America today. It's a big hidden problem.

It's clear that Burton doesn't "get it" that using such images as marketing tools promotes the idea that these things are normal and healthy.

Giving Burton the benefit of the doubt, I am willing to presume they see these graphics as "edgy" and "artistic". I'm willing to presume that they are not experts in mental health or domestic violence issues. I am willing to presume they intend no harm.

But rather I ask the "powers that be" at Burton to open their minds and hearts to those who deal with mental health issues among our youth and families and who deal with domestic violence. Listen to the folks who are experts in these areas. You know not what you do. This is wrong. Burton please listen: you may have the right to show such images, but this is not responsible use of such rights. You are an icon among youths. I ask that you reconsider what messages this passes to them. Please cease production of these boards.

It's the right thing to do.
-David

Richard...sorry.

truth is that it has been a shitty week for me. i have been emailing and posting message after message to and about burton snowboard's choice to glorify self-mutilation on one of their new snowboards. yesterday, one of my close friends at work was reported as unexpectedly dead. i know he did it to himself. his brother did just a couple years ago. i can hope that it is different but i know. come on. let's make this better than all of this. god, this sucks.

Yes, I think Wendy and I are good for each other. She's the one whose son committed suicide in the Israeli army 3 years ago, but she's still amazingly positive and fun-loving, but obviously very sad inside.

Richard, thanks for all those helpful tips!

lori, nice to hear of your joy for hiking. i can tell you about two easy, but really special spots in the san jose- san fran area. the one that is really magic for me is big basin. it is southwest of san jose toward santa cruz. it has a virgin stand of redwoods- over 300 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter. i always look up and check for giants coming down those beanstalks. the other spot is on the north side of the golden gate bridge. it is the headlands on the left as you travel off the north end of the bridge. you may have to approach it by going past and then coming back south toward the bridge cuz it is on the west side and i think they want northbound traffic to keep cruising. there are great places to sit and look back over san francisco. one of my favorite things to do when i am not hiking and still have my clothes on is the exploratorium. it is in the presidio at the greek gardens, near the south end of the golden gate bridge. it is hands-on science/art based exhibits that are fun and weird. they have a great burrito in their cafe. the contemporary art museum in san fran is also very good. the building was done by a swiss guy i think. the ferry from the embarcadero to sausalito for lunch and shopping in boutiques is fun, too.

Is Hampden near Bangor? That's great that things are finally working out!

I've been busy entertaining this week. Darren's parents were visiting from Colorado for 5 days. They ate here twice, we went out to eat with them twice, and we were all invited over to Avi's sister's house one night. She made a ton of food. We've been eating way too much and have gained weight. Avi said he just wants to eat cereal tonight! My friend Wendy (from Jerusalem) was also here this week. She came on Monday and flew to San Francisco today. I'm going to fly up there--to San Jose-- on Monday for 2 nights. Wendy and I will do things in the San Jose/San Francisco area while her boyfriend is at his hi-tech conference. I took her hiking here one day in Temescal canyon. It was sort of a disaster. It was REALLY hot, we didn't bring enough water, and the trees and shrubs were pretty dry. The waterfall was also more like a trickle. Wendy kept wanting to turn around and go back, but I was obsessed with getting to the top to see the view from there, which, to me, WAS worth it--a panoramic view of the whole area with the Pacific Ocean in the background. It was good exercise, but Wendy was ready to kill me! On the other hand, she said she felt good afterwards cuz she saw she was capable of doing more than she thought she could. I don't know why I get so obsessed, but I can't stop in the middle of a trail. I have to get to the end. My sister Amy is like that, too. Anyway, besides the hiking, we went to the LACMA museums and to a really good play, "Gem of the Ocean." She dragged me there, but I liked it. Haven't seen too many plays.

Karen, I am so glad that you liked the show!!! I thought you would...lol.
Pat, things seem to be working out, which is great. I want to throw all my stuff out and start over....wishful thinking. Enjoy this new adventure! I think you should make some mittens for your cold handed friends!!! I have to go and find all the winter stuff.....sigh....I am just not ready.

We're freezing up here too. I woke up to snow on the ground! It went away over the day but still.........................

So the house in Hampden will be closed on sometime the 3rd of Nov. We will move in officially the 7th. Nothing seems to be able to stop us now. Let the furniture shopping begin.

I'll still be here for my friend Allison's baby shower and that's made me feel better. I finished knitting a blanket for her a couple of days ago. My group meets again tomorrow night and I'll start some felted mittens.

It is freezing here! You could see it snowing up on Ascutney Mountain.....anyways, we had today off from school and I was going to go shopping with a friend to Holyoke...but she called this morning early and said that she couldn't go because someone had broken into her house last night. Her husband is away this week and she had a business dinner and didn't go home after school. She got home after 9 and her front door was open. Someone had broken into the basement window, ransacked her cupboards..and only took her jewelery box. The police can and searched around finding noone on the property but talk about spooky! Obviously looking for $ and easily passed off things. Luckily, she wasn't home at the time....but it makes you wonder who, where and why your house....
So instead of shopping, I had to do something like clean the carpet....guess what I would have rather have done~ thanks crook.

you are so right that the art is on the outside where you can just look at the getty museum. sitting in the garden and gazing up at it is certainly worth the ticket. jp clearly had a bug for collecting and i mean for more than art. i am not one to judge beauty, but i hope he had better taste in mistresses than he did in art. then again, i suppose he had little chance cuz nudes are much more confusing when they move.

There were a lot of people I could have knocked down yesterday. We were at the Getty Museum, and it was really crowded. We went with Danit and Darren and Darren's parents, who are visiting from Colorado. We didn't end up going inside the museum to see the art, which probably sounds weird, but the real art is outside--just looking at the building itself and the gardens and the view from up there on the hill. They have some kind of grass there that looks like a carpet, and people were sprawled all over it. We were tempted to just go to sleep on it, too.

Mea Culpa Richard, why don't you like the runners? At least they're probably fairly quiet as they travel through. When I am out in the woods enjoying birdsong and wind in the trees, it's the 4-wheelers and snowmobiles that make me crazy. They're too fast for me to knock down though. One winter I put chunks of wood in my yard to block the snowmobiles from coming through. They were cutting through from the woods out back to the street.

ouch, pat. but important for me to think about, none the less. i was in torrey pines state park in california yesterday. the torrey pines have cones the size of grapefruits, needles ten inches long pointing in all directions, they only grow twenty or thirty feet tall and they only grow right there and on a nearby island. that was magical to see them. i love them and know enough to realize how special they are. odd spot, with sooooooo many people being sooooooooooo california. i had to stop for many runners to go by me on the trails. i wanted to push them down and beat them. it is a good thing that i am a rational person who is in control of my emotions :-)

Poems or fleas, Richard?

I might have to steal some of your metaphors.

i am no poet, but like fleas escaping the flailing toenails of a dog, i have been around a couple that excite me.

Where do you come up with these things, Richard?! I like your combinations--putting snow conditions and colonoscopy in the same sentence and then seedless grapes and boneless chicken with believing in yourself. You're a poet.

lori, it is not as if i am saying you should go for a colonoscopy everytime the snow conditions are good where you live, although that does seem to be what you are waiting for. ya' know like when hell freezes over :-)

keep the faith, pat. seedless grapes and boneless chickens are just a marketing fad. real value starts with faith and believing in yourself.

karen, please tell me i am being clear in my own lost and confused way.

We are all here to lend an ear when our friends need it...so, good or bad, that's what we do.
I am sorry that things are not working out the way you wish it would Pat. I am sure you are frustrated about everything. Good Luck in getting everything together. Remember, to
take care of yourself, too.

Well, I won't be able to chicken out much longer with all of you behind me cheering me on. Can't say I see any resemblance to snowboarding, though!

Patti, it's good to have you back! Sorry you've been going through so much trouble, though. With the economy in such a mess, I guess this is a bad time to make a move. And not having a job must make the stress much worse. I wish I could say something more helpful. I hope something works out for you.

colonoscopies are like snowboarding. you can't think about it. you just have to do it and you are so glad that you did, after the fact. the prep? well, that really isn't anything like snowboarding.

Many apologies and Hello and thank you to Lori, Karen, Karen, Kathi, Richard for the notes of concern I've received. You all know that I'm not a big fan of being a voyeur here but for the last several weeks that's how it's been. Having said that though I have to tell you just being able to take a quick peek every evening and know that you all are well has been a lifeline for me. I didn't want to come here and whine and complain. But unfortunately so much has gone wrong that I couldn't find something to say that wasn't a downer.

I won't bore you with the details so "In a nutshell", We lost the house we were buying, I lost my job, we're trying to buy another house but things with that are dicey as well. Our house has not sold and isn't even being shown because the market is so horrible up here. Dave is staying at an unheated camp and those of you in New England know that the temps are way down at night now.

Moving on - we closed up the camper in NH this past weekend. It was a spectacular weekend weather wise and great to get away and enjoy being with friends. We went to the Sandwich Fair and enjoyed fried bread dough and farm animals.

Lori, I've had a couple of colonoscopies, the worst part is the prep and the best part is the long nap and the good news that you're healthy! The first time was kind of scary though because of being so unsure of what might be. It's an unfortunate right of passage though.

I was heartbroken to hear that Brian Helberg died. I had heard that he was living in the Spfld. area taking care of his dad.

I love you all, miss you, and I'm glad to be back. - Patti

I know, I know, you're right. I've been doing the stool test, hoping that was enough, and the doctor has let me get away with that so far---but I'll do it. My father also said I should do it, and he's the only doctor I listen to cuz I know he's never in favor of doing a bunch of UNnecessary tests, but this one IS necessary. He's also the one who told me about the Vit. D, so I figured if he thinks it's worth checking, I'll check it. Sometimes I wish I were more like my sister--she doesn't bother with a lot of these tests and doesn't get nervous about not doing them. I think too much.

Lori, Lori, Lori.....trust me, having colon cancer would be much worse then ever undergoing a colonoscopy. (I watched my Mother have it for 10 years)...anyways, you drink some crap, spend hours in the bathroom...go and get lots of drugs and know nothing until its over, so its really not bad at all. So just make the appointment!
Karen, the apple festival here wasn't much...some crafters, authors, some food....the weather was beautiful. My niece and I went to Chester and did some shopping at my favorite Simply Country store. It makes me want to throw away all my stuff in my house and start again! Dreaming.....
Another nice day! 70 for tomorrow....yeah!!!

I can't help with that technical stuff, but I don't understand why it's so complicated to get onto the blog. We're not some elite club that doesn't allow new members in, so why can't these people get in??? Guess that's the problem with new technology....

Karen, did you test your Vit. D level? Now they're saying it's important to have the right level cuz it (probably) protects against cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and we don't always get enough from the sun anymore cuz we're so busy covering ourselves with sunscreen. I thought mine would be high enough living in a sunny place like L.A., but it wasn't--so now I'm taking Vit. D. I've also been doing the usual check-ups, but I can't get myself to go for a colonoscopy.

Glad things ran smoothly getting back home. I am sure you had a wonderful time in VT. This past weekend was just beautiful. Sunny, warm with beautiful colors surrounding us. If it could only stay like this for a few months! I would be happy. Have a great week everybody!
Happy Thoughts....

I'm back home in L.A. Our flights went smoothly this time, and we got home when we were supposed to. My son Rafi picked us up from Burbank airport, and Danit came over to see us. Haven't seen Omer (the youngest) yet, but he lives a little farther away, so I wasn't expecting to. Now I'm going through mail, bills, all that boring stuff....

hi. i just wanted you to know that i will soon be playing hockey with my cat in the kitchen and checking my raspberry plants for just a few more berries. i will be singing willie nelson songs in the shower like "blue skies smilin' at me- nothin' but blue skies do i see. bluebirds singin' a song- nothin' but bluebirds all day long." i hope all of your skies are blue, too. i was in one of napoleon III's (napolean's cousin) houses yesterday. some people had it all, but screwed it up just the same. his wife left him and required a bigger place further up on the hill. i could handle either location with enough hired help. wow.

It would be lots of fun to get more and more of our friends blogging! I found if you go to settings you can invite people. Come and join us!

Avi and I are flying back to L.A. on Sunday, Kathi. My sister and her husband will also be going home that day--back to Israel. This morning it's raining or at least rainy-looking, so I think I'll just stay in the house and read a little while my sister and her husband go out and do some more shopping. If it gets nicer later, we'll go for a walk somewhere with my brother and his wife. Avi is fasting today for Yom Kippur. We thought maybe he'd skip it this year, but he's too used to doing it and it's hard to break tradition. He's done it all his life. I actually fasted last year, but it's too hard for me not to eat all day. Can't see the point in suffering....

Yeah, Patti, where are you? Is the move going okay/

It was the most perfect fall day in Vermont. The weather was crisp but the sun was warm...the trees are beautiful. We (the Kindergarten classes) went to Wellwood Orchards today for a field
trip. We got to ride around the orchard in a wagon pulled by a diesel tractor...just smell....which stopped so the kids could pick a few apples...funny to see how many they could fit in their pockets....and how many they could eat and fit into their little stomachs. All and all it was a pretty good day....it is suppose to rain tonight and showers tomorrow morning. Hopefully, a good weekend. Glad you are enjoying yourselves Lori! How long are you staying? Pat, where are you???? All moved? Let us know!

Hi everyone. I'm having fun here in Vermont. We've been busy seeing the foliage--everywhere from the Northeast kingdom to Middlebury, Stowe, Woodstock, Quechee, Rutland, etc. etc. It's beautiful here. Yesterday I went kayaking on the Winooski River with my brother and sister. The spouses didn't come cuz they didn't think it was the right season for kayaking--didn't feel like falling into freezing water. We didn't fall in, but we did get soaking wet when our kayaks went over a sort of dip in the river. But it was a beautiful day, so we didn't care. It was part of the experience!

Heavy frost here this morning...brrrrrrr. Had to go find my mittens...and the scrapper!
Thanks for the travel logs everybody....so far my big travels are from South Street to
Union Street and back...so exhausting. Go safely, my friends! Remember, "there's no place
like home"!

i would love to go to a willie nelson concert. he is a fav of mine. i swear the top on his guitar only remains out of habit. the sights of sites here are special, but you should be able to guess that my best days are spent with friends. fortunate for me- i have been traveling with a few different friends of mine, most of the time. stone buildings are lovely to look at, but they ain't willie nelson. singing along with songs as we drive through the middle of nowhere has been nice and sharing tuna sandwiches bought from a street vendor as we climbed the hill through an old town was sweet as well. i have a couple more weeks to go and to tell you the truth i "just can't wait to get on the road again. the life i love is makin' music with my friends ... "

hi. i have been cruising around and i have been having a really great time. the house i was in at lake garda was so great. it is hung on a cliff and has great views. i walked into town on a couple of days and interacted with locals- none of whom spoke english. we managed. driving through little towns where the car had 3 inches on either side to get past the buildings on the main street was interesting. i went to some other great spots around northern italy, too. verona was super. big colliseum. no trace of romans, christians or lions. no real trace of romeo or juliet in the town either, but some fake stuff on them. venice and the cathedral at san marco are both still out of this world. the mosaic patterns on the floors at san marco are stellar. there is another cathedral in venice that i loved which is santa lucia (she is the northern italian version of santa claus). bergamo is an old town that had some good work done during the renaissance golden years and it is an aerie location for a great lunch and stroll. you take a funicular to get up into the old walled hilltop town there. all these places are drop dead gorgeous. then there were minor things like lunch in lugano, driving through snow in the san bernardino pass, and having just spent an awesome day in a special swiss town that have all been so nice. i am hiking in the alps later this week. there will certainly be snow there. i'm lovin it.

Karen glad that your computer is back!
Sounds like you are busy,busy, busy with cleaning and purging! I have been doing the same thing. Today, while my son was here to help, we started cleaning out the garage. What fun...At least I didn't have to lug things up the stairs!
I have all these candlelabras sitting in my diningroom. It took me two hours to take the decorations off them...I wanted to pack them away but the florist still has the boxes...I hope! She is suppose to get back to us tomorrow. I am kind of hoping that she wants to buy them because I really don't want to store them all.
We were lucky that the hurricane didn't really amount to much around here. It was very humid with temps around 72. A few rain showers but no downpours. Not sure how Maine made out.
I have been playing with my photoshop program, trying out new effects when printing. It is fun to do....
Have a great week Karen with your company and going to Nashville...again, I am living through my friends trips..so let me know all the excitement! Lori, enjoy your holiday...I am sure you do a great job entertaining. Pat, where are you??

You seem to be going to a lot of weddings lately, Karen. By the way, are you still having problems getting gas? They were talking about Georgia on the news the other day--about the gas shortages--and that made me think of you.

We're going to Avi's sister's house tomorrow night for the Rosh Hashana meal. She likes cooking and doing the holidays at her house. I always thank God there are different kinds of people in the world and that some of those people like doing the things I don't like doing! I've got the Friday night meals with Avi's family down to an art, but anything else? Forget it!

I don't think I want any bells or rain on tin roofs right now. I'll go for the peace and quiet.

We were at the photography store a little while ago. I wanted to go back in time and get a regular automatic camera with film instead of a digital, but they didn't have any so I'm back to the modern age. I just want to have pictures to put in an album without having to go through a million stages of uploading, downloading, whatever it is that has to be done. Is that too much to ask?

Rainy, rainy day. Imagine being inside a trailer with 18 5 year olds...the noise level is amazing.
We had cherrios and milk for snack...and just the sound of pouring those cherrios into the hard plastic cups was loud. Everything echos...the rain sounds like ...well, like rain pouring on a tin roof...inside recess and playing...trying to get kids to their parents and cars at the end of the day...I was just so glad that its Friday. I don't know if its because I might be getting old..but I am exhausted at the end of the day....Richard, you know how those bells sounded to you...well...now I am home and it is quiet! I did have to turn on the heat it was so damp in here....Andrew will be 27 in February....hes my baby. I have been wondering about you too Patti...hope all is well in moving land. Have a great weekend everybody.

well i can hear something. the damn bells are ringing again- nonstop. of course, it is 7:30 at night and that would seem like plenty in itself to ring a bell nonstop. i remember my first hangover. my head was ringing for days. if that was good enough for this wonder that they call bells, then why should they ever stop. no shit, they are still ringing here in heidi land. oh wow, they just stopped. i guess heidi is going to bed now. by the way, the difference between getting called to prayer five times a day and being swiss is that being swiss means that you better pray that you never stick out too much- except if you like ringing bells and then there is a kind of infinite freedom.

Kathi, congratulations on your son's engagement! How old is he?

I'm back at the gym, too, but 3 times a week doesn't seem to be enough right now cuz I seem to be gaining instead of losing! Maybe cuz I stopped hiking (since my friend is still in Israel) and got out of the habit of walking with Avi at night. We've just gotten lazy....

Richard, I hear the church bells ringing all the way over here. I guess you can't hear any muezzins over there. I like the sound of the muezzin. We used to hear it in Jerusalem.

Patti, where are you? In the process of moving?

www.myphotoevents.com
user name: Suzanne
password: John

hi, i tried to connect for photos and did not make it happen. i will try later on. i always thought that location was something special. i think you get more spirits from across the ages when you are there and i happen to think that more is better, in this case. it is six am in switzerland and i am up writing a report (think midnight on the east coast and beer-thirty in hawaii). well wouldn't you know that the church next to my hotel room just started ringing its bell. it will go on for a while. as if having cows with bells isn't enough. so far, all is well on my trip. i leave for italy tomorrow and only have one more day of working my ass off. better start.

The wedding now seems like a dream....I really did have a great time and wanted the party to keep going...They are both really happy. The wedding fever is in the air here. My son and his girlfriend just became engaged last night. He called and said..hypothetically, how would you feel about a reception that was not held in the backyard...and I said, hypothetically, that would be great.....then he told me they were engaged. I told my girls after seeing the pictures taken at the wedding that they could use that picture as their engagement one...and that's what they will do.
They are acutally coming up on Sunday....so I will make something good for dinner and we'll celebrate.
The wiring the jaw thing would probably be the only way I'll loose weight ...I do like my class...and know its good for the bones!

I find it very interesting listening to Richards travel logs..as one who has not traveled much at all. I am saving lots by living my travels through others. Now if only he would post pictures....
speaking of, if anyone wants to look at the Wedding photos, you can go to www.myphotoevents.com....user name: Suzanne and password: John. There are some (in my opinion) nice ones...
Hope all is well with everyone...its actually very quiet here..the weather is nice, in the high 60s during the day, 40s at night. We have not had a major frost here in Springfield. The leaves are starting to really show color...though the headlines on Yahoo said something about the climate change dulling the Northeast folliage. School is hectic...they are still working on the building...there is still no playground or gym or lunchroom but we are all managing to survive.
Our exercise class (with weights) started again last night and because I really don't do weights except for class, my arms feel like they are going to fall off...but that is suppose to be good for me, so I will go again tomorrow...
Richard travel safely....enjoy your sheep/cow fairs.....

Karen, I don't remember who hosted him. He was with the class of '71. I just remember him hanging out with Peter Vatne and playing chess.

Lake Garda sounds beautiful. The whole trip sounds beautiful!

lori, i had originally planned to be about 120 miles from ivrea, in ascona (former hang out for isadora duncan, carl jung and a bunch of vegetarians). that plan fell through when my travel partner left his girlfriend. i ask you, couldn't he have waited just a little longer? he left her and her friend's house in ascona went away cuz of that, too. ivrea looks like it could be pretty great. on a clear day, maybe guido can see the matterhorn (just about straight north). i will be in a place that is quite a bit east of ivrea. i will be on lake garda and that will be REALLY special for me. i know i am lucky for this chance. believe me when i say that every drop of wine will taste like nectar from the gods. i need a vacation. i have been a bit cranky, lately.

hi, holing up is pretty great. i love being home. i keep the place pretty nice, but have not been able to keep up with getting ready for winter, yet. my flowers are stellar and raspberries are hanging like a five o'clock cow. of course, ya' don't grab 'em quite the same way. oh, behave! so, i went to montreal today to see a prospect for solar cable, then i stopped at the atwater market for lunch- nice farmers market atmosphere. it is on the lachine canal- which was how boats founr their way across montreal before the st lawrence seaway. i walked the canal for about an hour. loved it.

i hit a new town (for me) near zurich on wednesday- just gonna crash and space out. then i go see my co's solar boys nearby. friday is heidi land in eastern switzerland and then guido land in italy for next week. i will be on vacation then, so i guess that is kind of like holing up for a while. when i go back to switz. i will get a couple days in the alps and then across the county i go to the olma festival which is like a state fair on steroids. i can't even imagine how many swiss cows will be ringing their bells. jamming a yummy bratwurst and drinking many liters of delicious beer- is that heaven (as women in dirndls clog nearby- liftin 'em up and settin 'em down)? i just sleep when i fall asleep and take it from there.

Richard, Guido lives near Ivrea in northwest Italy. He said that's near Torino and near the Alps. You can find him on Classmates. He'd probably like to see you. He said Peter Vatne has visited him a few times. I don't know how you manage with jet lag. Don't you go crazy from changing time zones so often?

Kathi, you're always making the best things. Apple pie! And we just have to hear about it without tasting it!

hi.

pat had a question for me and butch and how come i went to his place. well that was just where i ended up. lots of folks go through there and are none the wiser. as the affable sort, i try to find out what a place is about. so there i was and i discovered that i was on the very same dance floor where butch met women. his life was short and was not without some nasty impact. while i was in this town, i met two young men in there 30s who had just been in a flash flood with their parents. both their parents died in the incident. life is short, do what matters. i was happy to leave that town alive.

anyway -lori- i am wondering where guido rietti lives. i will be in northern italy starting next saturday and he seems like the northern type to me. note to self- get a pizza tonight. rustic northern italian can wait. i am now traveling for the next month with only one day at home between switzerland and san diego. i think it is funny, cuz i thought i was already traveling just about as much as a person reasonably could.

well, anyway, it really is true. life is short. the idea that people in marraige embrace each other with eternal vision and with open hearts that reach into the future is pretty awesome. there is some einstein e=mc2 light and vision becoming what matters in all of that. we are all just wicked amped up stardust. note to self- look for shooting stars tonight. they are just so crazy.

I had a message all typed and saved it but I have no idea where I find it...so I'll start again.
Crochety is relative....I think we all have those moments to which there is nothing wrong with that! I was crochety today after apple picking when everyone disappeared to watch the football/baseball games or be on their computers but wanted apple pie....I wanted to be like the Little Red Hen and say fine...I'll eat it myself....but I guess that wouldn't be a good thing.
Unfortuntely, the Patroits lost big time today.....so maybe the apple pie will make up for some of that. haha. We picked up the proofs from the photographer last night and some of them are amazing. I'll be able to share them when I find out what the website is....well, I guess I'll take my crochety self and go make the rest of dinner...I don't see the cook at work....

I don't think I've ever liked that--not just in my "crotchety years"! But I am feeling more sociable on a personal level (not the obligation stuff with people I don't know well). I've been encouraging friends from outside L.A. to come visit me, and it's starting to happen! My friend Wendy from Israel will be here for 5 days in October before she joins her boyfriend at some computer conference in northern California. And my friend Debbie from N. Jersey said she might want to come in December. Karen Vatne is also considering coming sometime. Anyone else?! In the meantime, Avi and I will be heading back to Vermont in October (1st to 12th) to meet my sister Amy and her husband, who will be coming there from Israel. And do you guys remember Guido Rietti? He was an Italian exchange student who was at our school one year. He left his name on my page on Classmates, so we've been in touch a few times. He lives in Italy with his wife, and has one son. He's in the computer field. Anyway, I'm just trying to get out of my box a little....

I love weddings, too. I usually cry at them, but for some reason I didn't cry at my own daughter's wedding. I think I was too nervous standing under the hupah to think about crying--besides the fact that my feet were killing me from standing still for so long. The rest of the wedding I was having too much fun dancing, so there was nothing to cry about!

Yes, your grandchildren look really cute, Kathi. And the bride and groom look really good, too!

Where's Waitsfield, Karen?

In the front is Caleb and Camille, ring bearer and flower girl. Their Mom is in the black dress next to the bride. Aren't they just the cutest???

Here is a picture of Suzanne and John coming out of the Rockingham Meeting House following their wedding ceremony.

kathi, it is so awesome to hear how beautiful and great the wedding turned out. it sounds like it was really special and i am certain that it was. so great.

I was a little busy with my daughters wedding this weekend. It was beautiful. I had no idea that this tent (the was high in the middle like a circus tent) could transform into a almost magical place. The atmosphere was amazing. Candlelabras with flowers wrapped around them for centerpieces ...the best jazz band I've heard playing for the dinner hour and beyond (requested by guests)...great food and an open bar helped everyone relax...lots of family and friends. Suzanne and John were married at the Rockingham Meeting House, which is pretty amazing. The weather was sunny and warm...we had downpours on Friday...and again today, so again, we were very lucky. We ended up getting some indoor/outdoor carpet to put down as you walked through the lattice gates to follow the luminary walkway, to keep from sinking into the wet ground. Other then that things ran wonderfully. It was a completely different ceremony including "tying the knot" with celtic ribbon....and Lori, they even broke the glass at the end to honor Neil's heritage. ...anyways, the whole day went well and everyone had a wonderful time.
I'll do pictures as soon as I have some.
My grandbabies just left for NC a little while ago....that always makes me sad...

Richard, don't take it personally. We love you. I'm just not too good on the witty comebacks, so I was waiting for someone else to respond!

Patti, sounds like you're getting into the move now. That's good! Change can be exciting (not just scary).

Now Richard, it's just that the weekend came, not that any of us were not interested. I'm a Butch and Sundance fan and found myself wondering how you came across such a place and why in fact you were looking for it? Does this place have little historical vignette's or just brass placques?

I was getting ready for and then in fact engaged in my final pre-move yard sale. We moved out a lot of items and don't have to think about them any more. So that's good. Dave and I are already bickering of the use of the rooms inthe new house. You know, "That's room's too small, why make a guest room out of the best room upstairs when it will sit idle most of the time." That sort of thing. What fun we're having. Although the new house has more overall square footage, much of it is in small bedrooms upstairs, not in day to day living space. All the rooms in our current house are larger than the rooms we're moving into. Frustrating.

okay. well i can see that my bonding with butch cassidy didn't particularly impress any of the chicks here. i hope it makes you feel better to know that i am now back at home wearing womens lingerie. oh my god, i broke a fingernail. may the ghost of butch please come shoot me or at least kiss my boo boo.

where's ricardo. i am standing in the dance hall where butch cassidy would come down from his hideout in the hills nearby to dance. fact. there is one corner of the dance floor which is now my room for the night. do you think this one has some mojo or what? i am in an outlaw town called torey utah. i already met a divorcee/waitress at the broken down diner. she raises race horses. she told me i could hang there all night. hmmmmm, what does that mean? i didn't pause after paying the check. the former dance hall was converted into a school house, but it was built as a dance hall and the mountain peak where butch hung his hat is in sight from my window. no plan, just luck. i found it on the internet with little to go on. brian k. hates me for this kind of dumb stumble into it life experience that happens to me. he would say, "of course you ended up in the one place where butch cassidy actually would show his face in all of utah and you didn't have a clue before you got there."

Thanks guys for the sympathy it helps. I'll be picking up glass for days to come. One less thing to move I guess. Had a moving appraiser guy here today figuring out the estimated weight of my goods. Yikes, Maybe 17,000 lbs. 2 days to pack, 1 to load, then the drive and another of unloading. Wow what fun!

My yard sale is this weekend so hopefully there'll be less "stuff" hanging around after Sat. Then the partying begins.

We're going out to dinner with friends Sat. night. I'm having a party here at the house after school on Th. There is no school Friday so I figured the timing was good. Dinner with friends the following weekend and two more get togethers during the week with folks from school and my knitting group. It's nice to know that people care.

10 more days of work then an interview at LLBean on the 29th. Back here the 30th to get serious about the packing. Change is good.

Like those glasses that break into a million pieces and scatter all over the place. What a pain.

pat, i had a glass top shatter on my third floor deck when i lived in brooklyn heights (25 short years ago). what a mess- jagged shards of all sizes and all over the place. i have cleaned many messes in my life, but that one stands out as one of the worst. i am so sorry.

right now I am really ticked off!

I came home from school to find that the wind has knocked my grill off the deck and onto it's back. The umbrella new this summer, is destroyed and the glass top table has shattered; of course that means there is glass all over the place. It's cold and windy and rainy. these are the moments I wish I had my man around to help with the day to day emergencies!

Hi everyone. I've just been "listening in" all week. It's just one of those times when I feel like I have nothing to say....... so in the meantime I'm getting educated in what liquor to drink, where to travel, what to expect or not expect from Home Depot, school stories--in short, this is my entertainment channel while I try to get back into my routine here. Yesterday I finally did go to Curves for the first time in 2 months. My daughter found something better, so she won't be coming with me anymore. My son Omer is recovering from having 3 wisdom teeth taken out, so he slept here last night. I'm glad I never went through that. Looks really painful.

Enjoy the weddings!

hi. i am in salt lake city. all this talk of marriage has me thinkin i should go out and git me some wives. is it the water out here? the guy at the front desk of my hotel says he only has one wife and acts gay to avoid getting more. yesterday i was in the redwoods near santa cruz. loved it. what a sanctuary. trees that are 300 feet tall and 15 feet in diameter are special. i stayed at a b+b near the edge of the redwood forest that was really nice. i hit deep relaxation after the jacuzzi and laying in a hammock looking at a patch of blue sky just above the tree tops. i drove down through five miles of chaparral to the coast where i had a tasty seafood pasta feast for dinner. being a road warrior has its moments. i will take some vacation days to do to utah parks later this week. i am sure that marriages will be super (just not for me).