Mt. View Cemetery

One of my most favorite places to be in Oakland is Mt. View Cemetery. In fact I love it so much that when people come to visit I take them there. It is beautiful and rather large. I can roam around for hours. I usually gravitate to my favorite Angel and then move on from there. I love to read the headstones, peruse the mausoleums, walk the windy roads or just sit and read a book.

Playing Dress Up

The other day the Christensen girls came over to play. When I asked AC what she wanted to do, she promptly and quietly said "I want to dress up like you". I was taken aback a bit, asked "You mean wear my clothes?" and then led her to my closet.

She pulled out her favorite pair of shoes, grabbed a necklace that she noticed I wear a lot, pulled down a scarf and raided the bracelets. KC came in found her favorite pair of shoes, suggested the sunglasses and the look was on.

It kills me that my shoes fit KC...I am going to have to find a lock for my closet.

I have to admit I was touched. I think we all have a sense of style and when a little girl wants to emulate how you dress (hopefully it is appropriate) it is a sincere form of flattery. I was more than happy to throw open my closet door and let them have at it. It certainly was one of the many highlights of what turned out to be a very busy yet fulfilling day.

By the way I think the tie dye shirts add a little something, considering the proximity of Berkeley. They had just made them a few days before.

Oh look a food post...

Granted this may be one of those filler posts and just plain boring to read. I mean come on who wants to read about what I eat or don't?

I have a tendency to think I am not going to eat out as much and stay home and cook. I also think that I will eat just a bit healthier. I buy a lot of produce and I also throw away a lot of produce. I know, a crime, considering that I have access to amazing produce.

As you can see the broccolini below even started to flower a bit, that is when I decided instead of throwing it away to get off my lazy butt and do something about it.

It made a lovely salad that I enjoyed every day for a week. Maybe next time I won't wait until it is almost bad and use the produce immediately.

Baseball and Fireworks

Every year the Oakland A's have a few fireworks games right before the 4th of July. Even though I am not a huge baseball fan I was told that this was a great fireworks show. A-gril and I took the really long way to the game, which was fine by me, and showed up later than expected.

I have this tendency to attract the obnoxious in movie theaters, airplanes and now at baseball games. The theater can be practically empty and someone will inevitably sit right next to me. My friends joke about it and when there is more than one with me they will flank me on both sides. Well this held true at this game. The guy sitting in the seat next to me was drunk, wanted to warn me not to knock down his "talls" that were residing under my seat and thought that a way to impress me was to scream obscenities toward the field so that I would swoon at his general knowledge of baseball. After a few minutes of this I decided it was better to wander around and visit the many friends in attendance.

The A's lost, but because they were playing Colorado I could claim it as a win, having once lived in that great state.

After the game they clear the stands and everyone ques up to sit on the field. We managed to get a great spot thanks to Sam and waited and watched for thousands of people to find a small blanket spot on the grass.

One of the few photos A-gril will let me post.

The show was great and practically on top of us. It was a fun time to share blankets with Sam, Marielle, Erick and Jessica. Hadley surprisingly didn't freak out with the fireworks and rather enjoyed them.

It turned out to be a fun night and maybe next year I will attend again, it was worth the $8.

Like most women...

I have a hard time having photos taken of me (no problem taking photos of others). There is always something to pick apart. The lack of chin to neck ratio which inevitably shows multiple chins. The body image issues, this is to large, this is to small, that is just plain flabby and my favorite that wasn't there before.

This weekend while camping my dear friend Masha pulled out the new camera and was testing several settings, promising that she would not post any of the photos on FB or the like. We all became her subjects.

I am proud of myself because this photo has the 3 things that will make most women run when a camera is presented. We had just returned from swimming in the lake, I have no make up on...that alone makes me shun camera's, lake hair and a Swim Suit.

Thanks to Masha's skill she actually made me look decent. At a time I am not feeling so hot about the shape I am in, something about turning 35 makes you work for it, I needed this for my well being.

Instead of her posting it, I am, if only to start getting over my issues.

Picnic in the Park Anniversary

A year ago I wanted to get a whole bunch of friends together for a spontaneous dinner. There isn't a lot of room in the green so I suggested we meet at a park nearby. It has turned into an event. Now once or twice a month we meet on a Sunday afternoon for food and conversation. 

I can't believe it has lasted this long and I am sure that we will continue to meet for another year. I have loved being able to get everyone together and meet new friends.  A few of our friends have moved away (Macbeth's and Syme's...sniff ) and we miss having them around. 

It has been a group effort to keep the tradition alive. If it weren't for the word of mouth, gathering of emails and great food, It might not have lasted.

I am so happy to have such amazing friends who love Picnic in the Park as much as I do!

I love these two! Every time she would stop to talk to him, she would put her arms behind her back.

Britta!

Today is Britta's Birthday. Her husband Shay sent a quick email yesterday to get us together for a Surprise Party.

Although I was late and missed the actual "surprise" it worked, Britta fell over when she walked into her apartment and saw all of these people in her living room. She thought they were being robbed.

It was fun to see and chat with everyone. Unfortunately the thought of a picture came after a few people had already left. We are a good lookin group!

Happy Birthday Britta! 

My Father...

I am a lucky girl to have a Dad like mine. He is a wonderful Father even though sometimes he gets a bit overwhelmed with his girls and just shakes his head at our silliness. He is loving and kind. He will brag about his kids to anyone willing to listen. 

I wish I was there to celebrate with him and I am sure he wishes I were closer. Don't tell my sibling's but I am by far his favorite...wink wink.

Happy Fathers Day!

My Arms Ache to Hold Her...

I found this in my email the other day, thanks to my Sister for sending it. I just want to hold her and let her know that I am her favorite Aunt.

I can't believe she is growing up so fast. I am counting down the days until I get to see her again.

Considering my Brother in Law would prefer not having his daughter wear pink, she certainly is covered in it.

How to Relax in Vegas

I am not a lover of Las Vegas. I am not a huge fan of the strip or the crowds it generates. I am not tempted by the "sin" in sin city. What does draw me to Las Vegas are great friends. I am lucky enough to have a few that now live in the area.

My main purpose however was to visit the Ricks family. They have been asking and I have been promising for almost 3 years to visit them. It was time. 

It was so much fun to see them and catch up. All I wanted to do is is relax with them granted they are parents of 2 very young children and probably don't know what relaxing is. 

It was fun to watch Curious George, play at the park and go swimming (although the water was freezing) with little P. and rock Baby T to sleep. They are both extremely beautiful kids, then again of course they are because Brandi and Tim are not shabby looking.

We did visit the strip. Tim has connections at Mandalay Bay Aquarium. Nothing like getting in for free. 

Little P. sits in the stroller as if it were her throne. She wanted to continue to run around. We were ready to go eat.

See I really did go to the Strip. Even for a Monday night it was crowded of course.

My camera is not the best at night shots. A not so good picture of the fountains at the Bellagio.

The garden in the Bellagio. Made out of Flowers.

Thanks go out to the Ricks for being such amazing hosts. It was exactly what I wanted and needed.

I also was able to see my friends the Syme's. They moved to Henderson 6 months ago and Oakland has not been the same with out them. Shane has an incredible job there and Jentri is going stir crazy trying to find one and a house to buy. It was fun to see them and eat at Cafe Rio which I haven't done in ages.  

All in all other than the slot machines everywhere, visiting Las Vegas was a nice surprise and I am going to have to make a trip again soon.

Pixarpalooza

I am lucky enough to have an amazing friend who works at Pixar. Masha invited me to come over to Pixarpalooza. Pixar has several employees who are in bands so they let them all play and provide great food. 

It was supposed to be out on the lawn but the threat of rain moved it inside. It was quite loud. Other than hanging out with friends my favorite part was seeing an usually mild and laid back acquaintance perform Rage Against the Machine and Stone Temple Pilot covers. I think my mouth was wide open. She can really belt it and I now have a new appreciation for her.

I always enjoy visiting the Pixar campus especially to see the artwork from and for the latest project. Some of the pieces for UP are amazing.

Thanks Masha for thinking of me, it was a fun night!

Memorial Day with Friends

A few of us gathered at Lake Temescal for a barbecue. We really wanted to welcome Summer however the weather didn't feel like it. It felt more like late October in the Wasatch Mountains.

It was fun to eat, talk and play with the kids. I unfortunately forgot to bring out my camera until the end, I think it was because my fingers were freezing and were shoved into my pockets when I wasn't stuffing my mouth with delicious food. 

A Few Friends:

Seriously one of my favorite babies. His laugh is so hilarious and contagious.

Isabel racing to the playground, oh how I miss having her around.

Have you heard...

While I am on a musical bent, Have you heard of Gregory Alan Isakov? If you like Indie Folk Rock then check him out. His voice is all warmth and comfort; his songs are intelligent and rich evoking day dreams from the listener.

His new album This Empty Northern Hemisphere has been on heavy rotation since I finally had some spare cash for it. I think I have listened a total of 20 times in the past 4 days and each time it gets better.

This album he has paired up with Brandi Carlile and her strong, perfect voice blends so well with his. Songs like the The Moon Song, Evelyn, and This Empty Northern Hemisphere are quickly climbing to the top of my lists.

When I listen I want to lay on my hammock on a lazy summer day, feeling the breeze pass over as I am transported to another place.

Please also check out his other albums, That Sea The Gambler is also a favorite and usually finds time to be listened to, especially on those days I want to dream. 

Psst....

Rhett Miller's new album drops next Tuesday. I can't wait and thanks to Paste Magazine's website I can listen to the entire album. I have rather enjoyed listening all day and I will be logging onto iTunes next Tuesday to spend just a bit of cash for it. I like the album that much. Thanks to Rhett for creating and putting out such great music!

Since we are on the topic Paste Magazine has to be one of my all time favorite's. If you need a place to find great music, this is one of the ones to read. If you see it in the store pick it up. 

Separation can be good

The couch, red chair and I have become quite close these last few months. So much so it is hard to part ways when it is time for bed. They cuddle me close in pillowy softness make it easy to watch endless amounts of TV, play on my laptop and read a book. The TV is winning. It is time we separated just for a bit each day, I am not cutting them off completely but I need to reacquaint myself with long lost friends fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

In my family we have, as my sister prescribed, chicken lung syndrome, it gives us a decent excuse (ok to us) for not really extending our selves when working out. I go in spurts when I am really good and get out there and then couch and red chair beckon my body to sit and enjoy. I am determined to learn how to properly run and get over my breathing issue so yesterday I started this program. I am writing this only to hold my self accountable.

Last night the couch beckoned again, I sat for a while, ate dinner and then the couch convinced me to stay just a little longer. But I broke free, said goodbye and went for my first training exercise. I am glad I did and I will keep it up. There are a lot of hills in my neighborhood very few flat stretches of road which make it more difficult and exhilarating when done.

Maybe in the end I will run a 5K and work up to a half-marathon. Something to look forward to. I have admired my little sister who has gotten over the chicken lung syndrome by practicing this and completed a few, so now it is my turn. Maybe we will run one together.

For now I separate myself from couch and red chair, I will miss them but sometimes it is for the best.

Chris & Masha are Geniuses

Seriously they are! 

A few weeks back during another heat wave The Green was so unbearable to be in.  I was spending a late night at Chris and Masha's after they baited me with homemade tortilla chips. They know me so well. I asked how they were surviving. 

They told me the best thing they found was the old fashioned box fan. I was sceptical but the next day mentioned it to my co-worker while at Target. She said she had one lying around at home and she would bring it in for me to try. 

For 3 weeks it has been sitting in my trunk. Then yesterday another heat wave came. The Green turns into a furnace. Most of the windows face west, with an asphalt driveway right out side them, it can get up to 95 degrees and at one time was around 120 indoors. And it simply refuses to cool down when the temperature outside does so.

I decided to pull out the fan yesterday afternoon. Now you must understand we have several fans running in the house. Some are expensive, but none have done what this simple box fan has. My room immediately cooled down by about 15 degrees. It was unreal. The rest of the Green was baking. I made A-Gril walk into my room and try it out.

At 8 pm we were off to Target to buy a couple more.  With a slight detour and seeing something that we probably didn't want to on Martin Luther King Blvd, the house cooled down and to a reasonable temperature for sleeping well.

What I can't believe is that I have spent 3 miserable summers in The Green and the solution was only $17.

As I type this sitting in my very cool room I am thinking of and thanking Chris and Masha for an amazing suggestion. They really are awesome neighbors and friends!

Amused

I realized today when I placed my Primary bag on the passenger seat of my car that it is the weight of a child... The seat belt light continued to flash as if I needed to buckle it in.

No wonder why my arms hurt when I get home from Church. And I thought today was a light day.

Ridiculous

I have been looking for a full slip for over a year now. They are hard to find these days. I have a couple of dresses that need that extra layer so that I don't show the world the parts of my body that I don't want to show.  After searching long and hard I finally found one on Nordstrom.com. In the stores all I could find were the garments that squeeze this part and enhance another. Not that there is anything wrong with those types of "slips", but I do prefer to breathe.

When the slip arrived I had forgotten that I ordered it. So I wondered what I was receiving in a box so large.

In this day and age when "Green" is the buzz word you would have thought that a smaller box would be eco-conscience and cheaper to ship (that is the part I am more concerned about). 

It was quite comical when I opened the box and it was pretty much empty. The slip itself was packaged in a way that it would have fit just fine in a Fed Ex or UPS envelope.

Regardless A-Gril and I enjoyed our chuckle about the shipping of a slip.

Forty-Two Today

It snowed on May 11, 1967 and the Bride's breakfast did not stay down, two signs that usually don't bode well for a wedding. 2 years of on and off courtship and they finally committed to one another. He coming from a large brood and she an only child. Two different perspectives on life yet they merged and made a great pair. The Bride and Groom were dashing.

They love each other more and more everyday. Their marriage is what I want. Something real and strong. Maybe that is why I am holding out. They showed us by example that marriage and family were important, two things not to take lightly or throw away when times get tough. They loved each other and made sure that we knew.

They filled our many homes with laughter, a sense of order, unconditional and adoring love. They were places that not only we wanted to be but friends also.

I love to watch my Dad look at my Mom and when he tells me that he can't believe how much he adores and loves her grinning from ear to ear.

Thank you both for sticking it out for 42 years and making a solid foundation for our family.

Happy Anniversary!

My Mother

I am so grateful she is mine! I wouldn't be who I am with out her.