travel | From the Kitchen Counter...

August 5, 2013

Dinner Guests Are Welcome — Unless They Want Me As The First Course!

View From the Dining Room:

Mood Reading: ZZZZ’s (Slept much better than I did on Wednesday night!)

We’ve all had them — the unexpected visitor that suddenly appears just as you’re getting ready to prepare dinner, and seemingly wants to hang around. My unwanted guest was all the more unwelcome (and creepy) when I realized he’d been silently lurking around the house for some time, retreating into the shadows so I couldn’t see him. When I finally did notice him, he tried to skirt the confrontation but alas, it was unavoidable. When he made his presence known in the middle of my dining room late last Wednesday afternoon, all hell broke loose… Read the rest of this entry »

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July 27, 2013

Little Prince George Conquers the World…(even before arriving in it!)

View from St. Mary’s hospital steps in London:

Mood Reading: ZZZZ’S (woke at 4 am and contemplated the world for all of 23 seconds. That is the last thing I remember until waking again a 6:15.)

So bonnie Prince George hadn’t even been born yet much less named, when he’d already made quite an impressive little spectacle of himself. For days before his rather ceremonious world wide debut, the press — hailing from far and wide — camped out on the steps to St. Mary’s Lindo wing like eager tech hungry teenagers lining up for Apple’s latest i-something, days and in some cases weeks before the eagerly awaited, highly anticipated and ridiculously over-hyped inaugural royal appearance. What better marketing opportunity for salivating tabloids than that of the little royal bum being escorted into a celebrity crazed world via Internet, twitter, and god forbid, the Read the rest of this entry »

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March 29, 2013

The Long (but not) Board Races.

View From the Longboard Races Johnsville, CA:

Mood Reading: ZZZ’s (had to get up early to meet tax accountant this morning UGH! —Not my idea of a proper reason to meet the sunrise.)

We took advantage of Spring while it popped it’s perky little head in briefly over two glorious days last weekend. It has since gone back into hiding but nevermind, we managed to get most of the winter cleanup at the cabin done in all of one day and paid the requisite king’s ransom in Advil and aching (belly and otherwise.) But on Sunday, sore as I was, I dragged my sorry backside out of bed to the smell of coffee and the promise of a day out at the unique and somewhat quirky annual Longboard Races up in Johnsville, located just a few miles up the road. Read the rest of this entry »

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March 2, 2013

Planes, Playas, and Platos…and other things that go well with a good margarita.

View From San Felipe De Neri (Albuquerque):

Mood Reading: ZZZZ’s (Decidedly better than the night before)

It felt great to sleep in this morning and I have to admit, I’m moving a bit slow. Not quite sure whether it’s from the time difference, the predawn scramble yesterday morning, or the 2 very strong margaritas consumed last night over dinner, but it felt altogether wonderful to have an old fashioned “lie in”, as the Brits like to say. Arrived in Albuquerque yesterday afternoon for the National Track and Field Indoor Championships after a frazzled and less than illustrious beginning to the journey involving a running hose pipe, a few pine trees and a wayward dog. (see yesterday’s blog) The water issues seem to have followed us however as the hotel water pressure in the shower is only slightly better, and barely enough to work up a lather. Not to worry, as soon as we get out to walk around, it will all dissipate like the fading evening light over the sprawling desert playa. Read the rest of this entry »

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April 9, 2012

Of Pole-Vault, Petunias and A Hope for Spring!

Weather today: Sunny, warm, (spring has arrived, for a day anyway!)

View from the Stanford Shopping Center (Palo Alto, CA):

Mood Reading: ZZZZZ’s!!! (It’s a fiver – slept like a rock!)

The hubby and I took a little road trip this weekend over the Sierras to Palo Alto (a 4 hour drive — tops) and Stanford University for a track meet. I always love these little get-aways — you don’t need an airline ticket or travel insurance and no one has to come water the houseplants or pick up the mail — but if you live in Nevada this time of year, it feels like a journey to a foreign country! Read the rest of this entry »