Thanksgiving & Three....

Abundant Life...

Abundant Love...


Thankful for all that I am blessed to have, and all that I work for ~


ABUNDANT PICNIC...  on this Thanksgiving day, my words here have reached their 3 year Anniversary!

Three years ago on my first post {click link here} I spoke of having three Thanksgiving festivities to attend. This year I am sitting in my parents warm ( a tad too much so) house in the pines. Hubby & I have walked through the pinecone and needle laden streets. We've watched the New York parade, and now the television is tuned to football. The four of us will join a few of my parents friends for turkey dinner out. A whole new experience - and just such the sort of thing I consider the filling of an ABUNDANT PICNIC!

As time passes it is easy to reflect and wish for more time with our loved ones, many more hours on this earth, and in this beautiful life. How very thankful I am that my parents are still here.  How sad it makes me feel that my other Pops has left a wistful feeling in our hearts, as we near the one year anniversary of his passing.


Blessings of abundance and wishes of joy to all....


Shari

Treasure Trove of Memories

Say it isn't so! I went and mentioned that you'd seen the last of Anniversary posts.... oops! - I had left out a special day Hubby & I set aside to roam our local haunts of years past (and present too). This was a surprise that I did for him.


A journey up & down our beautiful peninsula, taking in sights and places that had special meaning to us.

First stop (no, it didn't surprise Hubby) was at the church in the woods where we married.

 Recreated the bride roll here in this photo... haaaaa    ->

 

 

 

Moved our way north to San Francisco. That one-of-a-kind city, not too far from our home, holds many memories. I spent a lot of time in SF and was happy to share it with Hubby.                            

 

 

Golden Gate Park is where we landed.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have paddled, walked and photographed most sections of Stow Lake. It is one of our fave places.

 

 

 

We attempted to lunch at Swan's Oyster Bar. The dang place was packed. A line outside it's door that people said they'd waited in for an hour and some change. Love the place - but, we had places to go!

 

 

 

China Beach. A Golden Gate Bridge view - so spectacular, so up-close and personal! Never tire of this sight! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A champagne toast at The Cliff House

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the itinerary packed day was all an attempt to surprise Hubby and make the final destination a dinner spot that we've loved for decades, and is one that he never tires of speaking about.              

 

 

 

Here's the welcoming door knocker ~

 

 

 

 

 

A tented ceiling and fabric-lined walls... welcome to the casbah....

 

sorry for the blurry photo... so dark inside..

 

 

 

 

 

El Mansour - a fine Moroccan dining event....

 

 

 

A six course meal, taken leisurely, as entertainment swirls around you

 

 

 

 

 

Hubby was surely pleased ~

 

 

 

 

 

A San Francisco treat!! 

And Then..... {Fifth in a Series on Celebrating 25}

May 14th - Hubby & I celebrated the date that we wed 25 years prior. In my post ~ Fourth in a Series, you saw what a memorable gift and experience this was. We've outdone, overcompensated, overly indulged ourselves for a month or more... yet, I still have another celebration to share.


This is the garden party that we invited my family and a small contingent of Hubby's to share in. A lot of prep, many days of work and most importantly a gorgeous and fun event was held in my Brother and Sister-in-laws garden.  We were sure to fete other celebrants and monumental life events on this day. A niece graduated from High School, and a brother and nephew had birthdays.

The tables were decked out in beach theme decor, with touches of silver for the 25th Anniv. Silver trophy cups and starry firework sprays for the graduate.

At our place setting - were these forks that I had engraved by a GOAT HILL artist just for this occasion. A SILVER memento for Hubby & me.

The glass with silver 25 monogram was a gift from a friend ^

Hugs & kisses aplenty  ^

Saltwater taffy cupped inside scallop shells as a favor (colors of pink chosen because this was part of our color scheme on our wedding day)

Beautiful niece reading her graduation messages ~

One gardenia blossom was ready.. and placed specially by my husband and sister-in-law, at my spot. Gardenias are the flower we had on our wedding day.

Handmade and VERY delicious cupcakes were created by our talented niece! She took an old family favorite recipe and adapted it to make these. Then she invented a special icing. She made the day so very memorable!

My MIL was the one responsible for this gathering. She truly wanted us to have a party to celebrate this big occasion. She definitely got this party started...

I believe I'm nearing the end on the Anniversary stories....
May was a month to remember - for sure!!

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!!

Here's What You Need to Know.. (about the last post)

Cliffhanger?... is that what I went and did when I typed out JUST JOEY, two weeks ago and then didn't return to the scene of the crime until tonight? Really sorry ! Here's the story behind that May 13th poem story.  (click may13 to read story)

On May 14th Hubby & I reached a lifetime milestone and began a month long celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. To appropriately mark our day.. well, there just wasn't a gift that felt right. Hubby isn't much for material things. His wedding ring has sat in my jewelry box for most of the 25 years, so jewelry is on the never-buy list! Both he & I had surprises and trips planned, reserved and ordered. The one gift I could give would be something from the heart - thus, I wrote that poetry-like Just Joey item.

Next question, please...   "Excuse me, what was the idea behind Just Joey?"... oh, yes - that...

To my mind, something that we've considered to be the cornerstone of our life and happiness is this cottage home we live in. The move here, to this family-built house, happened just at the start of our married life. I regard this as my sanctuary. I feel safe and protected under this roof. The garden I've planted, and attempt to maintain, is of utmost importance to me. Hubby is enamored of all the serenity and pleasure that comes from these four walls, also.  Upon the lucky find of a perfectly perfumed and luscious yellow-peach rose - named: JUST JOEY, I knew she suited the 25th anniversary gift to a tee.

I painted burlap fabric silver (silver anniversary) and swathed the rose bush in a silvery bundle. White tulle for a bow, and propped her in our vintage wheelbarrow. Set out in front of our house just in time for Hubby to drive-up from work.

The 25 year Rosa is now planted and placed in the backyard garden. With love, nurturing and a home that provides shelter... may JUST JOEY grow & thrive for the next twenty five years, and more!

******

If I get the chance to play catch-up on blog posting...  do I have Anniversary stories to tell!