Bye Bye Birdies!

My nest is empty. The first time.....ever! My duaghter and grandson drove off in the U-Haul to my daughter's post-graduate career and their new home. I am so excited for them.

Yes, the house will be hollow.
Yes, it will be tidy.
Yes, I'll be solo.
Yes, it is time.

A new era for sure!

Congratulations! Best wishes! Have fun! Live!

St. Augustine

I toured the St. Augustine Bascilica today. The first Catholic Church in America. The tour guide was talking about Spain. I asked her if she had been to Santiago de Compestela. She did the Camino! "A Pelligrino!", she said. She proceeded to tell me about the lady who made the crepes, the alberques, the trail. I think I'm going to get to go.

Beach Sounds

I've been keeping the patio door open every night. The waves, orotund as they hit the shore, lull me to a deep sleep. I'm going to miss this.

Dance, Dance Wherever You May Be

My Jaguar Dance trumped your Hurricane Dance!

And just so you know - down here , the cheers could be heard for miles...or is that smiles?

Beauty and the Beach

I started walking the on the beach this morning as soon as the pitch darkness gave way to the first hint of silver on the waves. I could hear voices on the beach even though no one could be seen. As I walked, occassionally I could see a lone figure or two cross my path between the town and the surf. I'd forgotten that dawn unfolds rather than "ta da-ing" its way into the day. I walked in the soft sand out and surf sand back. I don't like walking at the water's edge when I can't see exactly where I'm stepping next. It was the perfect tickle breeze temperature.

Tonight, after work, I practically ran back.

I walked the along the tide line for about 3 miles. I just wrestled with the water letting my mind wander. I listened to a mystery on my iPod (I can't just sit still on the beach and read). Awhile after turning back I suddenly turned around. Behind me was the most beautiful sky I'd ever seen. It was purple. Not sapphire, not sunset pink. PURPLE PURPLE PURPLE. I was facinated. I'd walk for a bit and turn around again. After awhile it faded into just a storm threatening grey/blue. But then the beauty was in front of me. I had moved away from the surf. The wind had created little sand dune ripples in the baby powder fine white sand. The north side of the sand was a pale pink and the backs of the ridges were a deeper pink. The contrasts and the now pink light of the sunset made for yet another facinating facet to the evening's walk.

All in all today, I did about 9 miles of walking - barefoot. My dogs are barking for sure. I opened my patio to let the surf sounds lull me to sleep. Another day in paradise.

First Class

Airlines have a small, but significant way of recognizing a frequent traveler. It is call a First Class upgrade. Unless flights are over four hours one no longer earns a meal - however - the wider seat, additional legroom and the privilige of boarding and exiting the plane first is a nice little "thank you". I am perfectly happy with (and fortunately fit nicely) in a coach seat.

I love the little thrill of hearning my name called, just before boarding, to have my ticket exchanged for a First Class seat. You'll her me hiss a happy "YES!" as I trot to he desk for my prize.

The one thing that I've promised is that I will always remain appreciative of how I got to First Class - from my hard work, a fabulous job and really nice ticket agents. I refuse to treat the crew as if they were my personal grunts. (Some people leave the seats a wreck). And I hope that I get assigned a coach seat often enough to continue to appreciate the times when my ticket is chosen for an upgrade!

Sylvan Lake...Again

The extra fun of my Vail trip was being there at the peak of the fall color change. When I was there in the spring, the trees were just beginning to show a hint of green. Now, having gone through their season, I was witness to their vivid end-of-season color show.

We hiked Sylvan Lake after work. Dusk comes early in the fall in the mountains. We got to the park just as the sun dipped behind a mountain peak. Since I'd hiked the lake trail once before and having hiked in pitch blackness before, I felt we could do it without risk. And we did. It was pretty seeting it at dusk.

I'll post pictures when I get home. The lake was so still that the pictures I took are so symetrical that you can't tell the hillside from the water.

Absolutely Shocking!

I now know how I don't want to die. That would be by electrocution

My stylist and I decided I needed a new "do". We also decided should not try a new cut. (Have I mentioned I LOVE my stylist?). We decide upon curly top sans the perm. I promised Robert in March of 1986 I would NEVER perm again. So every morning with a little magic from a bottle, a hair dryer and a gadget called a diffuser, I create a soft pile of curls on my head. This has taken practice as wavy is easy, curly requires a knack.

I was in the knack groove this dark and early morning until the worst noise and the electrocution began simultaneously. Know what people do when they are being doused with electricity? Stare at the offender. Finally I was able to let go.

I am now very curly in front, wavy in back and wondering if the hotel will actually replace the offender.

But wait....there's more.

Back to my room. I'd marked the offender with a little eyeliner to see if it was replaced. Nope.
Down to the front desk, tell the night clerk, leave for three hours.
Back to my room. Still there.
Down to the front desk, tell the front clerk, he leaves for five minutes.
He comes back having extracted the dryer off the wall from Room 101.
Room 101 was obviously a smoking room - imagine blowing someone else's old smoke into my hair. Yum.
I ran into a coworker in the hall. He was heading to the grocery store. I went with him and bought my own dryer.
While I hate dragging it around with me - it beats the alternatives.

Caribou is Reindeer

I had Caribou for dinner tonight. It was yummy. I knew when the waiter didn't ask how I wanted it cooked that it would probably be trumpeting at my table. We went rounds on the fact that I prefer my meat medium well. Finally he relented. It was done perfectly as I liked it and I loved the meat.

Actually the whole dining experience was kind of funny. We arrived at the restaurant was asked if we had a reservation. "No". No less than a dozen empty seats faced us. Before we were seated the lady asked us to wait a moment while she inquired if the couple behind us had a reservation. Then we were led to a teeny table right next to the kitchen, that in order to be seated, a potted tree needed to be moved. Then horror of horrors we ordered water.

The funniest part, before the "how done can I get it" scene was the Laurel and Hardy round about the Caribou. I asked what the caribou meat was like. My question's intent was to inquire about the meat e.g. buffalo is lean, deer is gamey, elk is, etc. You guessed it, the waiter's reply was "Caribou is Reindeer".

Mount St. Helens

It's been a few years since I did this hike. It was the 2nd hike I'd ever gone on. I thought I was going to die. I didn't fall or anything, but I was tired and I literally bruised my butt crawling down every boulder.

I sent an email note to my friend this week who got me started hiking and was the patient soul who carried my pack down for me that day. I told him about all the hiking I'd done this year, including Timpanogos and thanked him for his patience. I got a sweet note back.

Reminiscing, I looked up the Mount St. Helens trail stats and aboutlaughed my no longer bruised butt off.

9 miles round trip, 4 of which (2 in and 2 out) are forested. That leaves 2.5 miles up and back of the rock stuff. Granted the rock stuff is equivalent to a couple of Timp Cave trails but - that's doable.

Timp was 18 miles round trip - St. Helen's 9? A piece of cake.

How one's perspective changes as time marches on.

Advertising

Ya'll know I've lived inside the world of advertising for over 25 years now. I still appreciate how a picture can be worth a thousand words. This billboard was parked outside my (ritzy) hotel room in Las Vegas.

To you I simply say: Thank God for Business Travel and Billboards.

One More Timp Pic

Pat climbed a little hill to take this shot. There are actually two Moose up there. We think they were the pair we saw in the morning on the way "up".

Big guys - really big guys.

Destiny

This is 20+ pounds of pure love.

Union Aquaduct

The Great Western Trail it wasn't. That was my goal today, but thanks again to Utah's lack of trail signage and my doubt about my map reading abilities, I hiked the Aquaduct trail today. I do have to say, that after hiking it to the end, I took off on another trail and hiked it to the end/top too. So all in all, while the destination wasn't that grand - the hike, 10+ miles and the trek itself - was worth the adventure (or lack there of).

Happy Birthday Virgo!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing - Happy Birthday! Thanks for the light you introduced me to. I am forever grateful.