On Turning Sixty Nine ~ March 17, 2014

Here's a little something to put things is perspective and garner some respect for shear perseverance: 69 years = 25,185 days = 604,440 hours.

I think most of us in our sixties are amazed we survived our youth. I mean really: our parents smoked, the paint on our cribs was lead based, and cars didn't have seat belts. We fell out of trees, never rode bikes with a helmet, and drank water from the hose. My girlfriends and I were always outside playing in the woods of Mt. Tamalpais or building things from scrap lumber, old wagons, and roller skates. 

Every decade brought new challenges in the stupid human category. There is something to be said for trial and error: what were we thinking, it seemed like a good idea at the time, I meant to do that, oops and of course, oh well. Now in our prime, there is less tendency towards being stupid but we still continue to learn on the fly, fall down, get up, and dust ourselves off. 

Three seventeen twenty fourteen ~ make it up as you go day.

First stop after breakfast is the Salvation Army complex north of Healdsburg. We love digging through the old book bins and today we hit the Jackpot with 18 paperbacks and a blank journal for $12. From there we headed up to Geyserville to document Coyote, an incredible metal sculpture from Bryan Tedrick. You can climb up his leg and sit in his belly, his ears are like windmill blades and his head turns with the wind. 

We were also on a mission to find wild mustard and poppies, but decided to eat first. Our neighbor suggested we try Diavola in downtown (all three blocks) Geyserville: excellent pizza and Rod was delighted to find one of his favorite beers called Death and Taxes. When we crossed over the river and turned south on Highway 128 towards Healdsburg we hit the mother lode of Spring color.

Decided it might be a good idea to walk off some of the Pizza so next stop was Riverfront Park just west of Windsor. Hardly a soul there, so we had the place pretty much to ourselves, sunny and 69 degrees. We watch the herons for awhile, starting to gather at their favorite nesting trees.

River Front Pond

2.3 miles and a Selfie

Time to head home and fix dinner. Walked up on the porch and the front door is blocked by bouquets ~ this birthday just keeps getting better.

Pleasantly exhausted we curl up in our easy chairs to read (TV broke yesterday and won't be fixed for two weeks ~ no doubt a message from the gods). Wait, a light bulb goes on, we have desert. Our neighbor Susi brought down this incredible, decadent cake the night before. We showed amazing restraint to not get into until today. A little bit goes a long way.

Over the Back Fence II ~ Aug 2, 2013

Let me introduce you to Calvin Headlamp. He's as big as a dinner plate and when he comes to visit he gets his own vase.

 

Best Birthday Ever ~ March 17, 2013

Ken and Betty, pals from the Boise contingent are in town staying with our friend Carol for a few days. They're in California to screen private showings of their documentary film, Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor. See http://bravotheproject.com/. We decided to start the day off with what is now a tradition at our house when friends are in town ~ a designer pancake breakfast with all the trimmings.

Early afternoon Rod and I had a very special date at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone. If you've not been there, it must go on your Bucket List. Check out their website at www.osmosis.com. You start by changing into a comfortable robe and sipping enzyme tea in a soothing waterfall environment while your enzyme bath is prepared: a fragrant blend of finely ground cedar, rice bran, and plant enzymes imported from Japan. The attendant digs you a comfortable barcalounger shape in the sawdust mixture with support for neck, back and knees, then buries you up to your chest. She periodically brings cold wash clothes for your brow and drinking water during your session. Ahhhhh!

Once you brush off the sawdust and shower it's time to head upstairs for a long massage in a comfortable environment with music softly playing in the background. We were grinning from ear to ear we met downstairs: all our aches and pains had vanished, heads were clear, we kind of felt like de-boned chickens. Can you spell mellow?

Once home we changed clothes and headed down to Carol's house for a pot luck with Ken, Betty and our friend Bill. Hors d'oeuvres, lasagna, salad, blackberry pie with candles and vanilla ice cream. We spent hours around the table swapping stories, telling tales and laughing. We excused ourselves about 9pm and toddled home. Needless to say we slept like logs.

 

Birthday Bouquets from Rod and Carol and stunning greenish Calla Lilies from Mike and Susi next door.



 

A very special heart shaped rock that Ken and Betty brought back from New Brunswick for me. They didn't know it at the time but my Scottish ancestors landed there on their first stop in the new world. We're adding the Maritime Provinces of Canada to our Bucket List.

 

So there you go, best birthday ever celebrated with friends nearby and cards and wishes from around the world. Life is good and we have no promises to keep today, so it's time to get off our asses for a long walk. We have a new tool on our Iphones from Kaiser that tracks miles, time, calories and GPS map of where you've walked. Small and useful wonders.

Walkabout ~ October 27, 2012

I'd been on the computer for most of the morning and decided some exercise was in order, so I grabbed my camera and headed out for a circuit around the vineyard next door. Temperature in the mid 70's and color everywhere. Hard to believe it's almost November.