San Diego Car Show

What does your car say?

While walking around the convention center on Sunday it seemed that every car was sending a subtle or not so subtle message…

I frequently cruise Rodeo Drive.
My bling comes from Tiffany & Co.

Look out. I own the road and I am cool.
I will never wave, just tip my grill knowingly when I see you.

I am young but not carefree.
I insist on the 10 and 2 position.
I don't believe in taking sharp corners.

I have money. Lots of money.
I am full equipped.
My clothes match my paint job.

Bit of a hippy. Artistic.
My heart sings.

I am quiet. Reserved. Intriguing.
My friends want me to open up.
They often force the issue.

There is no stopping me.
I have a thick skin.
Strong and tough and built to last.
I am not in touch with my feelings, at all.

I am friendly. Have a vintage vibe.
Animals and small children are attracted to me.
I make people smile.

That is how I experienced the San Diego Car Show.

I also took a picture of a clown that took a picture of me (his camera squirted water), asked two guys to pose while buffing out fingerprints on the hood of a MINI Cooper and then sat inside a BMW convertible wearing sunglasses and practicing my "I am Grace Kelly" look.

My husband asked intelligent questions, found out prices, the gas mileage on road vs. highway and the differences in the 2015 vs the 2016 models.

But that is not how I roll...

Welcome 2016!

First day of the new year.

Fresh start.

New page on the calendar.

Yet our house is still full of red and green, droopy poinsettias, wrapping paper and holiday cards…the tree needs to come down, needles must be vacuumed and everything needs to be packed up and stored in the garage.

But not just yet.

We still have to drive up and down Christmas Card Lane while the lights are still up.

Savor the last homemade French Macarons on the kitchen counter...

By Monday, I should be able to write and say and remember that it is officially 2016.

But in the meantime, a few days of transition, filled with new books, some shopping, perhaps a nap, will help ease the passage.

Until Monday….

Holiday Spirit, Competitive Spirit!

For years and years we have been decorating a gingerbread house as part of our Christmas holiday tradition. I can't remember exactly when we started but it definitely goes as far back as when our nephew Zak turned 13 (and he is now in his 30's). After we decorated our masterpiece that year, Zak thought it would be fun if we stood on our balcony and chucked big rocks at it. We thought that was an odd way to celebrate but we placed the house on the grass in the backyard, gathered some rocks and headed upstairs. It made a spectacular crash!

Fast forward to the past few years and we have gotten better with a piping bag and more creative with our building materials. 2011 was the introduction of water elements, see HERE. 

2014 was all about the Grinch (by Andrew and Melissa) and using sugar cones for trees and dancers (our idea):

2015 showcased Hometown USA with a doghouse made of candy bones (made by us) and Aliens and a spaceship that crashed into a house in the desert (by Andrew and Melissa):

Clearly if this was a competition, our house would LOSE each and every year, both on lack of original theme and sketchy technique (although we were quite proud of our river in 2011 and this year's working chimney, made from a marshmallow and torched for heightened realism).

This year's festivities ended with lively banter and considerable trash talk as we felt our dog bone - dog house warranted extra points.

Bottom line, we eventually and grudgingly bowed to the creativity of the Alien house.

And when I say grudgingly, I mean we texted photos to relatives in TWO different states to vote on BEST HOUSE and they both confirmed that we placed 2nd.

Regardless, the four of us have stepped up our game over the past four years that we have frosted together and I don't know if it was the rush of sampling too many gum drops or the bottle of wine with dinner but we think we are ready to enter an actual contest next year.

To that end, we checked out the local gingerbread house contest on display at the LaCosta Resort to see what competition looks like beyond our kitchen table.

 Hmmmm, are we ready for 2016?

You be the judge.

Wednesday Night Tree Shopping

Generally we pick out our tree on the weekend. But we may have stumbled upon a new tradition.

Last night we drove to Evergreen Nursery at 7 pm.

One family was leaving and one couple was wandering the aisles so we had our pick of parking spots.

Yes, it was dark out but the lot was sufficiently lit so you could see if a tree had a big ole bald spot.

Plus we got to chat it up with Mr. Christmas, the only tree bagger/loader attendant on duty.

At least that is what the earnest little kid, who was leaving as we were parking, called out to him, "Thank you Mr. Christmas, thank you." 

Because it was a slow weeknight, I got to have a conversation with Mr.Christmas. He said, "I recognized you guys as soon as the Bronco came around the corner. Your husband always brings his gloves and you never need me to do anything but bag and help toss the tree in the truck." 

Yep, that's us.

But kinda hysterical that he would remember a couple he sees only once a year.

As I went up to the counter to pay, I asked the gal how many trees they sold on Saturday and she said, "Three hundred and eight-two."

I wonder if Mr. Christmas remembered all the folks that bought them.

Collection of Aprons

One more apron and I would be a 50's housewife!

Rivalling June Cleaver on Leave it to Beaver.

Are you old enough to remember that show?  Black and white.
Wally and Beaver and Eddie ran around saying 'golly gee' and gave each other 'the business'. It was broadcast before I was born but I do remember the reruns.

If I wanted to, I could get from Monday through Saturday without wearing the same one twice.

But like clothes and shoes, each one has a different personality.

Like the French girl…

Or the pastel one that ushers in Spring.

And this one that gets unpacked, along with ornaments, every year and screams, "LET'S BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES!"

So I do….

Happy Holiday Baking to you and a shout out to June!

Thanksgiving 2015

The best holidays end with pie.

This year we celebrated at my brother's new house which he moved into just a little over a year ago.

He grilled a whole turkey on his outdoor BBQ (a first in our family) and we ate outside under a big tree (another first).

We shared stories and pictures and played scrabble until it started to rain and then promptly moved the party inside.

Drank more wine.

And ate pie.

Hope your holiday was festive and filled with a few firsts!


p.s. Pie recipe can be found HERE. Thanks Joy!

Thanksgiving Feast with Refugees

In 2010, I passed a background test and went through a Volunteer Orientation and became involved with the IRC, you can read about the organization HERE.

I bring this up because there is so much talk/debate/fear in the news right now about the subject of refugees.

Prior to my involvement with this organization, I doubt I could rattle off an exact definition.

A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

As a volunteer, I spend time in a classroom with adults that are learning English and I teach them how to cook healthy dishes, how to spell and pronounce all the words/food items associated with the recipe and then we share a meal.

Every year, we celebrate an American tradition, the Thanksgiving Feast ---- with turkey, gravy, cranberries, beans, stuffing, potatoes and pumpkin pie.

So that is where I was this afternoon.

Sharing and eating and bonding with a group of people that are learning our language, our customs and our traditions.

As I was conversing with a lovely woman from Somalia, I kept thinking that it would be nice if all the folks that are so terrified of refugees could sit down and have some pie in the classroom with us.

It might change a few minds.

Because most of the time fear is just ignorance.