GPOYW

Last night, My Beloved was asking if there was anything special I wanted for my birthday.  I asked if we could celebrate it like it was any other year.  And then I dreamt he'd surprised me with a 3-day weekend to Playa del Carmen.

My subconscious knows how to live.

May 2006
Bonefishing (on spinners for cryin' out loud!) in Boca Paila

GPOYW

Lunchtime on the trail!

Mmmm....three day old PB&J on a whole wheat wrap.  Moist.

What those of you with a keen eye will note in this photo is the excruciating pain in my feet.  My bunions have blossomed in the intervening years since I last wore my boots.  That custom fit I worked so hard to achieve is for a much younger woman's last, no longer mine.  I ended up hiking out in my sandals.  Good times!

Surprises

It began on Friday...

Sullen Nephew on California Screamin' about to go into the loop-d-loop

Followed by more on Saturday of the cute and adorable pictures of my nephews and niece and the Disney characters...

(is being a Disney character the best job in the whole wide world?!)

I was missing it all and I couldn't take it.  By Saturday night, I had cashed in 20K frequent flyer points, made my excuses to work, and packed my toothbrush.    

How could I possibly miss out on this hilarity?!

(those ears light up different colors and patterns depending which part of the park you go into)

Or the thrilling rides?!

Bugs Land

Or the opportunity to wrap myself up in Nephew Love?

If ever there was a time to call in sick to work and drop everything, this was it.  I'm so unbelievably lucky.  One of the best decisions of my life, hands down.  

GPOYW

Me, Rasnoses, and Rocket bonding over picture books about cold, forlorn wildernesses.

GPOYW

Me and one of my smokin' sisters on NYE

Vacation Update

Vacation accomplishments:

• volunteered to get bumped and scored $800 in flight vouchers (whoot!)
• ate myself stupid on 1# of hangar steak and a stick of sweet cream butter
• worked 6hrs (whatever)
• did yoga with my sister
• went to the children's museum

And, currently, working on my first claymation motion picture!

San Fran Cheesy, Redux

I'll be back in SFO in January this year.  I squirreled away some extra time off so I can make a long weekend of it, but...

San Francisco in January?  Anyone have ideas what can be done mid-winter in southern California? (ahem, without My Beloved.)

More for Blake

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL
Amur Snow Leopard /awesome!

For Blake

 See how the wind moves the water from the fountain?  There was no "safe" place to stand!  Is that why they call it the "windy" city?

One of My Favorite Vacation Pictures

This is the closest any image of My Beloved will get to the intarweb.  Isn't he dreamy?  /sigh

Let Me Know When You've Had Enough, Part III

I rock the Richard Scary book and get in a good squeeze!

Please notice his arm draped lovingly over his sister as they eat breakfast.  /heart snap

Our orthodontist would be proud.

Hammock + Hunk + Hawaii = HEAVEN 

This is my face beseeching My Beloved to fold the country in half and put PA closer to OR.  (He'll find a way.  The guy can control the weather; he can fold space.)

Let Me Know When You've Had Enough, Part II

Na Pali Trail

Let Me Know When You've Had Enough, Part I

My feet on the North Shore

Now you see them...

Now you don't!

Tanned & Sated

It was like a honeymoon every day.

Except with my parents and half my family there.

Go: http://www.gohawaii.com/kauai.  You'll thank me.

Vacation Grinch

Know that scene at the end of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas when his heart swells and breaks the boundary of the xray? That's what happens to my heart when I get to see my family. My youngest nephew was ailing this trip and spent a good chunck today curled on my chest. My niece wrote me love letters, and my oldest nephew was patient and doting to the youngest. He's really matured since I saw him last.

Now, picture what happens when I have to say good-bye to my lovely ones for an indeterminate period of time. It's like in the cartoons when Bugs pours aspic on the antagonist's tongue. My heart just shrivels.

Vacation is a State of Mind

Technically, I've been on vacation since 6:30pm on Thursday.  I haven't slept much since then, eaten a real meal, or actually stopped working.  However, the calendar says I'm on vacation and I can feel it in my gut:  no stomach-dropping OMG that I forgot something/am currently forgetting about a meeting/already late for a deadline.

I am crazy for lists, but, in spite of my preparedness, have left the house w/o two important accoutrements.  One is my glasses, which I obviously won't be able to pick up en route and may give me a blistering headache on the 12hr plane ride trying to watch movies off the iPad.  Know what?  Just means I'll need to drink more and blame the poor eyesight on being drunk!  If blogger decides to behave, I'll post some pictures.

SPRING BREAK!!!!!

Classes resume in T-10 days.  Goals until then:

• crochet two baby blankets for twins due in July
• clean out my closet and recycle clothes
• plant the garden (!!!)
• lose 10lbs
• get ahead on all my projects at work
• learn a really good song on the ukulele
• finish all outstanding projects ever started
• transform my life

You don't think I'm over planning this, am I?

Foto Friday - San Francisco

Looking up the Golden Gate Bridge

Coit Tower

Palace of Fine Arts

I left my heart in San Fran-cheesy.

Traveling Alone

Like the end of a house party or the day after week-long house guests, the departure of My Beloved for home has left a thunderclap of empty in his wake. we had such fun together exploring San Francisco again! Our first day was overcast and foggy, so we disappeared up Coit's Tower. At night, we walked along Fisherman's Wharf and got an up close and personal visit from a huge sea lion. The following day, we walked from the wharf across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and saw dolphins and seals hunting in the waters below. They were memorable vacation moments.

Now, I am on my own preparing for the rest of the week and the first face-to-face meeting with a new client. Nervous. Homesick. Cold.

I forced myself out of the hotel room today to lookabput on my own, although I'd much have preferred to sit moping in bed. But my parents didn't raise no wallflowers and the adventure is still an adventure whether shared or alone.


/time warp

I'm now back at the hotel after an afternoon of shopping, acupuncture, and a polish-free mani. I'm watching the Tostitos bowl game waiting for my colleague to arrive so I can finally get some dinner. Our hotel is in Industrial Way, Anytown,USA so it'll be an evening of room service unless she wants to cab it to downtown for some sushi (half hoping?). The want to curl up in bed never quite goes away; but I usually feel better for not caving in to it. I've practiced my slides and laid out all my accoutrements for an early early start. I am fearless. (say it with me, folks!) I am fearless....



GO DUCKS!

I'm a Snuggly Guy

After an exciting trip, we arrived safely in rainy, no wait it's sunny, no wait it's raining again Portland.  My 2+ yo nephew is the smartest child that ever was and, as he told me, quite a "snuggly guy."  He proclaims his father is "cool" because he can build things in his studio.  And he pretends to go to work to emulate his mother.  He's the hands-down most adorable and an example of why people have kids.

When asked a hard question, he turns his lips into a thin line and taps at his cupid's bow with a fisted forefinger and does this sucking in thing.  It kills me.

After rolling his bowling ball, he lunges with a raised fist pump.  Too cute.

And, of course, the unprompted apropos of nothing "I love you" promises that I'll leave my heart in PDX.

I hope wherever you are that you are surrounded by boundless happiness and affection!