Southern California Livin'

Yesterday my sister in law took the words right out of my mouth "You gotta love Southern California living!"

Yes!

I wholheartedly agree. I love living here. I am a native, born and raised here until 12, when my dad was transferred to Chicago, another amazing place to live by the way. But I came back as an adult, transferred again from Sacramento, only this time I was married with a child.

I had mixed emotions: excited for the chance to live by my family, my sister and brother and his family lived here, my parents had just relocated from Chicago, I loved the beach, In n Out Burger, the Hollywood Bowl, but I was frustrated with the lack of open land--the juxtaposition of city after city crammed together tight, like a jigsaw puzzle, no one knowing where one began and the other ended except for the dirty freeway sign or dusty marker on the road. I felt the "Storm Watches" on the news was, how can I put this lightly, pitiable. Please, it is sprinkling outside, and there is an anchorwoman (why do they mostly send woman out to do these stories) on the side of the freeway reporting on the great storm we are experiencing. Sorry my dear friends, southern California knows nothing about real weather. I was concerned about what southern Californians considered being the news, I am sorry but Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton are not that important to me but they seem to be in the headlines all the time as does any other celebrity and their troubles. I missed seeing open land, I wanted big back yards and small quaint houses, not big boxy houses and small back yards, I missed the feeling of small towns where you could find Mainstreet, I missed community news.

I too, like some friends I know, thought grass was greener on the other side, felt like life would be better lived else where and looked in the likes of Utah, where houses were cheaper, Montana where the skies were wider, Seattle, where the lands were were wetter, Minnesota, where the lakes are superior, No Ca, where the people are liberaler-er-er, Colorado where the forests were denser, but I have come to realize that I am a So Ca girl through and through. I belong here and will stay. Of course knowing that teachers can't really transfer from Ca or they lose there retirement helps aid the decision as well, but that is another matter entirely.


Regardless, I am happy here and happy to be here. I love that outdoor living is available all year long here. We BBQ in January-- one of my very favorite months of the year in So Ca. I love the ocean and the beaches, I love the cultural opportunities of Los Angeles--recently considered an up and coming art capital of the world--I can hear live music every day of the week if I choose, in multiple venues, I can enjoy the vast landscape that So Ca offers from the beach to the desert to the mountains and in the valleys. Oceans, streams lakes, water falls are all local and available to me, and finally the people, I love the people! All types of people from many different walks of life and many varieties of personalities, all with stories to tell and things to share. If you want a sample of the variety, one can go visit Venice Beach where, I was reminded by a young friend, "there are all kinds there" and yes there are.

One of my favorite activities which makes one think, "Nothing like Southern California Living!" is going to the ocean in the early afternoon, after sleeping in, after traffic, after lunch and staying until the sun slowly sinks her rosy self down and tucks herself into the ocean's vast rippling blanket and says goodnight. It is a glorious time of day, there is something magical about it especially near the water and even more pleasing if your in it. It brings me great joy. Yesterday was one such day.

Like Sands In The Hour Glass. . .

Time keeps ticking away. It's official. I have reached middle age. I even looked up a definition of middle age: "the time between 40 and 60 is middle age." Yep that's me, middle aged. I kind of like it. I have been known to say, "I love my 40's!" In fact I just did it today. . .

"I love my forties!" I exclaimed to my younger friend who was antiquing with me today. No response.

"No really," I say trying to feel like I have to convice her. She is looking at me through the corner of her eye, skeptically, "Yea, My forties are great!" still no response. I continue, "You know when you reach your forties," she obviously hasn't reached her forties, "you have learned that you can't please everyone, it is just impossible, and so you don't feel the need to try any more."

"That's freeing."says my younger, wrinkle free friend with a smile, attempting to validate me,

"It is really! my forties are great, I love my forties." I say with enthusiasm like some type of missionary of the aged spreading the good news.

I call them "My Forties." They have their own title and they are mine. Not like when I was in my twenties or thirties. During those decades it was strictly year by year. You were either twenty-one or twenty-two. Then, you wanted to be older. Each year meant more maturity, more experience and at the time, that was good.

Then when I reached thirty, all of a sudden, I felt an ache and a pain in my back--Like over night--at twenty-nine I fall asleep feeling fine and dandy and then the morning I wake up thirty, and I am stiff and achey, but still it is year by year: thirty-two or thirty-three.

However, when forty comes, you claim the whole decade at once. It didn't matter that I was 40 or 41, I was in my forties. I claim the whole decade as my own and I take them all in and I love them. I love them because I realize all that I have been through to get me here. I cherish every lesson and every joyful experience. I try to celebrate every moment, and realize that it is perfect just as it is, the joys and the pains, the victories and the losses, the hurdles that have been crossed safely and those that weren't, causing me to fall on my face, and cry hot, steamy tears that sting my eyes. I'm not ashamed of being forty, I am proud of it. I feel that I have finally grown up, except that I haven't. I still love to play way to much, and I am still on an eternal vacation as a friend once said back when I was 25. I have aged, yes, but like a fine wine, or a great cheese. The years have refined me, taught me, made me more appreciative of life. So I celebrate "My Forties!" and look forward to embellishing them with great memories and experiences.

Sorry folks, since I am planning on being mobile til I am forced to move on. I decided to not give any energy to me needing the aqua chair. But I do plan on having a great decade in my 50s. For sure.

Kayak - ak - ak - ak - ak (Think Popeye)

We bought a kayak for the fam! We found it on craig's list fully loaded: seats, paddles, vests for a great price. I couldn't pass it up. The guy we bought it from advertised two tandem kayaks for $950 but when we contacted him he had already sold one. Bummer! I am still looking for one for Rob and Claire.

The moment we put it down, Owen and Clara popped right in and were ready to launch.

Clara and Owen: kayakers in training.



Here I am giving Lily the here's what you do speech. She didn't need much training. She is a natural. Lily, Elyse and I were the first ones out there.

We met a family there who are avid kayakers. Shane and his wife Christine were a bit concerned for us so Shane helped us launch it for the first time.

We took the boys as well. They loved it. Owen was a little nervous but after a while he was helping me paddle and began to relax.
We took the kayak out again on the 4th of July. The water was very choppy that day! In fact we almost tipped over a few times. It made for an adventurous excursion. Here are the Three Graces all decked out and ready to go. They wanted to go together! I need to write a book about these three. They crack me up.

Ocean explorers for sure!

Here they are contemplating jumping in the water for a peek a boo. They were nervous. We had just seen a seal peek his head out of the water for a look at us. Very cool. But I know they were a little nervous about what else might be lurking in those waters.


I can't help but smile when I think about that day and the fun we are gonna have in the future.


Here is a shot of Avery my little swimming champ. She swam for a while in the open sea.

When we went on this little expedition, I saw that we were just a little ways away from Lil Corona. Next time I am gonna take the kayak over there so we can explore the structures in and around that little beach. We can't launch from there but we can kayak over there and I know it is beautiful.

Richard took the boys out for a little teaching expedition. On the 4th the you can fish without a license so he wanted to take advantage because his expired.


Here is Will practicing reeling one in positive thinking,I love that.

Again the water was very choppy and they were drifting south quickly. We need to get ourselves a little anchor. See Lily up ahead. She wanted to go out and help paddle. She loves it like her mama!

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas.

My friend Brenda is one of those friends that will always be there, no matter what! You know the type, You may not talk for over a year, but when you get together it is like you have never been apart, or the type that that calls you right when you need a call--She is the type and I love her. We planned a getaway to say good bye to my friend who is moving east. Whenever we get together we know we are going to have a great time and without exception it happened again.

Just after we arrive we take off. Let the fun times begin.

The first thing we had to do is head over to Old Navy because when I said, "Okay, we are leaving, get into the car, Owen, being the obedient boy that he is did just what I said but with out his shoes.

we couldn't help but take a picture with all the celebrities.

After Owen chose his flip flops, he liked the fatigue design with the skulls, what little boy wouldn't, we headed out to Las Vegas' best kept secret Kyklos Greek Cafe, a greek restaurant in the food court of the Sunset Mall. It was voted Best Greek restaurant in Las Vegas. It is a family owned shop managed by the three Kyklos brothers, Manny Moe and Jack, wait... I am confused.

Now that is gyro. It was huge I could only eat half.

After a meal that filled us to the gills we went roller skating. It was family night there and we could get a family of four in for $12. What a deal.



Lily did fine:



Until:


Lily is my mover, my groover, my dance extraordinaire and it wasn't long before she was out grooving on the dance floor on eight wheels. Emma and Brianna were a little more cautious, but still had a great time.

Brianna and Emma on the floor.

My Sunshine, Will, ooppppsss, I forgot that I am not supposed to call him that in public. He told me the other day, "Mom, remember, you can call me Sunshine here,in the house, but not outside, remember!, because I have to be tough!" so it is just our little secret that I called him Sunshine on my blog. Will and Owen got on their skates determined to do well. Once free skate started, we three went right to the center, timing our crossing of the river of people just right so as not to be knocked down roller derby style. Here are my boys all decked out with their skate gear.

My handsome boys.

Will spent a good 10 min in the circle practicing and then said to me, "all right, I am going out!" meaning he was venturing into the stream of people that circled the rink. There he goes.

Will the Thrill joining the skaters.

Owen, on the other hand, stayed in the circle all night. He was game for the skating, but, needed a lot of practice. He was up one minute, and down on the floor the next, but through out the whole night he had a smile on his face. When ever he would fall, I would say "What do you do when you fall Owen," and he would reply, "Get right back up!" I love that attitude. and he did get back up time. . .


after time


after time


But every time he had a smile on his little sweaty face. It was like 90 degrees in there. He had a ball. He never left the rink floor. For a time he didn't get off the floor saying that he wanted to work on his moves: half splits and such.



Brenda is a dancing queen herself and has always had the moves. She was getting down on the dance floor as well. I'll see if I can download the video on You tube, but for now here is a pic of Bren and the girls.

My Beautiful Friend Brenda

Oh there goes my Sunshine again!


It was right about now that Brenda started to feel a little queezy. The flu had struck. We went home and tucked everyone in. . .and by the next morning Brianna had it. We gathered our belongings and vamoosed out of there, hoping that what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas. I am happy to report that all are in good health once again and we did escape the dreaded camp flu. We are hoping to head out to Vegas again before she ventures East, because we know that whenever we spend time with Auntie Brenda, it is going to be a blast.

"for whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea" ee cummings

june 22, monday

on a lazy day,
the sun reached down her arms,
embraced us
and a breeze kissed our cheeks.

we meandered, slowly
to the water,
arriving
just as brother tide
returned to
cool off
sister shore.

playful
curious,
tender
children
explore
the beauties
of the sea,

until the sun
sat herself down
into its wondrous
depths