2008 the year in retrospect

The year is almost done and I was sitting here thinking about it and all the blessing I have received. January saw my friend Bonnie and I go to Europe where we visited Spain, France, and London. We took her daughter to Spain to take a semester of College. We visited, Madrid, Bilbao, St Sebastian, and several other small villages. We were lucky enough to be able to tour with the college and was shown several of the beaches and haunts around the college. In Spain they take siestas in the middle of the day and EVERYTHING shuts down. They do not eat dinner until late in the evenings, and they eat very small dinners. At one stop we ordered Prawns and what we got was shrimp with their eyes and feelers looking at me setting on a bed of lettuce with a small loaf of bread. It took a bit to get up the courage to eat them but boy were they good.
From St Sebastian we took a train and headed into France. When the train ended just over the inlet we were advised that unless we rented a car there wasn't any way out until the morning. When we asked about a place to stay this beautiful young lady told us that there were 2 hotels but one was closed. So we trooped across the street and up a hill and across a road and into this quaint hotel where the innkeeper pulls out a book and asks "do you have a reservation?" Yea right like we planned on getting stuck in this little Podunk town. OK so the town turned out to be a wonderful seaside village with Spain on one side and France on the other. We walked around and than we went into a pub and asked for food and the man took our orders and left the building...some time later he came back with a loaf of French bread and proceeded to fix us a sandwich of bread, ham and butter served with wonderful wine. He never came back to our table or spoke to us again until we left. It was a Basque establishment and a Basque town. We did go back and have wine at the hotel and than crashed so we could catch the 10 hour train to our next location. Next day we are off on the train to Genoble France and time in the French Alps. Our journey is long and dry...they did not offer any food or water on the train and we were not prepared for that. The scenery was beautiful and it is exciting to watch the land, the houses, and the livestock change from location to location. So we finally arrive and are met by Bonnies' friends who take us to our lovely hotel and than comes back and we walk to the center of town and go to dinner where I have lamb chops and this wonderful potato dish. Tomorrow we are off to visit the Alps and play in the snow the next day we are off to Paris for a quick walk around and a sleep over. We are back on the train and headed for London When we arrive we will have traveled the length of France on a train and a big share of Spain as well.
London...the weather is wonderful..I am wanting to see it all. Woops we were suspose to have been her last nite and they canceled our reservation on us. Managed to get it back and the first evening we go to the theater and see Wicked, next day it is out to check out the sites ( Big Ben) and watch the changing of the guard, followed by another night at the theater watching Momma Mia. Next day we are off and headed home but not before we induldge in a massage.
Febuary Amanda, Mindy and myself go to see Gypsy Rose Lee at the Morrison Center. March or April saw us taking a trip to Lax but I don't remember the date. I remember getting sick..I remember watching a fisherman off Vience beach catch a Leopard Shark but I don't remember the date. May was the month I went to the retreat...see my blogg..June and July see me looking for a house. A dear friend made it possible for me to have the finances to purchase a place of my own. June brought Clay and his family in from Oklahoma and we had a great visit. I so wish they were not so far away. He has a wonderful family and we miss so much as they grow up. June also saw Mr Keegan turning one year old...In July I spent quite a bit of time in Cascade with Cecil and Dorla. August sees me one step closer to moving into my own place and Tristan turning TWO. Sept seen me packing and moving. In Oct.I held a house warming party on the 18th, with 33 adults, 5 kids and 2 dogs attending.
Nov. was a trip to San Diego and me cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my family.
In Dec. I am hosting the Lead/lead relief party and I don't know what else.
It has been a wonderful fulfilling year and I have grown both spritualy and personally. I am looking forward to what 2009 will bring. I pray it will be good and that I can get some thing taken care of and be able to go to Iowa and Arizona, among other places.

Black Friday '08

While everyone was out spending money I slept in, read my book, and decorated for Christmas. Yes that is what I said...decorated for Christmas. It has been a long time since I actually felt joy at the prospect of Christmas. Not that I have any more money but just that I feel alive and am looking forward to the season. I put my tree up and decorated my downstairs. I bought a new tree and it is pretty all by itself but I forced myself to add some bobbles on it. I laid silver against my chocolate wall and green and silver to my windows. I took my time and sat out my snowmen (George always gave me a new snowmen every year), sat out my village and my nativity scene. Now I get to share them with my precious boys for the next month. I hope they enjoy them as much as I do.

Thanksgiving '08

It is the Sat. after Thanksgiving and I have to go to work shortly..but first thought I would write a bit.
Thanksgiving was great! Amanda, Phil and Keegan were the first to arrive and while Keegan and daddy played Amanda and I finished dinner.( got to admit most of it was done well before noon.) Rick, Mindy and Tristan arrived shortly after two. I had cooked a turkey with dressing, potatoes combined with peas, a gravy which had Swiss cheese in it, asparagus with cheese, and an apple pie. Amanda brought veggies and a key-lime pie (her speciality) while Rick brought meatballs (yum) and deviled eggs.
So we sat down to a fine meal followed by watching the football game (Dallas of course) checking out the Black Friday ads and playing with the boys. We sat around and visited until about four when Rick and Mindy had to leave and than Amanda, Phil and I cleaned up and sat around and visited some more and than they had to leave.
It was a great day and I thank God for it.

Retreat

Several of us went on a retreat in Sep. of this year, to Buhl Idaho where we stayed in yurts and bunked next door to Alligators. My very special friend, Bonnie, put it together and our instructor, Peggy, flew in from California. We spent three wonderful days communing with nature, singing, dancing, swimming, walking, playing games and laughing. We spent hours meditating and just getting in touch with who we are. She had us meditating before, durning, and after we ate. We played musical chairs, duck duck goose, did yoga, and sang songs while whirling in circles. Our instructor is a practicing Buddhist and I was very impressed with what a wonderful person she was. She taught us to be true to God and that we must always remember to take time for ourselves if we are to be healthy and happy. She taught us methods of relaxation that will make a true difference in our lives. This was a first fo me and I was amazed at how much fun it was. When I left I was filled with a peace that has never truly left me.

Surprise! I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner...yep that is right I am having Rick and Amanda and their families in for dinner. I think they are in shock that after years of no cooking mom is actually cooking a meal. Even Clay commented on it when he was here.....I always could cook just chose not to. I always look forward to spending time with my favorite people in the whole world.

San Diego 14th of Nov. 2008..........This is our first trip together...won't be our last. left to right: DeVonna, Stacey, Char, and myself. We had just left the Tide Pools and was pretty wind blown. This was just the beginning of a great 2 days.

We thought we were pretty cool, made it off the rocks without getting thrown (they tried but we hung on)

This is a cave that the Ocean has carved out and would normally be under water but because of the low tide we were able to check it out. It was way cool!

This was about 7pm and we were on Coronado Island playing in the Ocean. It was the first time Char had seen the Ocean. We are running from a wave that is trying to wipe us out. It was great watching the waves crash in on each other...it was like a domino chain falling.

Now Blogging

I have finally taken the big step in the world of blogging. Check back to see what I have been up.