So long, farewell, auf weidersehn, adieu!

Yesterday, we went out to Coronado Island to look at how the other half lives ... and plays! It was great fun to explore the Hotel Del Coronado, built in 1888. It's seen its share of ups and downs -- on a day like today, a brilliant, sunny San Diego Saturday ... it was definitely in an UP mode.
Afterwards, we took the ferry downtown, and I got to see some awesome sights along the skyline.

Later in the evening, I was thoroughly entertained with the musical, comedic, and magical stylings of Hugh Butternut, Bobby Bean, and Buzz Maxwell, at Triple Espresso! It was just laugh-out-loud good fun! Check 'em out, if you're in one of the cities they tour. Here (L to R) we are: Buzz, Bobby, and ol' Latharia!

In mere minutes I skedaddle for the airport. My friend & her family were just divinely wonderful hosts ... maybe they should operate a guest house & you all can experience it for yourselves! *grin*

The camels were curious ... the koalas, shy!

Guess what this is!

Zoo Animals and Chocolate Malts

Today, we went to the zoo!! We saw all kinds of fun animals and so MANY of them were right up against the edges of their enclosures! My favorite, currently, was the slow loris. He was just in no hurry whatsoever! What a funny guy!



After the zoo, Gaye took me to Hillcrest & we ate at the Corvette Diner, kind of an Ed Debevics sort of joint -- just fun, very tasty, and nostalgic!! Gotta go -- Andrew's signature Mac N Cheezits is done!!!

Gaye is an excellent hostess!

My friend, Gaye, is an excellent hostess. I am staying with her, in San Diego for a few days. She's showing me the sights & temporarily adopting me into her family. Her husband & adult kids are just awesomely fun people!

She's making sure I'm not going hungry, either -- we went to Boll Weevil for lunch yesterday, then she made Lemon Chicken and pasta ... then, this morning, she had NUTELLA waiting for me. She likes me -- she really really likes me! *big grin* If I'm lucky, her son (who's becoming a culinary master) may cook tonight, when we get back from the zoo. WHEE!!!

Look! It's the Pacific Ocean!!!

My very good friend, Kim

Kim was kind enough to let me use her as a test subject this past February, when I was playing with various settings on my camera. And then, as I was thinking about our friendship, I was realizing that although she and I are exceedingly close ... she doesn't show up very often in my scrapbook pages. She and I don't travel together ... and although she's often in attendance at numerous Big Events, we don't tend to go places that I bring my camera -- out to lunch & to the cardio/strength class she teaches ... or times we just stay in, sip tea, and chat. So, I thought it was past time that I make a page about our friendship & what she means to me. If you're interested in finding out more about her, check out her profiles on GoodReads and on BookCrossing - see if you have any books in common with her!

Look at what I made!

My friends and I attended our village's Girls Night Out festivities -- the stores downtown stay open late, and most of them do something to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness -- the florist has a flower arranging class & all the proceeds are collected for Susan G. Komen Foundation. So, the 4 of us learned how to make a fall arrangement with a small pumpkin and some foliage. I am ridiculously proud of my results. *grin*

Wacky names!

1. your rock star name (first pet & first car).
Peppermint Saturn
2. your gansta name (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie).
New York Super Fudge Chunk Oreo
3. your “fly girl” name (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name).
Sjoh
4. your detective name (fav color, fav animal).
Blue Rat
5. your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born)
Marie Champaign
6. your Star Wars name (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first).
Johsu
7. superhero name (”the” + 2nd fav color, fav drink).
The Purple Tea
8. nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers)
James Chester
9. stripper name ( the name of your fav perfume/cologne/scent, fav candy).
Lilac Cadbury
10. witness protection name (mother’s & father’s middle names ).
Ann Andrews
11. tv weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter).
Stover Springfield
12. spy name (your fav season/holiday, flower).
Winter Lilac
13. cartoon name (fav fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”).
Strawberry Robie
14. hippy name (what you ate for breakfast, your fav tree).
Muffin Maple
15. your rockstar tour name (”the” + your fav hobby/craft, fav weather element + “tour”).
The Scrapbooking Blizzard Tour

Define "interesting"

Yarr ...! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day!!!!

You are The Quartermaster
You, me hearty, are a man or woman of action! And what action it is! Gruesome, awful, delightful action. You mete out punishment to friend and foe alike – well, mostly to foe, because your burning inner rage isn’t likely to draw you a whole lot of the former. Still, though you may be what today is called “high maintenance” and in the past was called “bat-shit crazy,” the crew likes to have you around because in a pinch your maniacal combat prowess may be the only thing that saves them from Jack Ketch. When not in a pinch, the rest of the crew will goad you into berserker mode because it’s just kind of fun to watch. So you provide a double service – doling out discipline AND entertainment.

What's Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

Medieval Help Desk

I find this little bit amusing. I'd recommend you hit the pause button on my playlist so you can hear the words, just for the intonation. I believe it's in Danish ... but the English subtitles do it justice as well.

On the open road

Along the road to visit my family, there is a slowly deteriorating barn, outlying buildings, and wind...thingy. I can't remember the term. Somebody help me out, here. *grin* Anyway, on Saturday, the sky was a lovely shade of blue & I just ached to take a photo. Or two. Or seven. Here's one of my favorite of the lot.

Handmade gifts ... for you, gentle readers!

Gotten fromhess42, who got it from joy_walker, who got it from celaenos_aerie, who got it from sonanova...

Pay It Forward: I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post.

I don't know what that gift will be yet, but you will receive it within 365 days.

Most likely, it take the form of something baked (for those locals) or something with papercrafting (cards, albums, etc) , and we can discuss details once you sign up.

The only thing you have to do in return is "pay it forward" by making a similar agreement on your blog. Are you up for the challenge?

7 Random Things About Me

Tajuana tagged me and here are the rules: I must post the rules, then list 7 random things about me and then tag 7 others to do the same by leaving them a comment.

1. The car I currently own is my first and (thus far) only car. It has more than 171,000 miles and is just over 14 years old. And I hope it doesn't die anytime soon, 'cause I really like my li'l Saturn!

2. My skin is super-sensitive. Not as in I can't use certain products on it, but as in I feel everything, like little bumps and scrapes. Just the slightest tightness of skin from a zit, scab, or blackhead, and it drives me crazy.

3. I have been practicing tai chi for 8 years, now. I practice it almost every day. I find it very soothing. I am reassured by the fact that I will never truly "get it" ... it frees me up to not "get it" in a variety of areas in my life, to let go.

4. I don't do things out of obligation. When someone tries to pressure me to do so, they get a not-very-nice reaction. It's dirty fighting, and I won't stand for it.

5. Once I am "awake," I am up for the day. I nap only when I am severely ill or when I can trick my body into thinking I'm sleeping for the night.

6. I used to run track in high school. I'd run an extra mile every day, around my neighborhood, sprinting so fast at the end of my run I'd feel nauseous, then I'd leap into our pool, with all my clothes (but no shoes) on, to cool down.

7. I've had several pet rats throughout my childhood & adulthood. I think they are the most awesome pets! We now have cats, though, and I wouldn't want to put the poor rats through the torment, so we don't have any. If we didn't have cats, though ... I'd have a rat, for sure!

I'll now tag:
Karen
Karen
Amanda
Dawn
Gaye
Chiara
Tawyna

A wonderful Saturday!

Today, we went downtown with my parents-in-law & our friends/neighbors, and it was just delightful fun. First, we browsed at the farmers' market, which now has pumpkins for sale!
After our brief stroll (and purchases of scallions, onions, red bell peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, honey, and olives), we sat down to enjoy some kettle corn, which was oh-so-yummy! Then, I went back and bought some blueberries to share. Don't they look delicious?!

We then wandered around the Fine Arts Festival, where there were all kinds of fun & creative stuff to admire & covet. The most humorous element of the day goes to Eve, for her "decorative squid." I can't (yet) come up with a good reason I need a squid. I just think they are amusing as all get-out. So, I've book-marked her online-store -- and now you can visit it, you know, if you need a decorative squid. Or other cool felted stuff that she makes. Like a stylish bag. I don't even OWN a "bag", but I could tell these were kitchy fun.
We enjoyed lunch at Emmett's Ale House & then we found our favorite artist, Mary Lou O'Brien, who, unsurpisingly won "Best of Show" and presented with a ribbon by the mayor! *grin* She said that her summer had been outstanding. She's won awards at 3 out of her last 4 shows ... so now she can add a 4th one to her tally! How cool is that?? Congratulations!
The day was just delightful, full of fun, companionship, beautiful weather, gorgeous art, and tasty food -- does it get any better than this? I think not!

Back to School

Most of the kids I know are already back to school, and it's such an easy thing to take for granted. Here, in the good ol' U S of A, going to school is pretty much a standard thing. So, just for a moment, do me a favor. Visit GlobalGiving's Education site (yeah, just click on the underlined bit there, you know how it works) and consider giving up a couple days' worth of your morning mocha, collecting the change in your cushions, or perhaps asking your own kids to take a small hit on their allowances -- and give a kid somewhere a chance at a much better life, please? Just CONSIDER it. If you're not in a financial position to do it, that's okay ... just sit for 60 seconds and think about your school experiences, and those of the kids you know ... and compare it to some of the kids around the world. Then, give me your thoughts. Go on ... do it!

Scavenger Hunt WINNER!

Scrappinmyroots! Please email me with your mailing address so I can get a prize out to you! *smile*

Ten minutes of creativity

I read on Adriann's blog about this challenge where you set a timer for 10 minutes & CREATE! So, last night, I sat down with a timer, set it for 10 minutes, and pulled out a picture of one of my close friends & just moved as fast as I can. Here's what I accomplished:

This was really quite fun -- not too much thinking involved!!! (sorry the representation is a bit crooked ... I swear all the lines are at right angles in real life!)

Scavenger Hunt Fun!

Take pictures of ALL of the following & link them to your blog.
1. The area underneath a sink
2. A mythical creature
3. A shovel
4. A business card
5. An elbow
6. A flower
7. Something sharp
8. A candle
9. Something funny
10. Something that is half-eaten
Each person who posts all 10 photos by 8 am Tuesday, Sep 4 will be entered in a random drawing to win a prize!

Lovin' my Labor Day Weekend

I've been exerting very little labor this Labor Day Weekend. So far, the weekend has consisted of:
1. Making 4 scrapbook layouts (click here, here, here and here)
2. Going to the Farmers' Market with my next-door-friend.
3. Hanging out with a friend whom we'd not seen since April. Just lovely to catch up & hear tales of his cute daughter.
4. On a whim, watch The Transporter and The Fifth Element with friends.
5. Starting to read a new book.

Today ... we may do brunch ... go to a BBQ ... and I know I'm seeing a movie with a friend. Just awesome.