An Ending and A New Beginning

This time traveling I'm doing gets exhausting. Attempting to keep memories in order, and true. Like, "I did do that, didn't I?"... We were laughing, happy and unknowingly keeping memories to heart, right? Jumbled, foggy thoughts are friends of mine lately. But, here? now? I can mostly keep track of time by the photos that I savor.

Back a few journal entries, I shared a family party that was held for my sister-in-law, nearly in lieu of Christmas - as the entire family was present that evening - and we were going separate ways for December 25th.

I went the email route for sending good tidings and embracing the coming New Year... memories of the abundant life I share with my Hubby ~

Traditional Christmas it WASN'T this year (similar to Thanksgiving). A portrait with Santa was about as traditional as we got - albeit this Santa was my brother-in-law.

Always and forever Christmas Eve is with Hubby's family.  Gift giving and opening takes on an entirely different  joy when there are children in the room. It makes me happy to have our nephew and his family grow to include two young ones. Our great nephew is like a bouncy ball that hops from plaything to not-so-plaything while smiling, laughing, and singing his ABC's. We don't share photos of these beautiful beings... unfortunately....

my kitchen in December

Brother #1 celebrated endured Christmas in Southern California, as his mother-in-law passed away. Brother #2 was content at home with his family for Christmas and had to work.
Brother #3was dutiful and kind sharing Christmas day with other family.
And, my parents were home, at their place in the woods. They made plans with friends for holiday dinner, yet my Mom was still not feeling well. That flu bug was hanging onto her.

Yes, quite separated we were and equally as nontraditional.

Off to the beach on a whim, because of the niceties from my Goat Hill boss...  Hubby & I would dig toes in the sand and watch sunsets for Christmas.

even the bird came along

Sunshine filled perfection!!


2013 coming to an end - we headed back home. A small celebratory evening with friends to welcome all that the beginning of a new year can mean... resolutions - maybe, dreams - surely, hope for a year of abundant joy and magnificent memory making ALWAYS! Isn't that the truth for each of us? That we have eternal hope each and every time the calendar reads January 1st? Life is all about the beauty of sunshine perfection, isn't it? Otherwise it would be hard to rise each morning. Who of us would sit and ponder dreadfulness? Not on my watch, anyway! Eternal optimist (mostly), that is me.


Let us celebrate a HAPPY New Year ~

art on our fridge for incoming 2014

Try as I might,  I cannot come up with a clear picture in my head of the first week in January. A lot of vague recollections. Checking my calendar, there are entries about the 3rd, 4th, 5th being spent in Los Angeles, and San Francisco at funerals. Deaths that needed to be acknowledged, loved ones that needed support.


Very soon after, acknowledgement, love and support would be needed to heal my heart. The art I chalked on the refrigerator said IMAGINE.... but, imagine what exactly? Thinking sunshine, I got rain...

Using the Word Thankful.. STILL....

Turkey leftovers and forgotten mash no longer sit upon the shelves of the fridge. Thanksgiving has come and gone. Christmas seems to be "hot topic" now! Maybe I'm slow on the take... but, I'm still pausing to reflect and give thanks for all that I've been gifted with.

Non-traditional observances aside - Hubby & I enjoyed a beautifully warm, seaside to mountain top week of Thanksgiving observance. What began as a "time to unwind" post-Goat Hill getaway to the ocean, ended up being the start to our holiday.

Just past the hills, and sitting in the low-lying farming area of the California central coast is a cluster of tiny towns that are quite the slow paced, verdant, oceanic paradises of my dreams. We visit Half Moon Bay when our bodies say "rest".  Hubby & I frequent this place, and my parents traveled over these hills to bring their four children to sandy playgrounds when I was young. Their fist home was nearly purchased here.

 

Hunkered down in the San Benito House, an inn that hasn't seen much updating in years, we plopped ourselves on wooden benches and watched the world go 'round us. Taxidermy heads-'n-horns line the walls of the pool hall. A happenin' pub serves up a mean Bloody Mary. My brother joined in for an ale at the outdoor fire pit, and a lobster roll down the Highway.

 

Ocean smooth as glass ... the oddest of sights! I don't know that I've ever witnessed nearly nonexistent wave action at this portion of the coast. We took in some local fare.. as in - artichoke soup from Duarte's (I've posted on this before), and we backroad-ed to see country stores, shops and... here's another strange curiosity - fence posts trimmed in dried fish heads!!  what?? yep....

Two days of beachy bliss! Thankful for every minute of it...

 

Travel with me to the next Thanksgiving stop....

I hope to continue regular posts.. at a much more regular pace! Until next time...

Butcher, Baker... Where's the Candlestick Maker?

More stores need fresh butcher shops! I'll put my request in now! Something about them that  I find so fresh, yet so old-school. I think I've spoken of this place : el Salchichero in Santa Cruz? It's a small but finely stocked charcuterie. I adore the owner and his fellow-choppers - they're dynamic, informative, and tattooed! Tiny place, big + for a perfect food field trip with the Organic Chef!
{Cousin Rick}

Hubby kissing the ceramic pork

Meat was bought! Cousin was happy. Butcher ... then Baker... in the same courtyard is Kelly's French Bakery! Yuuuummmmy  decadence...

this little starling had his "sweet" spot staked-out

 Next?  other California scenery - especially while in the Santa Cruz area. One must visit the beach - of course !!

Pleasure seeking, food indulging, and completely seizing the day - we truly DID!!

Fourth (and not last) In a Series on Celebrating 25 Years...

I left off from the tale of Anniversary mega-celebrations with a photo of a monstrous building {click} and will continue {if you are inclined to read more) from this photo that you've already
seen ~

I was presented with an unpurchaseable statement of love. Hubby had, for months, been compiling memories, thoughts and scribble-drawings of highlights during our years together - some married years and some before that. That is the final page of the booklet in his hands. On his bucket list two items were checked off - marrying me, and staying so for 25 years. The third item on the list was for us to check-off that very evening. We were staying overnight at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay!!

Every square foot of this resort oozes luxury. The surprise was beyond comprehension, as this is very unlike us to stay in spendy places! No detail was left out. The room was littered with rose petals. The bed had towels shaped into swan hearts. We were greeted with "Happy Anniversary" wishes.

25 in petals

I laughed til I cried, and I cried - til I laughed. My chuckling at the drawings in the booklet had both of us gasping. A memorable place to sit and read this gift - ensconced in a dramatically large Adirondack chair, on a sunlit afternoon on the Ritz patio overlooking the grand Pacific. Perfection!

We had a private patio, and our own fire pit. We opted to stay on the patio all through the evening - who could waste a moment of that view? Dinner was a picnic here, with champagne to toast US!
The sky was blue... and as much a surprise as the gift, as Half Moon Bay is notoriously foggy! Sunset was meant just for our celebration!

A quick 24 hours we had, but you can't very well leave the beach without a walk in the morning!

Time for us to head home and for me to get up to the hill.. on the property with the goats, 'cause it was nearly the big day for Goat Hill Fair. Lots of work to be done. I've been busy as a bee...

Believe it, or not, the Anniversary stories are yet to be complete!! there's more to come.....

Third in A Series of The 25th Celebrate-athon !

Steep Ravine still fresh in our minds... and still aching on our backs (problem with new air mattress while camping).. little over a week after our first Anniversary celebration - the REAL wedding date came. Twenty-Five years after May 14, 1988 ~

We played- who has the best surprise anniversary plan? It is my opinion that Hubby won that game! He outdid himself! I was surprised in every way!

An itinerary was given me a week in advance. He knows me well - I had to be sure of what clothing to pack! Hubby has been writing in a makeshift journal - giving me daily stick-figure drawings and funny thoughts, quips and anecdotes. And  always a message of love. In the volley back and forth of love notes, we each offered clues to how we'd be celebrating. Not one of those could match the true thoughtfulness of his surprise plan.

Let me begin with the first timeline clue.... Hubby writes to me: "Light breakfast at home, leave the house by ten o'clock, and be in Half Moon Bay for lobster rolls at lunch!"  No problem - Dollface, you had me at lobster!!  :-)

remember... I mentioned glorious food and champagne for days...

Booklet next read:  "walk on the beach".... so, we strolled hand-in-hand along the sand...
How is it that poem, or rhyme goes??... too late to figure it out....  Anyway, we marked off the 2nd clue from the itinerary booklet.....

Next time I'll give you the BIG HURRAH!! Biggest, kindest, most out-of-character gift, EVER!!
Here's a clue though:

I'm About to Make You Sick...

Sick with envy, maybe. SICK AND TIRED of hearing about the 25th wedding anniversary - most certainly!! As I said yesterday, this has been one full-on month of celebration. In fact, maybe I'm even feeling sick... hhaaaa - NO, really! - physically a little queasy-tummied from all of the food and champagne we've consumed! LORDY!


A sunny day in early May. We loaded up nearly everything we own to camp at our serene-place, that tiny facade of a cabin - that is truly nothing more than a rustic shelter. A place beyond compare. I reserved this spot months in advance of our Anniversary - because of our history with it, and it's spot in our hearts. We slept soundly with ocean waves rocking the cliffs that the cabin sits upon and the cooing of swallows nesting in the eaves just above our heads.

Some days we ventured out to celebrate with meals in other of our favorite haunts. Again winding down Highway 1 to Nick's Cove.... happy to revisit the boat house sitting at the end of a long dock.

The table nearest to the edge, closest to the sunset and directly atop Tomales Bay. Have you ever experienced crabby mac-'n-cheese? It's a gotta-do, one day! Put that on your bucket list!

Mostly, you're on your own out on this dock. We order by phone in the little boat shack, and then go pick-up at the restaurant way down the dock. Brought along our own bottle of bubbly, and tablecloth, and then I became our waitress...

Our celebrations have centered around one main theme.. well I guess two themes, #1 is Silver Anniversary, and #2 is beach!!

Our heavenly, much adored spot was a perfect few days away... and a good place to begin the marking of the big 25 Anniversary celebration.  Are any of you sick of it yet? Hope not... there's plenty more to share!!