My Fight Smog Guitar From College and the Ocean

 I was ahead of my time, fighting smog, with this sticker on my guitar case back in my college days. I still have the guitar and case and took the photo recently. I sang and played countless English folk songs (Silver Dagger which I still sing around the house when I am alone), the Civil Rights movement (Follow the Drinking Gourd), and lots of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan songs.

Above is the view from a favorite restaurant near my house. Friends took me to birthday lunch there in April. Parking is expensive and hard to find near the beach and this restaurant has free parking for customers, a valet parks it for you. Of course I give a tip. More photos taken near my home near the ocean. I moved here more than 40 years ago and love the sea, it is a balm to my soul and body.

Two above photos taken at 10 a.m. this month, on a foggy slightly drizzly day. The temperature here is 59 degrees F today and a low of 51 degrees last night. My sister lives in Wisconsin where it is reaching a high of 4 degrees F. Brrrr. Stay warm!

How is your January going? Have a great day friends.

Chihuahuas, Kohlrabi, New Orchid, Cartoon, Friends and Family Meet During Covid

 

Bounce looks like the pup on the fourth step from the bottom, on the far left. I have been thinking about adopting a Chihuahua friend for Mr. B., and like the looks of long haired Chihuahuas. This photo has a wonderful diversity of pups, but no long haired ones.  When my energy level is high I am inspired to adopt a second dog, when my energy is low I think oh no, two dogs to walk and one person! Two to feed plus my cat, and take to the vet, and I am 77, so my age is a consideration. I am happy with my Bouncey so maybe he will remain my only pup. We shall see.

Who else likes kohlrabi? That and parsnips are two of my favorite root vegetables. I peeled these, sliced them, and ate them raw and sprinkled with salt. Delicious.

Above is my newest orchid, quite a splashy beauty. They are easy care if you have an east facing window. Just feed and water them every two weeks. Usually the flowers last six weeks so that is an economical way for me to keep flowers in my kitchen. I have 10 orchids which bloom at different times.

My sons and Bounce and I had fun recently, we met at my house and walked to a new favorite restaurant for dinner to celebrate my oldest son's birthday. We ate on their spacious covered deck and dogs are welcome. They have a limited menu with delicious food and this is our second visit there. 

Yesterday I had our bi-monthly Zoom meeting with two colleagues from the university. We are all retired now and keep up our tradition of meeting via Zoom and in person for lunches. Each Thursday I meet another friend for tea and a treat at my favorite coffee shop, the one on church grounds with a patio surrounded by huge gardens and a view of the ocean. Because of Covid we prefer to meet outdoors, whether for coffee or for lunch at restaurants with outdoor seating. How is your week going?

My sweetheart Will and a note I found today, Chichen Itza and Merida

Here is a photo of Will and me in Palm Springs in 2004. That was a fun trip, Will took his mountain bike so he could ride every day in nature. I took books so I could read and a swimming suit so I could swim in the motel pool.

Below is a photo of a note he wrote for me.

I have lots of books in boxes, some of them because I am redecorating a bedroom from carpets to walls painted to a new bed. I bought a new hybrid mattress, foam on the top and inner springs too, supposed to be very comfy and sleep inducing.

I looked through a box of books today and found this sweet note from my husband Will on the cover of one of the books. This is my sixth year of being a widow and it was uplifting to get this note from him. The note reads "Excellent book, plus has some of the places we've been."

This note is one I will treasure forever, with the book. Will and I had 47 happy years together, 45 married. We had many adventures along the way, including hiring a jeep and driver to go to temples and ruins in the Yucatan jungle near Merida, Mexico. In Merida we had met a young couple from France and we enjoyed their company and we split the cost of hiring the jeep and guide with them. We climbed up a steep pyramid in Chichen Itza, with few tourists around. This book includes the Yucatan cities. Good memories. This "Green Dreams" book covers that area of the world.

Below are photos of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, near the Gulf of Mexico.

 

I don't recall too many restaurants from our travels, but one in Merida, Alberto's Continental Restaurant, stood out. It was in a hacienda with Moorish arches and total charm, built in the 1700s. The food was excellent, Lebanese, Yucatecan and Mexican. We loved the lime soup and Lebanese food. Alberto was a charming host, but sad to say, he closed the restaurant when he was in his 80s, back in 2013. So this isn't a place I can suggest you visit. Good times though.

Finding a note from my husband led me to write this post, taking me from a note to the Yucatan, in a trip down memory lane.