From the Kitchen Counter…

View from The Deck (Lake Tahoe):

  Mood Reading:  ZZZ’s (Morning came a bit early after dutiful wine tasting last evening.)

Like the last drunk straggler at the New Year’s Eve party who is finally ushered out by the polite but exhausted hosts, it looks like Summer has reluctantly taken the hint and decided to slip out the back door quietly after all.

Though I have thoroughly enjoyed the warm evenings and lingering clear skies, I find myself longing for cooler temps and even a shower or two, which would certainly be a novelty at this point.  I know, I know… there are those who would say “bite your tongue woman!” (as someone Read the rest of this entry »

View from the Front Porch: (this morning 7:30)

  Mood Reading: ZZZZ’s

They say that with age comes wisdom. Don’t you believe it!

I recently just had another birthday — no matter what I do, they just keep coming (could be a trend.) I keep waiting for the one where all the answers to life’s mysteries — the sage wisdom, reflective perspective and contented peace with the universe — arrive all at once just waiting to settle into my being and old bones as the patient reward for growing older.  Well… hasn’t happened. I still feel (and sometimes act) like the sixteen year old I once was — bi-focals and cellulite not withstanding. Read the rest of this entry »

View from the vineyard:

Mood Reading: ZZZ’s (fairly good night sleep after walking, biking, and a few brews at Undercover Ale.)

“The Brix level on the Marquette grapes is at 27, all hands on deck to crush — tommorrow!” So the call to arms came through on this Labor day weekend while we were spending some leisurely time at the mountain cabin. Hey, when the wine master says “crush”, you don’t argue!  We jumped in the car this morning to make it back home (and to the vineyard) by noon to help with the load.  When you are part of a wine co-op, it comes with the territory – the grapes wait for no one, least of all lazy holiday makers who would otherwise be downing a few micro-brews with their bar-b-que. Read the rest of this entry »

View of cabin (my retreat from the week of craziness):

Mood Reading: ZZZ’s

**My apologies for getting Mr. Akin’s name wrong in an earlier version:  it’s Todd, not Ted.

I came to the cabin this weekend directly from visiting a friend in the San Francisco Bay area for a few days. I always enjoy her company, kinship, stimulating conversation, and Cakebread Chardonnay. One of the several topics of breakfast conversation revolved around the absurdity of Todd Akins recent public comments regarding “legitimate” (as opposed to illegitimate) rape.  His utterance drew fire from both sides of the aisle and was denounced by both parties as pretty much wholly ridiculous, and his later explanation that he “misspoke” and meant to use the word “forcible” did nothing to quell the outrage. Read the rest of this entry »

View from the back patio: (at mountain cabin for post Olympic recovery):

Mood Reading: ZZZZ’s (making up for sleep deprivation suffered during The Games coverage)

I think I may have finally just emerged from the fog and general malaise the London Olympics left in its wake. It’s been a week since the end of the XXX Olympiad and I am only now getting back to some semblance of my “normal” (relative term) routine. Read the rest of this entry »

View of Tower Bridge – London (from City Hall):

Mood Reading:    Z  —  (was up at 2am watching live-stream of Men’s Pole Vault Qualifying with the hubby – what the hell, can catch up on sleep over the next 4 years!)

I, like so many others, have been glued to either my laptop or the TV for the better part of 12 days now, enthusiastically consuming every morsel of the London 2012 Olympics that NBC Prime Time, Live Stream, Facebook, Twitter, and my youngest son (who’s in London) can offer.  I have found them exhilarating, inspiring, and totally addictive in every way, not only screwing up my daily routine entirely, but also any hope to write a simple grocery list much less concentrate on my novel. Read the rest of this entry »

View from my mother in law’s entry way on her 90^th birthday (Amersham, England):

 Mood Reading: ZZZ’s:  Had a decent night’s sleep after staying up late to watch the Olympics, my new and I hope temporary obsession!  (How the heck am I going to get anything done over the next 17 days?)

I thought it only fitting to conclude my travel journal and our time in England (after a fabulous 5 days in Barcelona) to coincide with the Summer Olympics opening in London.  The Games officially launched two nights ago and I’m glued to the TV already on the second day of competition, watching sports I’d never normally pay any attention to. But you gotta love it!  Here I am yelling like a maniacal, die-hard fan of the US Men’s Volleyball team when only two days ago, I thought “dig”, “dink”, and “dive” were intricate dance steps on the ballroom floor! Read the rest of this entry »

View from Gaudi’s Park Gluell (Barcelona):

Mood Reading: ZZZ’s (actually just woke from a nap on plane and not feeling too bad – only 4 hours to go until we’re back in the ol’ USA)

I’m flying the friendly skies again — heading for home after a whirlwind but wonderful trip to Barcelona and England, all in 10 days.  Have had a cuppa (tea), a ‘biscuit’ (shortbread cookie), and half of a watercress sandwich made by the hubby in his mum’s kitchen early this morning, and am feeling pretty chipper – gotta love the British way, we always take as much of it home with us as we can.

Just flipped through all the pictures in my camera to refresh my memory about the heat, flavor and late night sizzle of Barcelona which seems so distant now after the constant cloudy, drizzle of England, but was in reality only last week. After a rather Read the rest of this entry »

View from Las Ramblas – Barcelona:

Mood Reading: ZZZZ’s (after a week of debauchery – finally got a good 9 hours in!)

After 34 hours, 3 layovers and enough airline food to challenge the healthiest of digestive tracts, we arrived in Barcelona hot, tired, and rumpled to bits…only to find our bags hadn’t!  They were apparently still sitting on a tarmac somewhere between London and Paris so – what’s a girl to do? Run around Las Ramblas for two days in the same sink-rinsed underwear and the wrinkled, not so fresh pink shirt worn the previous 34 hours and now smelling more than slightly fragrant – that’s what!  Read the rest of this entry »

View from Seat 24E American Airlines Flight 520 (at 7:15 AM ):

Mood Reading:  ZZ’s (Not so great-spent the night at a casino/hotel in preparation for early flight – guy in next room on a winning streak and slamming doors all night and into wee hours – including the one sounding my alarm.)

So, here I am on a layover in Dallas after awaking at 4:30 this morning to catch the shuttle for an early flight heading to Barcelona.  I should be happy and excited at getting away, which I am, but still groggy and a bit grumpy from a less than stellar night’s sleep and the hurry-up-and-wait routine that has redefined air travel these days.  Am blogging from the airport during a 4 hour layover, waiting for a 9 hour flight to London with another layover and then on to Barcelona from there — justification for a few stiff margaritas if ever there was one! Read the rest of this entry »