11,111 - All ones!

Mileage: 11,111

When I was driving to work today, I noticed the odometer read  11,111.  Can't believe I have already put over 11 thousand miles on the car, but it is in line with 12,000 a year the average person drives a car. I purchased the car October 20, 2012.

Slideshow of Vacation Photos

Mileage: 10,233

Slideshow of Vacation Photo

Click this link:

         Jordan's Summer Vacation Photos

Book Club and BBQ - 5th Anniversary

Mileage: 9,872

On Sunday, we had a wonderful Book Club Meeting and BBQ at my home.

Terrel and Susan

Susan brought some clothes for us to try-on, everything was a $1

Susan, Cynthia and Rita

It was a beautiful day we were able to eat outside on the patio

Susan, Rachel and Rita

Getting the BBQ Grill ready for steaks and chicken breasts

Now they are grilling away, and it smelled so delicious

A friend in April had bought me this $50 bottle of wine for my birthday,  I was saving it for a special occasion and this was definitely a special occasion, 5 years of book club meetings with some of my favorite people in the world.

Family BBQ in Castaic

Mileage 9,204

My nephew David and his wife of two years and his baby boy of 8 months came to California for a visit. David has been in the army for a few years now. He did three tours in Afghanistan. He is now stationed in New York. He was visiting his dad and stepmother in Castaic and they decided to have a family BBQ.

Laura, baby David and David

Sweet Family!

Cool Sunglasses

Someone got tired.

Taylor, my niece with some family friends.

Grandpa Mike and baby David sleeping on sofa

My brother Robert his wife Alexis and his grandson Gavin (L) and his son Mike (R)

Four Generations, Mike (grandpa) William (great-grandpa) David (dad) and baby David. Great Photo!

Nice pool, Karon and Mike had a great pool party and BBQ.

Grandma Karon with baby David having fun in the pool.

You can even see a photo of me standing in the back next to Mike.

My Back Patio Plants

Mileage: 7,423

I planted some plants for color on the back patio and added some gnomes and fun signs throughout the garden.

My favorite gnome, he has the sweetest eyes.

Here is my cool beach gnome have a drink and has this beach towel ready.

Hanging plants doing well this year.

Herb Planters - Very Cute!

Mileage: 5,921

I found some cute planters at Ross and decided to convert them to Herb planters. I created the labels on my computer and I used Mod Podge to coat the labels to keep them looking nice. I liked how they turned out!

My Birthday Party

Mileage: 5,832

Had a great party with my friends, Rita, Rachel & Susan. We had frozen Sangria drinks, taco salads, and cupcakes. We watched the DVD, Amour --- won 2012 Best Foreign Film. Had a terrific time!

Birthday Mugshots!

Mileage: 5,832

My Birthday Mugshots!

Easter Sunday

Mileage: 5,602

Christie and Mike sent me a cell phone photo of Jordan in her Easter Dress. I bought her a pink maxi dress and she loved it.

I made an Easter Dinner for Steven and his girlfriend, Amanda. I made delicious BBQ Country style Pork Ribs and BBQ Chicken added some baked beans and potato salad. I also made some Jell-O and a coconut cream pie. All was yummy!

Steven's Vacation to Arizona - Spring Training A's & Giants

Steven and Amanda had a great vacation to Arizona, Amanda's family live there and Steven loves Spring Training for MLB.

Steven is showing off "Bull's Tavern" T-shirts. It is a local bar and the sponsor of his Softball Team. All patrons of the bar, go on vacation and take photos of them in the "Bull's Tavern" Shirts then they get posted in the bar.

Visit to Julie's Ranch

Mileage: 5,582

Had a fun time at my boss's ranch on Thursday, she has horses, sheep, goats, and dogs. We did a wild ride on her Kubota tractor, too

 

 

Fun Video on YouTube

 

 

Wild Ride Part 1  (2:28)

 

 

 

Wild Ride Part 2  (2:19)

 

 

 

Wild Ride Part 3  (1:29)

 

 

 

 

 

March Book Club Meeting

Mileage: 4,673

Had another terrific book club meeting. We met at Meze Market and Cafe, an up-scale sort of place. Good wine and cheese. The group ordered sandwiches and salads and we all shared their famous Bread Pudding.

We met to discuss the book Tender at the Bone by Rachel Reichl, who just happens to be the New York Times Restaurant critic. The book is a loving memoir with funny and touching stories throughout her life. As one book reviewer put it, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist's coming-of-age. Love that line!

In attendance was Rachel, Rita, Susan and of course me. Terrel had a work at a Farmer's Market, she makes home-made items and grows organic veggies and other plants, too.  She spends time at Farmer's Markets to sell them all.

Rachel's Birthday Party

Mileage: 4,261

Photos taken at Rachel's Birthday Party. Received an invite to attend my book club friend Rachel's birthday party at Shell Cafe in Pismo Beach. We had some good food and some dancing and drinks. Great time!

Visit Monarch Butterfly Grove

Mileage: 3741

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Visited the Monarch butterfly Grove with my friend, Steve, the sign said there was about 28,000 butterflies in the grove today, about 5,000 more than last year's count. (They counted on January 21, 2013)

Cool Panorama Photo

Mileage: 3471

Visited Eagle Castle Winery, on the rooftop I was able to take nice photos of the clouds that day and turn into a panorama shot.

More about Eagle Castle Winery

Website : Eagle Castle Winery

Eagle Castle Winery, one of the most unique Paso Robles winery and wedding venue. They make award winning wines and they have an amazing view from otheir  aerie terraces overlooking the Santa Lucia Mountains of Paso Robles.  They specialize in red  Bordeaux and Rhone varietals and blends. Even With their modest production, expansive vineyard acreage, and state-of-the-art gravity flow winery, they still manage to produce amazing wines.

Day Trip to Cambria and San Simeon

Mileage: 3471

Took a Day Trip to Cambria and San Simeon to take a look at the Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas, Sunday, January 27th, went with a friend, Steve. We also did some wine tasting along the way, too.

More about the Elephant Seals

Beginning in late November and continuing into December the juveniles here for the fall haul-out depart for about five months at sea and the large sub-adult and adult males arrive. These large animals contest for primacy on an area of the beach, with battles that can be dramatic and bloody although almost never with serious damage. A local hierarchy develops with a dominant, alpha, male and two to four beta males. The alpha is usually located well in from the waterline while the betas typically are arrayed nearer the ocean.

In mid- to late-December the first pregnant females arrive. Experienced females will choose a location near the alpha both for protection from harassment and, ultimately, to increase the likelihood of being bred by the strongest male. The first pup us usually born about a week before Christmas. Females continue to arrive, the great majority arriving in January. They typically give birth a few days after arrival, most of those births occurring at night.

The new pups weigh between 60 – 80 pounds (25 – 35 kilograms). They are ready to go immediately (see two birthing videos on our Slide Show page). The mother and pup bond very shortly after the birth, developing a familiarity with both sound and smell which will help them stay close during the four-week nursing period. The birth is often attended by many gulls that come for the afterbirth or placenta – a visit not to the mother’s liking.

The mother is very protective of the pup, aggressively guarding the pup and the area around the two of them from intruders of any size. Nursing begins anywhere from a few hours to a day after birth. It is important to realize that the mother (as are all seals except nursing pups) is fasting during her stay in the rookery – no food and no water for the duration. That makes the pups growth over the four weeks of nursing – quadrupling its weight – even more remarkable. The mother loses 30% – 40% of the weight she had when she arrived.

During the final week of nursing, the mother goes into estrous and is bred, most likely by the alpha male but quite possibly by one of the betas. Shortly thereafter she weans her pup and heads for the ocean, often running a gauntlet of beta males. Family life is over. The pup, now called a weaner, is on its own and will seek the company of other weaners away from the areas of the beach used by the remaining mothers who would not welcome its presence.

The pups remain in the rookery for two to two and one-half months after weaning, spending time in the shallow tide pools off-shore to build muscle and skill before they embark on their first ocean voyage, returning during the fall haul-out in October and November.

Oscars - Best Movie Nominations

Mileage: 3245

Went to see the movie Argo, I loved the clothes in the 70's, NOT!  I loved all the glasses in the movie, too. I wore over-sized glasses. I remember this story, didn't know all the details, but really enjoyed the movie thoroughly.

Movies Nominated for Best Picture in 2012

I have seen so far:

Argo
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi

Planned to see:

Django Unchained

Silver Linings Playbook 

Not sure if I get a chance to see:

Amour

Movie Night @ Cynthia's Place

Mileage: 3138

Had a fun get together at my house today. We had good food, clam chowder, green salad, and apple cobbler. I had a great time with Rita, Rachel, Susan and Terrel. We watched the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's   wonderful movie. It premiered in 1961, over 50 years old, hard to believe.

The table is all set!

Yum, Apple Cobbler!