Family

A favorite of mine is catching up with family as they are such a wealth of history. Valentines Day we flew to Long Beach where I spent some time as a child and drove to Palm Springs to meet up with Sandy, Kirk, Kim and Kolbi, whom we had not seen since she was two. She is now seven. 

One of the funniest things I recall is that Bean and Kolbi took a liking to the closets.  They would sit in there together playing their DS's and having a great time.  It became a standing joke that Kirk or I would say "Now go to your closet." as though it were a punishment, and if anyone didn't know they would think we were horrible people banning children to a mere closet,

Kirk showed up wearing a corn hat, to non-verbally announce that he was from Iowa?  It started as a joke from a previous trip, and has continued on.

Watching Bean experience the "manly" art of grilling dinner with Kirk as his guide was great.  The hamburgers I am told were great.  Bean and Kolbi dined in their own room at their own table. Great fun. 

Some of the highlights included Sandy's cookies, a rare treat for anyone who has had the honor of receiving them! I now have her recipe and know there was a missing ingredient from the 1st draft!

Bowling was fun.  I watched both Kolbi and Bean get a strike.  They really seemed to enjoy themselves.

 Jeff flew in from working in New Mexico.  He spent the afternoon in the pool with Brandon and Kolbi.

Wednesday we went to the Wild Animal Park in Sand Diego, a two and a half hour drive.  What a beautiful are they have.  Kolbi got to see her elephants and Jeff got to see his giraffes.  There were giraffes a plenty.  Sandy got to see Bob Morgan, who was most important for her to see. Bean and I enjoyed the whole thing.  Bob was able to provide us with some valuable information for our upcoming trip to Denmark, as well as a few tips on out Alaska cruise that we are taking in   coming months.

Thursday the sun was warm and there was swimming:-)  After that we played a game of Monopoly Fast...something or other.  It was fun and Sandy held on with the tenacity of a Pitbull.  Bean was the clear winner by about eight grand!

Friday we headed home and stopped by our favorite tea shop on the way back.  It was a beautiful clear day with a great view of Mount Hood.  Don't I look relaxed, not to mention wrinkled:-)??

Loose or controlled change

Last night I dreamt of something that had a profound message.  I like when my dreams tell me something, or are direct rather than needing to figure them out like an enigma.  Some unseen person threw a quarter into a puddle.  They said "A small bit of information thrown in the right direction can make a BIG splash." Daily I try to throw bits of information to Bean and Diz's way and every meeting with my clients.  I hope in some small way I am the quarter tosser!

Chocolate fair!

There are fountains and there are fountains, the trick is to combine the two.  Both of these photos were taken today at the Chocolate Fair.  We decided to do something a little different.  You cannot imagine the variety of ways there are to use chocolate from dipping sauces, to breads, to drinks, to soap, and shampoo.  The fair was complete with two chocolate fountains and a million people! Just outside the first building with the two fountains is a lovely real fountain outside where I shot this picture.  It was so quiet, a nice diversion for the insanity inside.

Okay, so the people I was not so fond of, but I stayed focused on  the one I was with for the most part.  THEN along came the guy who was networking at the same time as tasting the different tables wares.  I watched him sample the chocolate at one table, LICK his FINGERS, and more on to the next table.  As those of you who know me well, know, we were finished at that point!  Luckily, it was near the end of the third building. 

Fortunately, before that, Jeff and I found organic, gluten free, (though not glutton free:-) animal product free, chocolate truffles.  We each got one to share and will partake this evening following dinner or during our movie.  YUM! How delectable do those look!?!

Lunch

I had lunch with a young man I dearly love today.  I felt like it was a moment I will never forget.  I sit beside this fine young man several days a week at his side, laughing, loving, learning, teaching, but not really knowing all aspects of him.  I sat across the table rather than at his side and noticed he has a wonderful little dimple in his chin that somehow escaped me.  He also has a really funny sense of humor and an intuition that surprises me.  So while I dined with a person I share so many hours of my week with, I discovered the stranger with his Daddy's eyes, and his Mother's wit.  I shared lunch with my grandson.