tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59012683655108931532024-02-21T04:11:23.114-08:00about last weekendTales of a Kiwi mum-of-four
living in the Bay Area.About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.comBlogger545125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-79164265038164880292016-08-05T21:03:00.003-07:002016-08-09T05:53:35.412-07:00The South: Nashville to Savannah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent two weeks in the South this summer. Crossed three things off my bucket list. To see Nashville, to see Savannah, the homeplace of the book Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil. And best of all, to see the wonderful New Canaan, Connecticut family who hosted me for a year when I was 17. They'd moved to Hilton Head.<br>
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Savannah is everything you ever thought it would be; drippy with vines, muggy with heat and wet, knobbly old bars and very friendly people. Charmant, but not at all slick, despite the thousands of clattering tourist buses that run along the streets.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lines around the block all day long</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Three of the best restaurants there are owned by an Australian!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These old bombs were in a decor store</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Everyone embraces color</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And lounging around...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apparently someone thought Jesus was a Republican?</i></td></tr>
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We saw loads of For Sale signs. Apparently many city folk come to live down here, then realize there are many trams and other vehicles outside their home all day gazing in their windows.<div>
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You could spend a whole day at the cemetery. The statue of the girl which was on the cover of the book "Midnight..." was removed to a museum. The family were concerned that people were climbing all over her whilst taking photos.</div>
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Make sure you go to the town of Beaufort too.<br>
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We dropped Cy off at an old fashioned camp (no screens!) in North Carolina, his first sleepaway camp --and it was four weeks. We were worried and there were a few wobbly lips on the drop-off, but he loved it. Story for another day.<br>
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Nashville is just one street really but great fun.<br>
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We stepped onto the stage at the Grand Old Opry.<br>
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The food is tasty white and fried carbs, my kind of stuff. FF asked me: biscuits and gravy-- is that the same thing as scones and bechamel? Yes it kind of is!The sauce uses bacon drippings or lard instead of butter.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Biscuits and Gravy, Hermitage Cafe in Nashville, their slogan, "sobering up the wildlife since 1972"</i></td></tr>
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In Hilton Head I saw the half of the family who hosted me for a whole year when I was 17. Back then they lived up in New Canaan, Ct. and it really was the best year. Quite incredible to think a couple with four kids would take on another teen!<br>
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We saw the Biltmore Mansion which was overwhelmingly huge and not at all human sized. The rooms that most interested me was the kitchen and the underground pool, which they had to fill for each use because they didn't have chlorine in those days.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The pool was kind of creepy</i></td></tr>
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Nashville has become the second most popular destination in America for bachelorette parties, so we found ourselves in a giggling sea of women wearing loads of pink ribbons and feathers.<br>
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We also got to see the most bizarre thing in Savannah and Nashville. It's the open air traveling bar. You know when you've had a few choice margaritas or bubbles and you think of some really wild contraption and you think: This is the coolest idea ever! And in the morning you realize it was stupid and dangerous and no one would ever manufacture it? One idea that <i>did</i> make it is the traveling bar. Drunk people all sit around a bar with wheels and pedal through the streets, hooting, yelling and drinking. And I haven't told you the best part--it's all open air! Someone could fall off drunk and be smooshed by a car. Not only has this traveling bar taken off, they are veritably <i>crowding</i> the streets.<br>
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So you see, there's hope for cocktail-inspired ideas after all...<br>
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About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-38169039169805576782016-08-05T17:32:00.000-07:002016-08-05T17:32:18.304-07:00The Big Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, Dad turned 80 years old alright, and it was a corker. The theme was "The Beach," natch. Had all the ingredients of a good Kiwi knees-up: ham on bone, marinated mussels and champers, followed by enthusiastic dancing to The Beatles (who are surprisingly perfect for that sort of thing), followed by a good old sing song--Ten Guitars and the like.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad (right) and his friend John Harwood on the Heafy Track. Like his beret!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dad (left) with his friends from the bank. Like his cravat!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dad and Mum at opening of Wellington Airport, 1959. Mum made her dress</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dad (middle) at age 17 with his siblings, Leo, Mary, Gabriel, Chris and Paula. </i></td></tr>
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All the Big Names from Down The Road were there: Hendy and Pam and loads of other people I've known since I was five. Living in a small town (we're talking 2000 people!) keeps you honest--and tolerant. (Living in a larger town, as I do, some people feel free to burn bridges and they are not called to account.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My sister Sharon and Dad in the back yard</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My brother Tony and I went as tourists off a cruise boat. Very fun costume to wear for dancing</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lead me to the buffet, baby!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjj4xIVvOOkNDWkb2TEYAJH4YYuipJPCAXpZEAIkE7rQv56Ow29EK9anoT5e5CI_6Cru_rKOz5d_czEHk8CxV62x6U9a8Ki4h1hnUnrmrhNyM8bOQ_Dldc4HOuNETfJ5v_ZdYxf3Ft3I/s1600/MumFinn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjj4xIVvOOkNDWkb2TEYAJH4YYuipJPCAXpZEAIkE7rQv56Ow29EK9anoT5e5CI_6Cru_rKOz5d_czEHk8CxV62x6U9a8Ki4h1hnUnrmrhNyM8bOQ_Dldc4HOuNETfJ5v_ZdYxf3Ft3I/s400/MumFinn.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mum with grandkids, Leah and Finn. They wore t-shirts with pic of Dad roller blading </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIqsJQAlpNSr_rMRLP9ypfmI3xFgOKoDJmZ1kpRIL5ES21a_6g6dIhvAO9hHDTu0dJCO9oVFlw3IEX2etYSqktkp96UIdQ-jQepcoAba3oo6Klw8Zaic72ZK1XK6ARziW0c1daRUvwEg/s1600/kerryreece.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIqsJQAlpNSr_rMRLP9ypfmI3xFgOKoDJmZ1kpRIL5ES21a_6g6dIhvAO9hHDTu0dJCO9oVFlw3IEX2etYSqktkp96UIdQ-jQepcoAba3oo6Klw8Zaic72ZK1XK6ARziW0c1daRUvwEg/s400/kerryreece.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Reece, Kerry and other sister Pietra came as Edwardian bathers.</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql4LAr4EoTBQpWaCqUz6S2c_yOSaSpyPkMB0bqAkopRVfbm0PvSwVvHDntuk-XKwM5MlEGVKF6HD0kn0dLpRYMypW75HEWS-lixyGULig9F6WTJx4_8MhsBechcwtpCLPD6tDva428N0/s1600/speech.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql4LAr4EoTBQpWaCqUz6S2c_yOSaSpyPkMB0bqAkopRVfbm0PvSwVvHDntuk-XKwM5MlEGVKF6HD0kn0dLpRYMypW75HEWS-lixyGULig9F6WTJx4_8MhsBechcwtpCLPD6tDva428N0/s400/speech.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not sure what's going on here but involving speeches</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboIi9gZviM84XifQH8UifFZOLJdu7M3nRzbkctoBtQw40dr1aFpHsNEk3uGl5TAHmI4NNgiUVra3U0BU-obsNFufsMz3_TJe1OoxR8C2gjxrIWSI7Tw5QTQ3rBHxZSOWJa6qVTXw3ZGY/s1600/T-letter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboIi9gZviM84XifQH8UifFZOLJdu7M3nRzbkctoBtQw40dr1aFpHsNEk3uGl5TAHmI4NNgiUVra3U0BU-obsNFufsMz3_TJe1OoxR8C2gjxrIWSI7Tw5QTQ3rBHxZSOWJa6qVTXw3ZGY/s400/T-letter.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tallulah's letter</i></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2_hIzIcJ0VdAsgAsj35gtlHZ5-8Wb-IORO-patrywFKUmf4bOberx8I399dWzQX_rvEbykfcJl7RGDzqK6N1DO_r2m-YNYvM1AtPDsvb0W5prGlf7NvRbLMkH3RwYT2iEcev38JE43E/s1600/front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2_hIzIcJ0VdAsgAsj35gtlHZ5-8Wb-IORO-patrywFKUmf4bOberx8I399dWzQX_rvEbykfcJl7RGDzqK6N1DO_r2m-YNYvM1AtPDsvb0W5prGlf7NvRbLMkH3RwYT2iEcev38JE43E/s400/front.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The day came good </i></td></tr>
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<br />
You know my technique by now: I stayed off the booze for a couple of hours, so as not to blow my arse. Then tried to be vigilant about not being "over-served" by the bartender.<br />
<br />
Not so with the tuis outside who kept sipping on the blooms from the Fire Tree: they get drunk on it and fall out of the tree!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eHNSBEKB76xev1eSa-hZAqVo8hgomECQrthc07O678BKZoLU1MFCjrmRsdgjK6YJj8wijVd5paruS4jLgx-cT1MQdxJFkKFM2Lf5BoRmMf4aUUeOiBx5QKGmGuxPe8ko3yMbEAmVKT0/s1600/tuisdrunk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eHNSBEKB76xev1eSa-hZAqVo8hgomECQrthc07O678BKZoLU1MFCjrmRsdgjK6YJj8wijVd5paruS4jLgx-cT1MQdxJFkKFM2Lf5BoRmMf4aUUeOiBx5QKGmGuxPe8ko3yMbEAmVKT0/s400/tuisdrunk.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Drunken Tuis outside celebrating Dad's 80th</i></td></tr>
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<br />
Dad spent most of the winter months last year in the old toy room writing a book about the first years of his life. (He published 1000 copies for $1,000 through the local Whakatane Beacon newspaper, which I thought was jolly good value.) His family moved from Manchester, England to Bahrein and then to NZ. At age 16, he did not do well in his exams and his parents were very short of money, so he was sent to work on the Cobb Dam for a year. It was extremely hard yakka, as they say, but it sorted him out. He saved money and returned to school, determined to pass his exams.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKI7M1vOOPpeKaGOUcuESafiyHBtSmH47vBd_c22VmbucxWEEEj-aNAr4qZExOQFDVQBlf4QpXc9kgWASe3nSelEYiup7E9jjHsp3zwkYBL4_zHT21CqLuZsicZGW_nFlhimnM4XYn9Q/s1600/bookcover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKI7M1vOOPpeKaGOUcuESafiyHBtSmH47vBd_c22VmbucxWEEEj-aNAr4qZExOQFDVQBlf4QpXc9kgWASe3nSelEYiup7E9jjHsp3zwkYBL4_zHT21CqLuZsicZGW_nFlhimnM4XYn9Q/s400/bookcover.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The cover photo from when Dad's family was in Eqypt</i></td></tr>
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<br />
Dad is pretty hale and hearty, still doing his walk over the hill bike rides, and golf I asked him what kept him so fit.<br />
"Doing exercise every day."<br />
He thought more.<br />
"Not eating or drinking too much."<br />
Thought some more.<br />
"Cutting back on food and drink now and again."<br />
And finally.<br />
"Honestly, I think it's genes."<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohRrrXHHpUQ7HXz5mOAYTfzoG4rcXdZG5EH6-TVYv4A9j2zEBFwM1fxFEMwPI8JnVJXYLqL3SMLbwuDWeyKMVT9evc0yawk7SosnlbV1GQNrQ7G6lX2gZUfareu41psoEAIqdXMuAcxM/s1600/dayafterbday.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohRrrXHHpUQ7HXz5mOAYTfzoG4rcXdZG5EH6-TVYv4A9j2zEBFwM1fxFEMwPI8JnVJXYLqL3SMLbwuDWeyKMVT9evc0yawk7SosnlbV1GQNrQ7G6lX2gZUfareu41psoEAIqdXMuAcxM/s400/dayafterbday.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Next morning</i></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-87939787959970469592016-06-17T16:03:00.001-07:002016-06-17T16:27:52.548-07:00Faraway And Over The Hill<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Back home in Ohope Beach for Dad's 80th. Its wintertime here. Bit of a shivery smile here.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3HpFcLn3IxArhDkhEPjQFaoSeBwcK6eY0IPw7C37FTe5-9vkqy0jYINQpS6ccYuEEv9BF8XqVoEP20xyNNWC7yw4H6rl7reipr8i3GmypjIq5bbrzBf9x1DVTN4uD3svErDKuqiALWk/s640/blogger-image-35392106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3HpFcLn3IxArhDkhEPjQFaoSeBwcK6eY0IPw7C37FTe5-9vkqy0jYINQpS6ccYuEEv9BF8XqVoEP20xyNNWC7yw4H6rl7reipr8i3GmypjIq5bbrzBf9x1DVTN4uD3svErDKuqiALWk/s640/blogger-image-35392106.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Every morning at 7.30 Dad walks over the hill to Otarawairere Bay. Here's the routine, unchanged for decades. First on the agenda: Cuppa tea and wait for sun to come. It's the Eastern most point of the world so first to see the light, wouldyabelieve. Here it comes...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s_BXkA9rT6r0kH-UZvhl_weQSJQ_99G_zeK27dAUNICcPF2BOEhecpdOCeIleUMnWT8QXaC0M4HoMYS3AtHAEvk8hrS40D5fkpz3oopKl3L9Ech22v5O9zss2OO_sPmHZ9-EElR19DU/s640/blogger-image-1520688911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0s_BXkA9rT6r0kH-UZvhl_weQSJQ_99G_zeK27dAUNICcPF2BOEhecpdOCeIleUMnWT8QXaC0M4HoMYS3AtHAEvk8hrS40D5fkpz3oopKl3L9Ech22v5O9zss2OO_sPmHZ9-EElR19DU/s640/blogger-image-1520688911.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Nearly here...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TlbqddDoRUnflQ4UAAd-sFlTY5q55mo65dT4zjMscj279_hYZVXreFwppoFTeMEBg9vsmcJxsqJibS_49NhAdqduY38Bg4aXaiItE2GdnM4Fe9ptlLtvIZJMnw-I1iC2bRlKmic_I9M/s640/blogger-image--1206970715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TlbqddDoRUnflQ4UAAd-sFlTY5q55mo65dT4zjMscj279_hYZVXreFwppoFTeMEBg9vsmcJxsqJibS_49NhAdqduY38Bg4aXaiItE2GdnM4Fe9ptlLtvIZJMnw-I1iC2bRlKmic_I9M/s640/blogger-image--1206970715.jpg"></a></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>And it's here! A scorcha! I was actually seeing red stripes all day after taking these snaps. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KZsJZpFwZAJNpIzSOAvHNosSlYqVfrUkkr0yyCgFTs8o00X3IBrtwpiM8BMQjhbz77LqW96Cq4bLrPmliqkKxU45Wm_K9nLB4UW6PWgrMNwwiTtzRbWsoZOHiEPQTROMd1i0C-6FxII/s640/blogger-image-832972350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KZsJZpFwZAJNpIzSOAvHNosSlYqVfrUkkr0yyCgFTs8o00X3IBrtwpiM8BMQjhbz77LqW96Cq4bLrPmliqkKxU45Wm_K9nLB4UW6PWgrMNwwiTtzRbWsoZOHiEPQTROMd1i0C-6FxII/s640/blogger-image-832972350.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Now we're off. My neice Devan came too.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_iE7H8NUJJuSFmm9GmvE0y3ErOVEMkv9_XVIWZpTc4C-VGF1InuALjHb5Zec5daa6Kuxi2Wc3Ll0Aw1G8iYTZsb4eAzm3tDlYg_e-xCBYzvVKvY-cLyP-72jDSAq6gmUhnPqZUQtH44/s640/blogger-image-542156780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_iE7H8NUJJuSFmm9GmvE0y3ErOVEMkv9_XVIWZpTc4C-VGF1InuALjHb5Zec5daa6Kuxi2Wc3Ll0Aw1G8iYTZsb4eAzm3tDlYg_e-xCBYzvVKvY-cLyP-72jDSAq6gmUhnPqZUQtH44/s640/blogger-image-542156780.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Climb climb, huff puff. Knee creak, oh heck.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeh8MnHqxfEoyc_x3S9_CJPYj_bCC7wwgoTk5FnxOFJTmmK3kBO2kFVaqCMAwHzK_-GCBsABTqeEAblQqyJc6euw0seYUCLkl75owxxs187inG9FkoXLAv9V9TCPLZNtBbO_8NrqFvUPE/s640/blogger-image--459728523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeh8MnHqxfEoyc_x3S9_CJPYj_bCC7wwgoTk5FnxOFJTmmK3kBO2kFVaqCMAwHzK_-GCBsABTqeEAblQqyJc6euw0seYUCLkl75owxxs187inG9FkoXLAv9V9TCPLZNtBbO_8NrqFvUPE/s640/blogger-image--459728523.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Me , Devan and Dad at the top o hill.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMArrQ5NRL5NFZmmtMNZyuW81dXxVgVw0W0Rm6zRjFvw-I29SAumaVvLhno7hl7EWhVehHANJWbTfSBnGaxH8WujOylN1UI4Tirok5RgP_HAeloSUpWf4FaJF55BdZZxdkheY1BnrsDig/s640/blogger-image-1680320027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMArrQ5NRL5NFZmmtMNZyuW81dXxVgVw0W0Rm6zRjFvw-I29SAumaVvLhno7hl7EWhVehHANJWbTfSBnGaxH8WujOylN1UI4Tirok5RgP_HAeloSUpWf4FaJF55BdZZxdkheY1BnrsDig/s640/blogger-image-1680320027.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Now down to Otarawai Bay...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlWoum11gzvzA_g2-oEgZHLxMTqo8bzmlqxzDTZQf66fHXcwy6vo9u2HBzZ9wQPCaatGXXThCbYKOfdZgmPxhVg6nypyg7xjwd2kmKVrWLT8otNslqduHc27kGrEaqLgS8KecJMbUr64/s640/blogger-image--233400099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlWoum11gzvzA_g2-oEgZHLxMTqo8bzmlqxzDTZQf66fHXcwy6vo9u2HBzZ9wQPCaatGXXThCbYKOfdZgmPxhVg6nypyg7xjwd2kmKVrWLT8otNslqduHc27kGrEaqLgS8KecJMbUr64/s640/blogger-image--233400099.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_x2OLESd9C0yq7ujHhUAXWPKYefzndzHNcYa3YZ4gC3yXONaiqqTyCcTUnLEGpYy0_MP-hffPC_6ZnPSktCuUv5V7I43vZZBu81Q4FJiUVF6lQNcEUWRYLTACaTqt3XxDNcSjMUCNybw/s640/blogger-image-396154237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_x2OLESd9C0yq7ujHhUAXWPKYefzndzHNcYa3YZ4gC3yXONaiqqTyCcTUnLEGpYy0_MP-hffPC_6ZnPSktCuUv5V7I43vZZBu81Q4FJiUVF6lQNcEUWRYLTACaTqt3XxDNcSjMUCNybw/s640/blogger-image-396154237.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Oh no! they're doing work on the path, so we cant go any further. Crikey! Bit of drama! Change in plan! Turn around.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIHW92GBZ5w1aPbxZX_AIrxHo_7zvqbZ3qxbe0y3Bf6vkbh6BYKFb4Qta0S0WPfvwx3-lqFsJ4mWiv18shYo3_d9OvO9FJXY1g-mM8iPnYmZn8s45dlvRv9fzSCQaVAc_NdyJjQV1mBM/s640/blogger-image-1241478875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIHW92GBZ5w1aPbxZX_AIrxHo_7zvqbZ3qxbe0y3Bf6vkbh6BYKFb4Qta0S0WPfvwx3-lqFsJ4mWiv18shYo3_d9OvO9FJXY1g-mM8iPnYmZn8s45dlvRv9fzSCQaVAc_NdyJjQV1mBM/s640/blogger-image-1241478875.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">And climb down back home...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTB03hU6xHzDkWn-AW_fA0t8JbYgPyA5YA25vXve_0szJOnAZ3mVLUbfCNVqRA4A5y52JLh-E5GqVtE5uJynZ4-DAO3nLAuQAGPqwfXclUAvItfqgV_ZYKYxLatbyZxk20TOJ1wpgtqxM/s640/blogger-image-468475761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTB03hU6xHzDkWn-AW_fA0t8JbYgPyA5YA25vXve_0szJOnAZ3mVLUbfCNVqRA4A5y52JLh-E5GqVtE5uJynZ4-DAO3nLAuQAGPqwfXclUAvItfqgV_ZYKYxLatbyZxk20TOJ1wpgtqxM/s640/blogger-image-468475761.jpg"></a></div> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Poppi's standing guard.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMpfbe6gCdvWCAk-d4JRAPOZV_OM4Mv6Y9X0jpqf3Q_Y491jNovz314b73iiBEDRlQ_bK9iEpVsQF_nxPyoJETyatVzpvzZEZkAyt6l98B5UXskFP79Rs5D_ZBxXebeOL9EnYY7s5WeQ/s640/blogger-image-777427672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMpfbe6gCdvWCAk-d4JRAPOZV_OM4Mv6Y9X0jpqf3Q_Y491jNovz314b73iiBEDRlQ_bK9iEpVsQF_nxPyoJETyatVzpvzZEZkAyt6l98B5UXskFP79Rs5D_ZBxXebeOL9EnYY7s5WeQ/s640/blogger-image-777427672.jpg"></a></div> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Past the surboads and succulents..</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUp3G832AQJ8hQF0qHed2WPP9oW3PRs6awrXrmz3TFcH8qD1pDkksgRf42BrrIYjPww3ggXLlJSnFrmtBjcWwA55-s5Mwll_uKVTRYC_ccq7L5836hTiTJT6pVB-TTSbqrlvv6v71B6w/s640/blogger-image-778584467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUp3G832AQJ8hQF0qHed2WPP9oW3PRs6awrXrmz3TFcH8qD1pDkksgRf42BrrIYjPww3ggXLlJSnFrmtBjcWwA55-s5Mwll_uKVTRYC_ccq7L5836hTiTJT6pVB-TTSbqrlvv6v71B6w/s640/blogger-image-778584467.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYNs50P2P5lL1I8ePK9tXlUk0Ogrj5goSwUkeV7AHvD2lI0VthUke5BrSuIy_22fVgplCwPM77ZI3Cz1fzH257Q4VOdmtVvjEPXhgcbw83p5XWCnVeykGeaLbMQKeYQ0Jb9rjOqariX0/s640/blogger-image-688747992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYNs50P2P5lL1I8ePK9tXlUk0Ogrj5goSwUkeV7AHvD2lI0VthUke5BrSuIy_22fVgplCwPM77ZI3Cz1fzH257Q4VOdmtVvjEPXhgcbw83p5XWCnVeykGeaLbMQKeYQ0Jb9rjOqariX0/s640/blogger-image-688747992.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Past the wee boy in the garden</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MxQaPcyG5-In9NRXQcXlB8IJGPME8Egq9Lv73puy51jViWoqj9Ths_6dmQKqZhFWNACOV9e3NoOqeVSVH3-aSCJZtrIbFYHjRYgIjZnlABngoQJcODKfqM0Gm1tMceIe-RHjJnmdYgM/s640/blogger-image-1463566980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MxQaPcyG5-In9NRXQcXlB8IJGPME8Egq9Lv73puy51jViWoqj9Ths_6dmQKqZhFWNACOV9e3NoOqeVSVH3-aSCJZtrIbFYHjRYgIjZnlABngoQJcODKfqM0Gm1tMceIe-RHjJnmdYgM/s640/blogger-image-1463566980.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Take shoes off and back inside so Devan and I can reclaim the couches.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezXUxSU6Jpy3PjFlSwjXtcUiX0kscEF7Uo9mSX-XUPLsqxfCK4FwdR_-fR5WqYoWdq_wlk6S-liEpadqqKu33ORIkrW7Z1R_4QHm_z0ddR-hLrytxS98ZXBDZG0zjIrPHzwm8gBfHl3A/s640/blogger-image-1695656988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezXUxSU6Jpy3PjFlSwjXtcUiX0kscEF7Uo9mSX-XUPLsqxfCK4FwdR_-fR5WqYoWdq_wlk6S-liEpadqqKu33ORIkrW7Z1R_4QHm_z0ddR-hLrytxS98ZXBDZG0zjIrPHzwm8gBfHl3A/s640/blogger-image-1695656988.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">And look out at the view.</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildF0OWJ78cZtpFkcW9o11CYpKdAamiuUuTicH_uoACkbceT4o5xr4iO3t2H9uxpQ2QKCFQX9AYlM-XBnrU3bCwR-3K1Wdl9h6y92Vb7NdcKg_2WmgFBhE3aH98fR3IJWVGyyiy7_MLmM/s640/blogger-image--953603934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildF0OWJ78cZtpFkcW9o11CYpKdAamiuUuTicH_uoACkbceT4o5xr4iO3t2H9uxpQ2QKCFQX9AYlM-XBnrU3bCwR-3K1Wdl9h6y92Vb7NdcKg_2WmgFBhE3aH98fR3IJWVGyyiy7_MLmM/s640/blogger-image--953603934.jpg"></a></div> </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">So yeah, All g for go here. What's your morning been like?</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-67859342667720748122016-06-14T17:31:00.001-07:002016-06-14T17:31:05.803-07:00Mary Tyler Moore Style....And Some Cracking Good Summer Reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Who can turn on the world on with her smile, doobedo..Who can take a nothing date and suddenly make it seem worth while? How many times have we been rescued by the fabulous Mary Tyler Moore. (When my friends and I turned 29 we kept on telling each other, "MTM didn't make it until she was 30!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIrx_2Xel44-xcyu6n6az-XzZOmNqRPuMhRaapdEflS0VF1AHH8dcXD6Bm9AfLLXqLk0K2UNLk8xSr_HLarq1sgoT7ypyv8BIQRhACxU0rHQyh8n6gpORzC8r4o5VAFXGqitkH2Fu91E/s1600/MTMgreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIrx_2Xel44-xcyu6n6az-XzZOmNqRPuMhRaapdEflS0VF1AHH8dcXD6Bm9AfLLXqLk0K2UNLk8xSr_HLarq1sgoT7ypyv8BIQRhACxU0rHQyh8n6gpORzC8r4o5VAFXGqitkH2Fu91E/s400/MTMgreen.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zfti7b31rs">Hum along to the song...</a></td></tr>
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And now she's done it again. The Queen Of Collars has saved my wardrobe. I was about to donate a jacket and three perfectly sweaters that I hadn't worn in ages (more than a year for two of the sweaters and about ten years for one of the sweaters and the jacket) when Oprah told me (well, in her magazine) about how she always does the Mary Tyler Moore thing of putting shirt under it. Not rocket science, not trendy, but it works. Also draws the eye from Ye Olde Collapsing Necke.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsg_478lsyn8AA6k4UOORTv1JISXZGJzOj2xz-JDiR5PD9CLRhb7h_J-p0YxfGPcJ87NwNoYzdQAUcdnjULhGK81d9NfARX-9TeFdqU-ZPX7uAPvEEesOIWuZdkvXi1V8rP6Psj_f38I/s1600/mary-tyler-moore-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsg_478lsyn8AA6k4UOORTv1JISXZGJzOj2xz-JDiR5PD9CLRhb7h_J-p0YxfGPcJ87NwNoYzdQAUcdnjULhGK81d9NfARX-9TeFdqU-ZPX7uAPvEEesOIWuZdkvXi1V8rP6Psj_f38I/s400/mary-tyler-moore-wallpaper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>She was the veritable Queen of Collars</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBldrLuBFmWkJl5Mb8kpOeyRo-6v5R_46ZHC_4DrQYuud1SvcYOwGEePFtXzbwkdz-7v3D3HNkpT0hXr6MPnZyWKZgprL_SwVkpUOznxw8sZ-JnwB2htkBtGC8M88o17LArRP4xuDScVs/s1600/marycollar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBldrLuBFmWkJl5Mb8kpOeyRo-6v5R_46ZHC_4DrQYuud1SvcYOwGEePFtXzbwkdz-7v3D3HNkpT0hXr6MPnZyWKZgprL_SwVkpUOznxw8sZ-JnwB2htkBtGC8M88o17LArRP4xuDScVs/s400/marycollar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So...Put A Shirt Under It! Here's me getting loads more wear out of sweaters. This yellow one I had not worn in ten(!) years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDPXyuC6AUJF6ZNpPLMOx6eUlGfTsWvQAFHTaQC5ZMmx33FsTeHdXfnS4zaRQhuaXnqqg_UJpnSXlL0thjQ03TtDjIB2qSjixHUibKhY02VAaoJGJZP9H3lB0ReUQKVREvEcChvR1Ijc/s1600/yellow2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDPXyuC6AUJF6ZNpPLMOx6eUlGfTsWvQAFHTaQC5ZMmx33FsTeHdXfnS4zaRQhuaXnqqg_UJpnSXlL0thjQ03TtDjIB2qSjixHUibKhY02VAaoJGJZP9H3lB0ReUQKVREvEcChvR1Ijc/s400/yellow2.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Index finger accessorized with bandaid. I got Son One to sharpen all the knives in the house.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nXkBZhrJ4A35Y7GLLmr1uoIykhqLSTtY18HTM2UnkFJOSOx_9CQtw5fRnc1JYb-zLEMD_OtQVNQ48B5iNEvM1GwZiIbvjh0n2qg3UjyPJeT46toIpPuFB9ssHC_BgzYjIL14YFjDBHE/s1600/yellowhome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nXkBZhrJ4A35Y7GLLmr1uoIykhqLSTtY18HTM2UnkFJOSOx_9CQtw5fRnc1JYb-zLEMD_OtQVNQ48B5iNEvM1GwZiIbvjh0n2qg3UjyPJeT46toIpPuFB9ssHC_BgzYjIL14YFjDBHE/s400/yellowhome.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>With the usual suspects watching Warriors (basketball team, who are conveniently costumed in the same colors as us and door.)</i></td></tr>
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And here's a jacket I haven't worn in ten years either...now my interviewing uniform, though probably better with a lighter pair of jeans.<br />
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And finally some corkers of a read. (No War and Peace here) Prep came out a while ago, about an angsty teen at a prep school. Curtis' new one is called Eligible, a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, with a naughtier Darcy and Lizzy. (Oh, er, Missus) The Nest is a fantastic first novel from a 52 year old (Yay!) about four middle aged siblings in New York who were relying on a trust fund and are now %$@* out of luck. About a quarter of the way through I found them almost too unlikeable, but (spoiler alert) they edge towards redemption.<br />
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This is the most unlikely charming book. Ove is intent on committing suicide; but is foiled every time. A total grumpy bum, he keeps you reading and smiling like nobody's business.<br />
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A young woman without a job goes to work for a man who is quadraplegic...and falls in love. A real tearjerka. So nice to see a writer casting wider for a compelling love interest.<br />
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This afternoon I've flying out to New Zealand for Dad's 80th. He's still hale and hearty, walking over to the next bay every morning, cycling with the youngies and giving it heaps. Here is as a young lad.<br />
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See you on the other side. Until then, keep giving it heaps like the Art.<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-31908323031987390002016-06-14T15:54:00.001-07:002016-06-14T16:05:21.335-07:00OrlandoWe stand with you. To the friends and family of the 50 innocent people who were killed in Orlando, Florida. Sons, brothers, fathers, friends, sisters, colleagues, people who were out enjoying themselves; innocent. Here, something about their <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/12/481785763/heres-what-we-know-about-the-orlando-shooting-victims">lives</a>. Here are their names:<br />
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<br />
Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old<br />
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Amanda Alvear, 25 years old<br />
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Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old<br />
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Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old<br />
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Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old<br />
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Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old<br />
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Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old<br />
<br />
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old<br />
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Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old<br />
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Cory James Connell, 21 years old<br />
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Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old<br />
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Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old<br />
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Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old<br />
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Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old<br />
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Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old<br />
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Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old<br />
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Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old<br />
<br />
Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old<br />
<br />
Frank Hernandez, 27 years old<br />
<br />
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old<br />
<br />
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old<br />
<br />
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old<br />
<br />
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old<br />
<br />
Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old<br />
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Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old<br />
<br />
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old<br />
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Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old<br />
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Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old<br />
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Kimberly Morris, 37 years old<br />
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Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old<br />
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Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old<br />
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Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old<br />
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Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old<br />
<br />
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old<br />
<br />
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old<br />
<br />
Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old<br />
<br />
Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old<br />
<br />
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old<br />
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Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old<br />
<br />
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old<br />
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Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old<br />
<br />
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old<br />
<br />
Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old<br />
<br />
Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old<br />
<br />
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old<br />
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Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old<br />
<br />
Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old<br />
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Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old<br />
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Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old<br />
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Love Wins!About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-24463817363425513622016-05-17T10:14:00.002-07:002016-05-17T10:14:33.118-07:00Turning 54...and other WhiskyTangoFoxtrot moments.I turned 54 recently. I have long learned to accept the wondrous zoo that your body turns into; the elephant knees, crows feet, turkey neck and so on. But what I didn't realize is the mind also works harder to "challenge" you with added blessings, which is jolly fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-UAM0LNnCwoD9LuixVB0DgJjYJMtVK32VuNzGHZD5K4OH1P6mkU-ko1PKQNCFFDvCTxhgqgylENulaHW1KIeAl96kFPB3xrJizz47BuVbKY5XnvNQ-U_hY-GLAgzr81cjWGQkLewR9A/s1600/sideon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-UAM0LNnCwoD9LuixVB0DgJjYJMtVK32VuNzGHZD5K4OH1P6mkU-ko1PKQNCFFDvCTxhgqgylENulaHW1KIeAl96kFPB3xrJizz47BuVbKY5XnvNQ-U_hY-GLAgzr81cjWGQkLewR9A/s400/sideon.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By night: wearing my stretchy dress out for an early bird special. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By day, a veritable Label Queen: nasal cleanser, magnesium and probiotics, extra strength for the over 50's, for consternation and constipation, neck warmer for head pain, mouthguard for excessive grinding, old lady glasses, face goop from latest Jar of Hope</td></tr>
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Anyone who reads this blog regularly might remember that back in October I woke up with tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is, yes, as crazy-making as it sounds. Although as one friend pointed out, at least it blocks out some of the kids' whining. Tinnitus is one of those things where no one knows how it started, whether it will ever end, and has no cure.<br />
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Then a couple of months ago I started getting shooting pains in my head which progressed from only at night to all the time.<br />
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Turned out I had Primary Stabbing Headaches ("relatively uncommon"...no common as muck illnesses for me, no siree!) also called "Occipital Neuralgia" and the more playful "Jabs and Jolts Syndrome" and my personal favorite, "Ice Pick Headaches" which kind of gives them a Sharon Stone allure, don't you think?<br />
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Me visiting Neurologist's office:<br />
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Me: Where did this pain come from, how long will I have it, how can I stop it?<br />
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Neurologist: (sheepishly) We don't really know. None of that is known.<br />
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Me: So it's like tinnitus in that way?<br />
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Neurologist: And if you take aspirin or ibuprofen for the head pain it can make the tinnitus worse. (Reads the research coming out of the printer.) But there is one daily pill you can take, only a few side effects. (I later look it up in the internet and it has six pages of side effects including that you can self combust).<br />
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Me: So this is like tinnitus: it's like my head is making<strike> shite</strike> stuff up. (Starts laughing)<br />
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Neurologist: (Trying to be professional but laughing too.) Yes, I suppose, if you put it that way.<br />
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Me: (Still laughing, can't stop for some reason) Well thank you for everything.<br />
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So if you see a woman on the street laughing uncontrollably at something inappropriate, that would be me, just another gift from old age.<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-809995341087044912016-04-25T14:17:00.002-07:002016-04-25T16:37:33.491-07:00Heart of the Home Tour 2016It's one of my favorite time of the year, the CSL's <a href="http://wehelpkids.org/">Heart of the Home Tour,</a> where you get to see inside five homes in the East Bay. The tour is this weekend, Friday and Saturday April 29-30th, and proceeds go to children in need. What I love is the variety of homes; this year they have an Italianate built for a concert pianist in 1914, a fascinating Contemporary, a reconfigured Prairie-Style home, a 1920's Tudor, and a Tudor Revival in the 30's Decorative Arts style. All photos by <a href="http://archive.treve.com/#!/index">Treve Johnson.</a><br />
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(It's no secret that I'm nosy as heck...anyone who meets me gets the 20 questions. So this is nirvana, I just love going into people's home and having a good old gander and imagining how they live.)<br />
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This serene <i><b>Contemporary</b></i> home, made from exposed concrete and wood, was completed in 2014 on a lot that has sat empty since the 1991 Oakland Fire. The newly married couple, Adam and Amy, love to entertain frequently and Amy also loves to discover emerging artists. She heads up a family-owned Yountville vineyard and invests in a number of Bay Area start-ups. I can't wait to see her live-edge make-up table in the master bathroom.<br />
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Below, the <i><b>Morse House </b></i>is an English Tudor Revival built in 1936 for Charles Morse, a rice miller, and has fantabulous views over the bay and the country club, and awesome people living in it. I know this because we are lucky enough to be their friends! John and Kim spent 15 years looking for a 1930's era home to restore, and then they spent the next six years doing much of the restoration themselves. They've furnished it in the Hollywood Regency style and you'll see in the living room a Wonder Woman painting done by their daughter when she was in elementary school!<br />
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Next is a <i style="font-weight: bold;">Prairie Style</i> home, a style which includes overhanging eaves and sloping roofs and originated with Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 20th century, apparently. One of the homeowners is a glass and metal artist who forged the door handles and cabinetry hardware.<br />
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This<b><i> Italianate</i></b> home below was built for a concert pianist; it operated as a music hall in 1914. Today the piano stage is a home office where the owners have outfitted the walls with the same cabinetry as the home's original.<br />
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And then there is this <b><i>English Tudor which </i></b>features intricate leaded glass windows. The owner is a mah jongg enthusiast who hosts games, hence the double game tables and her nickname for her home; The House of Clicking Tiles.<br />
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You can buy tickets from <a href="http://wehelpkids.org/?page_id=2383">here online</a> or at other places around the Easy Bay, including the Terrace Gifts & Coffee shop. VIP ticket holders get to attend other events and view additional homes, like this charming one below.<br />
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What do you find most interesting when you go into someone's home? I love bookshelves and utilitarian things like the kitchen sinks, and then the opposite: anything glam and shiny.About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-73755763187487488892016-04-23T14:58:00.001-07:002016-04-24T09:13:28.220-07:00Goodnight Sweet PrinceIt's been a rainy and purply kind of weekend, in honor of our Prince.<br />
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Epic fashion and music moments on his 1985 Purple Rain tour. Adored his studded Byronesque style, that was somehow classical yet extravagant. Man alive, could that guy rock a pirate shirt like nobody's business. In so many ways he spoke to the freak-outsider in all of us and made it cool and beautiful.<br />
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Other artists have benefitted from his stand against music available for free on YouTube, but now sadly we don't have enough videos of him.<br />
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Wheeled out the velvet jacket and frilly shirt (ten years old but still a favorite) last night in his honor.<br />
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Other purplenesses around the house this morning...<br />
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<i>This is what is sounds like </i><br />
<i>When doves cry. </i><br />
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Isn't that one of the most perfect lines ever?<br />
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Goodnight sweet Prince, see you again underneath the Purple Rain.<br />
<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-71871404826507933452016-04-21T12:59:00.004-07:002016-04-21T12:59:32.891-07:00Our house in NZ Home & GardenCrikey, thought I best update my blog after four months' (!) silence. Thanks for being patient and loyal. My sister, Shazza just sent me some snaps of the NZ Home & Garden magazine which features our house this month (sorry no link until it gets loaded onto the stuff.co.nz site, apparently). Here I am leaning against the front door with my hand on my hip, as you do on a Monday arvo.<br />
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Blogging is a strange old thing. I've always vacillated between<i> Gosh I've got to tell you this! </i>and W<i>hy on earth would they want to hear about that load of old nonsense? </i>and <i>Ugh,</i> <i>I sound like I'm skiteing </i>(showing off)... which probably explains the four-month hiatus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Re the green chair, They told me this was the last reproduction of a Sixties chair, no one was buying it. Then I saw a white version in Roger's office on Mad Men. Then of course, they were making them again at a higher price. </i></td></tr>
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As you can see my sister Sharon is better known for her journalistic skills than photographic (could have you squished the page down more, Shazza?)<br />
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It was a pleasure to be interviewed (tables turned, I'm usually the ones asking questions) by the highly experienced <a href="http://gillsouth.com/">Gill South.</a> Kind of scary, you're worried about coming across as a complete drongo; now I know what's it's like to be on the other side.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gosh, you'd think she would have made the bed before the photographer arrived, wouldn't you?</i><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My splotchy dress was a dreadful choice, would have been better to wear stripes or a graphic. Oh well, next time... Sadly, the most important family member, Teddy did not make it into the pages. Neither did the eldest boy, Harley. Don't tell him (Teddy).</i></td></tr>
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Stuff I learned.<br />
1. Practical comes first. Don't bother with precious, faffy stuff, unless it goes on the wall. It will drive you crazy minding the white cloth on that chair.<br />
2. You can always cut the tile budget even further. Tiles don't look half as good once they're grouted, and cheap white subway with a stripe (or just one wall) of that pricey tile works well.<br />
3. Spend money on the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen and bathrooms and whatever other things you touch every day all day. (I know, boring.)<br />
4. Taking away upper cabinetry makes the kitchen look more like a room, not a utilitarian space.<br />
5. Do what <i>you</i> want to your house! You'll be in your house twice as long as you think. Don't be always having an eye to "re-sale." We built a one-car garage (rather than two or three), despite others saying we were crazy. On the other hand the bath-shower in one of the bathrooms is incredibly annoying and done only because we were told we needed a second bath in the house for re-sale.<br />
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But the best piece of advice I ever got (applicable whether re-modeling, deciding on a husband or buying that new yellow frock...) was from, of course, Mum, who says: "Go through your day." And that's not the only day in the year you have a fancy dancy party.<br />
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What do you think matters in a house??<br />
<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-77228640801011980012016-01-12T19:04:00.001-08:002016-01-12T20:24:26.567-08:00Let's DanceI'm up at Alta, Utah doing a four-day powder clinic and singing Young Americans as I blop down the slopes. Not that that was the best of David Bowie's many brilliant songs-- but if you want to feel incredibly young at 53, just come to Alta, where people ski until they are 93 years old.<div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPFzuXWMp7YwZgeYOdI_h7NP07kQ46-igLAsgPzfqtqvSd6av6gjqoUhk0GSfmkkh-It7_mvjKI-RWWKcPP4u1UwP4eMzLQmMN5M5NKinicBEokZnsY9DnalchrbqjLSLQvH460W9u8Q/s640/blogger-image--779885134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPFzuXWMp7YwZgeYOdI_h7NP07kQ46-igLAsgPzfqtqvSd6av6gjqoUhk0GSfmkkh-It7_mvjKI-RWWKcPP4u1UwP4eMzLQmMN5M5NKinicBEokZnsY9DnalchrbqjLSLQvH460W9u8Q/s640/blogger-image--779885134.jpg"></a></div>She was a young American</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfnqWnBOd7s-T5d38t6pxksfwqi8Nh4e3QJvFDkJ8s3Wi6kt6Pzir8M0mBAuXWroyzkSmziDA4BZ-o3eWx-oqRoz5-awLJLdrdgO-AAd8REZNxU5XNaxDmBfm7RjvwiHMtGx7ZSrz0ZA/s640/blogger-image--1463273034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfnqWnBOd7s-T5d38t6pxksfwqi8Nh4e3QJvFDkJ8s3Wi6kt6Pzir8M0mBAuXWroyzkSmziDA4BZ-o3eWx-oqRoz5-awLJLdrdgO-AAd8REZNxU5XNaxDmBfm7RjvwiHMtGx7ZSrz0ZA/s640/blogger-image--1463273034.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPuvnP1eXGbGts2TU7RyHrdXhYz2QvGr_-whfQDfdUSnl5mDQ0vEPLxNedXv-6f0QpNl_QcbfWEOJ4Cbe1EKzc8RydRsre-N5VpQAa8YAWjExFOGxm2P1Nz1WxFTsR7GP3PwJgleXEHc/s640/blogger-image--642863665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPuvnP1eXGbGts2TU7RyHrdXhYz2QvGr_-whfQDfdUSnl5mDQ0vEPLxNedXv-6f0QpNl_QcbfWEOJ4Cbe1EKzc8RydRsre-N5VpQAa8YAWjExFOGxm2P1Nz1WxFTsR7GP3PwJgleXEHc/s640/blogger-image--642863665.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hxNFllhNMr1fxRTgcwFunnQvdd0OxjW-AE4N1VNySOy2dbgCdPXrq1fQhtdL82U8_pffzyPSFTHCcmkhK7TlToB7NUs-KEA-VqmG0TQ7nIqvj0GC3qePMN_UWGdfv9BJvG1wHomKpnw/s640/blogger-image--1917649710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hxNFllhNMr1fxRTgcwFunnQvdd0OxjW-AE4N1VNySOy2dbgCdPXrq1fQhtdL82U8_pffzyPSFTHCcmkhK7TlToB7NUs-KEA-VqmG0TQ7nIqvj0GC3qePMN_UWGdfv9BJvG1wHomKpnw/s640/blogger-image--1917649710.jpg"></a></div>My group, of which I'm the veritable spring chicken.</div><div><br><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In my group, the four blokes are ages 66 to 59. "You're the spring chicken" said one, "do you have a chaperone?" Larf.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In the afternoon I was in the same group as Rudy who is 83, here with his lovely wife Dorothy, 79, who also skis all day every day. They live in Maine but are very involved with the Lighthouse charter school in Oakland, apparently.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNmnK42SdTOLXfCRe4Q86gUQwan4SeDhdbcRaWywKDeHj0i8AnIuHA_K_bbdgzqnLQ1EBjI7f2Am6eC5fuhC4zYtApJCreMB2_nDB7oPV4cP8TwF3g_vSW54kbFnlZ54IDuADd94D2cg/s640/blogger-image-1971311759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNmnK42SdTOLXfCRe4Q86gUQwan4SeDhdbcRaWywKDeHj0i8AnIuHA_K_bbdgzqnLQ1EBjI7f2Am6eC5fuhC4zYtApJCreMB2_nDB7oPV4cP8TwF3g_vSW54kbFnlZ54IDuADd94D2cg/s640/blogger-image-1971311759.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">So amazing to see the outpourings of grief over David Bowie.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51UXUY572sE5s5EdT78gKgUTA6KN-j7fGk8e-hIGxcVz5we3MdElN0HWRX_HCSLhiw6mA0MrxcgwjZ_DQmUvktf5X2m23YD1VM8tj8JAU_Z6D2oooC2k6CouHYX-xncqcRePbCnWojiY/s640/blogger-image--2135158507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51UXUY572sE5s5EdT78gKgUTA6KN-j7fGk8e-hIGxcVz5we3MdElN0HWRX_HCSLhiw6mA0MrxcgwjZ_DQmUvktf5X2m23YD1VM8tj8JAU_Z6D2oooC2k6CouHYX-xncqcRePbCnWojiY/s640/blogger-image--2135158507.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgFXL1wP5Jy1MhEhVLgMiBjHD0RyXRrrvR9rC-y01wnBf6dTsfFwYjxiYcghT8I0b6ImNd4A19bBQd4aJ4x8d1ZL8dhlz99PxUPhBWT4Y_ZsHsqC2nyRUVJwS-Bir2nfAx_i5Vg994FM/s640/blogger-image--1854429565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgFXL1wP5Jy1MhEhVLgMiBjHD0RyXRrrvR9rC-y01wnBf6dTsfFwYjxiYcghT8I0b6ImNd4A19bBQd4aJ4x8d1ZL8dhlz99PxUPhBWT4Y_ZsHsqC2nyRUVJwS-Bir2nfAx_i5Vg994FM/s640/blogger-image--1854429565.jpg"></a></div>Tomorrow I'm going to ski with Let's Dance and Golden Years, playing in my head. I'll tell you if it brings my rodeo style under control.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Alta Lodge, where everyone stays, is the comforting same; on the walls, photos of Frida Kahlo, taken by Nickolas Muray, father of Mimi Levitt, the matriarch of the family-owned lodge.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOMDCbbAyTFC77mJhtMRMN5XQAz8PEjRJc5Apm8j8EEDkVZ1OfqTUWS4eYUso2SVuch0YaXS-h9Wf3U1maQgILv7ksvZophovVQiUkHHs9noB7snrmuOgXghZSDuNwIkYE6-rt3orCwY/s640/blogger-image--214579218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOMDCbbAyTFC77mJhtMRMN5XQAz8PEjRJc5Apm8j8EEDkVZ1OfqTUWS4eYUso2SVuch0YaXS-h9Wf3U1maQgILv7ksvZophovVQiUkHHs9noB7snrmuOgXghZSDuNwIkYE6-rt3orCwY/s640/blogger-image--214579218.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div>The fire where you can spend a lot of time gazing out and thinking amazing thoughts that you can't remember later.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegugachsVZ6cPQVuyG-E3PkmTqoE8AoDTeq7IKMst246GDTrbSAyc81XXv3nzLK3Nwh2MFDX7aCie891xNQQ7geN5ms-P6-coUlbBsqXfIq9PaVcbqZpb_jrvUIYqf2Z1OChyfeEp-d4/s640/blogger-image--667455342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegugachsVZ6cPQVuyG-E3PkmTqoE8AoDTeq7IKMst246GDTrbSAyc81XXv3nzLK3Nwh2MFDX7aCie891xNQQ7geN5ms-P6-coUlbBsqXfIq9PaVcbqZpb_jrvUIYqf2Z1OChyfeEp-d4/s640/blogger-image--667455342.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>I brought the same outfits as last year with the addition of a white vest given to us all by Alta Lodge. I have always wanted a white vest. Now I don't know how the heck I got by without it. The bruise in my forehead is from acupuncture, btw.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd6mNWXtMaqRvQkUJvYxaZ-5OpJvQ71RnUwhdKDpEqbM9z-HIim4M5aefTALfohUqPprzNcdplxRgp1dkGO4SdFgpB7YqbxG4DiHR8xkMH5AMSbal26V-OG3wbJUDpIa_ZBuAcL2Ru_c/s640/blogger-image--530320105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUd6mNWXtMaqRvQkUJvYxaZ-5OpJvQ71RnUwhdKDpEqbM9z-HIim4M5aefTALfohUqPprzNcdplxRgp1dkGO4SdFgpB7YqbxG4DiHR8xkMH5AMSbal26V-OG3wbJUDpIa_ZBuAcL2Ru_c/s640/blogger-image--530320105.jpg"></a></div>Rebecca Taylor sweater and Frank and Eileen shirt</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp3bu7UA0JigiW9QqWP0SchAVIp3scC2gf6ce3K9yvRhedzBTKTtDh_1_jl5g1Vr3kkRTPFpuP6n2tYComkTAbMz9sphrJVdcIbdpoew8EHkUwUoCpF1-3_rBAynlVc4jNgMrGwER-P4/s640/blogger-image--823804915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp3bu7UA0JigiW9QqWP0SchAVIp3scC2gf6ce3K9yvRhedzBTKTtDh_1_jl5g1Vr3kkRTPFpuP6n2tYComkTAbMz9sphrJVdcIbdpoew8EHkUwUoCpF1-3_rBAynlVc4jNgMrGwER-P4/s640/blogger-image--823804915.jpg"></a></div>Clue sweater</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>No weight lost here, that's a guarantee. Just as well I bought some new phat ski pants--my old cream ones had gone from squeaky tight to screamers.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92_L-1U1KOaSTWeUMnFOl-gQ5TyhaOagur522T2-ASutvkMawbwi92TJynuZf0WYsSwhoDgciS9Io5LksIZ0hKbx37wwJjrO2WV8XbEFH1H6gxE-_dZ1SfcX_y2M0corDhp67ezD6peA/s640/blogger-image-729354587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92_L-1U1KOaSTWeUMnFOl-gQ5TyhaOagur522T2-ASutvkMawbwi92TJynuZf0WYsSwhoDgciS9Io5LksIZ0hKbx37wwJjrO2WV8XbEFH1H6gxE-_dZ1SfcX_y2M0corDhp67ezD6peA/s640/blogger-image-729354587.jpg"></a></div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGPBeqDaWZJgnyGo9kTY6Cn52OepgjsLNDkhSp6ddnYo-qCofbwXl8yTIc-_TDSHKNoNoBsgATkDdSr9-OSk17eBwE2i-ilxBKPjneK-Bb_IQTqpUAL0P52S8HgEfPpmk-LEmN5cgpwI/s640/blogger-image--1555238232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbGPBeqDaWZJgnyGo9kTY6Cn52OepgjsLNDkhSp6ddnYo-qCofbwXl8yTIc-_TDSHKNoNoBsgATkDdSr9-OSk17eBwE2i-ilxBKPjneK-Bb_IQTqpUAL0P52S8HgEfPpmk-LEmN5cgpwI/s640/blogger-image--1555238232.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-psx5m9de4b5fWhvaamDhTYq5Sg0DyCTMKtzWK3Fbymy_yeLuJGNlOsGzMbOCl5d5bAB_ofLLWyZZzZ4iCMqBG8O3dazYxl5x56NRCK4rgCb3b9DRah1lstr18E0p0h-9-jXM2sKumk/s640/blogger-image-1494342699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-psx5m9de4b5fWhvaamDhTYq5Sg0DyCTMKtzWK3Fbymy_yeLuJGNlOsGzMbOCl5d5bAB_ofLLWyZZzZ4iCMqBG8O3dazYxl5x56NRCK4rgCb3b9DRah1lstr18E0p0h-9-jXM2sKumk/s640/blogger-image-1494342699.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleO4L-QouQdeuigh5clbdjczkrgE4YG-hgqDT9BPk4lxlakoOOQBk3qD8cGBdgaa0e69-lCTxa8SdNtB42FNwH36lWrkeF1hvyQ9rLS1M2Sz0rAPGp1PADWttTPm12S2MlJatxM8EZJk/s640/blogger-image--389578078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleO4L-QouQdeuigh5clbdjczkrgE4YG-hgqDT9BPk4lxlakoOOQBk3qD8cGBdgaa0e69-lCTxa8SdNtB42FNwH36lWrkeF1hvyQ9rLS1M2Sz0rAPGp1PADWttTPm12S2MlJatxM8EZJk/s640/blogger-image--389578078.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I'm here by myself but that's no problem, most of the other punters are low key and very nice. Of course there will always be someone who must tell you all their accomplishments in 15 minutes plus what they had for dinner last Tuesday, and where their genuis kids go to school, but I am happy to make them feel even better about their lives. </div><div><br></div><div>On these first impression experiences I've also learned to keep my silly-cynical-sarcastic asides in check as some other young Americans just see them as just negative.</div><div><br></div><div>Read "Man At The Helm" by Nina Stibbes on old FF's recommendation, about a British family in the 70's. Funny and sad, loved it. Then I read Stibbe's first book, her real life letters to her sister when she was a nanny in London in the 80's, where she worked for a literary family. Clever and hilarious, the letters were found by her sister a couple of years ago. Amazing to think she wrote both these in her Twenties (she's now 53) and they have just been resurrected.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJZ_-CberPVjvMirXQCLF6UOTsb2rBc2Nv-ZSUn6_rVKjLNXuYwCkCfGkrS2jE05g8T8G2QmNSsf6LY-zcIs_F-67TcpAtAp4EI4kC6WIFaTYCvY1lsWm8ExYdX8ZhrzNoDZgA3Fes3k/s640/blogger-image--2103158287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJZ_-CberPVjvMirXQCLF6UOTsb2rBc2Nv-ZSUn6_rVKjLNXuYwCkCfGkrS2jE05g8T8G2QmNSsf6LY-zcIs_F-67TcpAtAp4EI4kC6WIFaTYCvY1lsWm8ExYdX8ZhrzNoDZgA3Fes3k/s640/blogger-image--2103158287.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lovely moment this morning as I saw Rosie, one of the staff here, as she watched her daughter skip down the hill to her little school in the snow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"She's so lucky," I said.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"I'm so lucky," said Rosie.</div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-40588653739048627032016-01-08T17:50:00.000-08:002016-01-08T17:50:00.641-08:00The Big Purge (and whether you're an Inny or an Outy)We're home now--to rain. Thank goodness the drought has broken. And now we're in the year they're calling Sweet Sixteen, my thoughts are turning naturally to the Big Purge (that sentence seems all wrong somehow). For an article on how to best start, I interviewed two of my go-tos. Organizing stylist, Angela Hoxsey, owner of <a href="http://www.houseinorder.com/">House in Order</a> says to start with the stuff on the floor and go clockwise. No, no, don't go to the drawers just yet (full article <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Better-living-in-2016-Experts-weigh-in-6726666.php?t=747cf22ebfbd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium">here</a>)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ju_zgDPTppjwHEt5FW5LOj4haojNmE2ty94LMurQS9tlB-NamKO5mq43IOZqpil8VHm8_zUOKIhWMrqVjeUDXLEypyKQfephEL4dY1hiJwzvINd0JpKlDsLN8wNDMh4V7FpeYmL9vA0/s1600/angela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Ju_zgDPTppjwHEt5FW5LOj4haojNmE2ty94LMurQS9tlB-NamKO5mq43IOZqpil8VHm8_zUOKIhWMrqVjeUDXLEypyKQfephEL4dY1hiJwzvINd0JpKlDsLN8wNDMh4V7FpeYmL9vA0/s400/angela.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Angela Hoxsey, organizing stylist. Love this huge photo of M. behind her, don't you? Photo by Robb McDonough</i></td></tr>
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You might remember that I've interviewed Angela before and I told her that my husband and I were opposites. I like all the surfaces clear, am a veritable Monica about that. To the extent that I actually give away all my books (I read about three a week) and when I do online video classes often I can't concentrate <i>on what they are saying because I'm too focused on the shelves behind them! </i><br />
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But my drawers are a mess.<br />
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"Oh yes!" Angela said. "You're an Inny." I'm tidy and seemingly organized on the outer, but a secret mess on the inner.<br />
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My husband is an Outy who doesn't mind a bit of stuff on the benches but has tidy drawers (oh er missus).<br />
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Here's the evidence.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9h5lx3dplJeNzJT9jmlUYiLUHUc3FbSzP3-qHTICrWpRdc-TVcS5DgSrKRr03o9mpjXQwqc3EeNZuSwDhfide723QKooLwPz8dg1TBy7foB88M0s0_y5xKn26TcVbxoAg3-zg1pSVVE/s1600/IMG_4052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9h5lx3dplJeNzJT9jmlUYiLUHUc3FbSzP3-qHTICrWpRdc-TVcS5DgSrKRr03o9mpjXQwqc3EeNZuSwDhfide723QKooLwPz8dg1TBy7foB88M0s0_y5xKn26TcVbxoAg3-zg1pSVVE/s400/IMG_4052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My desk. Oh yes, it seems like I'm a tidy person</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What lies beneath...Detritus includes: report from pest guy, three(!) empty sunglasses holders, three cameras, (one underwater one not developed from goodness knows when), five photos of Tallulah, business cards from restaurants where we ate an on the Camino which I'll likely never see again, old letter from my Auntie Doris who died many years ago (I just love just to see her wobbly handwriting every time I open the drawer) appt, reminder from vet from many months ago. And the rest.</i></td></tr>
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Compare and contrast: The Hubstar's drawers:<br />
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The second person I interviewed was Chad Olcott who owns <a href="http://mulberryshome.com/">Mulberry's Home</a> in Oakland--love how calls himself a "decorator" so old school --said his best clear-out came last year when his house was photographed for the SF Chron. He took out the little stuff--pictures on the walls, everything on the surfaces. Each of the littlies had to earn their way back in. So his advice is: imagine a newspaper or magazine is coming to your house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV0revdhzA-0szADHYhhNMK_bH9Nn48mLqfKbngZF6KI7fY8t8ET8eAlOsspZulhPyTuF5irWpREBBrYxF1N0FWtCxvkARA8xdAxvsWsTSHvhp05nP4PhMJmuNcfKnALzJElKNKkUq3g/s1600/chad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV0revdhzA-0szADHYhhNMK_bH9Nn48mLqfKbngZF6KI7fY8t8ET8eAlOsspZulhPyTuF5irWpREBBrYxF1N0FWtCxvkARA8xdAxvsWsTSHvhp05nP4PhMJmuNcfKnALzJElKNKkUq3g/s400/chad.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chad Olcott says take all the littlies out. Now they have to earn their way back in. </i></td></tr>
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The constant thing we have to purge is--you would not believe it--costumes! What's yours? Because we have so many themed fundraisers at the three schools the kids have gone to, we have accumulated what turned out to be a carload of costumes. We did this purge in late August.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My glamorous life all bagged up</td></tr>
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Good! All cleared out. But since then we have actioned three more costumes...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Speakeasy party: Over-Donatella-ed it on the tan, not terribly Twenties</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tacos and Toga 50th birthday party. Anthony and Cleopatra, the greatest love of all time...or just two people in really bad w</i>igs?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Space party: We were the two faces of Keith Moon (The Who drummer) Only two people got it. There was no prize for most obscure get-up, dang it.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Keith Moon as the Queen</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsEO_tCjoCwElApNFiTI9yp-SAXvJkgjfIKCgztkoRZN6216DaRaKwS3E210oKInCU6vTCHXuDx608qbkeTThJAFi6b7LMsprkXJQrVZMSEYx01Ae-LMJEhNeno_xacQPZEEUZzYXqmo/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsEO_tCjoCwElApNFiTI9yp-SAXvJkgjfIKCgztkoRZN6216DaRaKwS3E210oKInCU6vTCHXuDx608qbkeTThJAFi6b7LMsprkXJQrVZMSEYx01Ae-LMJEhNeno_xacQPZEEUZzYXqmo/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Keith Moon as a rollerblading nun. Now do you geddit?</i></td></tr>
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So it's back to commandeering the boy in the upstairs corner room to take them down to the garage to store.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>There was actually a third box just for the wigs</i></td></tr>
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What's your groundhog day of effluvia? (Wow, this blog post really took a strange and messy turn, just what you'd expect from an Inny, innit?)<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-76221403416362680652015-12-30T19:32:00.001-08:002015-12-31T10:13:18.717-08:00Should Auld Acquaintance Be ForgotI'm I hope you have a really sssparkly New Years Eve. Ours starts in just an hour. Sadly I've had the dreaded lurgy so will have to stay off the champers tonight. Well, thats's the plan...at this stage.<div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaYlND3DXeurV6-7rSCkMMCuofMBqm3QyMxUhwBEum1e2yD9TocfKdk668QMX2daUgeihxJK52ip_nPnGPnwxzKQ96z_zT6J6nEnrl3KxGvYxznm-vke9vEW_fR7WNZ1ekWBMJPxvSI0/s640/blogger-image--1515145573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaYlND3DXeurV6-7rSCkMMCuofMBqm3QyMxUhwBEum1e2yD9TocfKdk668QMX2daUgeihxJK52ip_nPnGPnwxzKQ96z_zT6J6nEnrl3KxGvYxznm-vke9vEW_fR7WNZ1ekWBMJPxvSI0/s640/blogger-image--1515145573.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>My friend Sue, who was famous in our day as she was the first woman to be accepted into the NZ Air Force as an officer (though she still wasn't allowed to fly!) has invited us over for a barby tonight and promises she has a recipe that will cure what ails me! It is a rum and ginger wine cocktail learned from an old barman in Ohakea. I am not convinced!!!<br><div><br><div>Spent the past few days catching up with friends from back in the olden days when there was just one channel on the telly and you stayed out playing till your Mum called "Tea time, kids!" <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxSjuCeQ-YUxTSHxaFW122-Xp7L1TuimhrDXQoMWAU9e4bc0l1_9T3GSVd4U3t2INFh7YBgvDorvK_hogP76wgaSTeF8gOH6vGmGyMZ75iP_lX9H0WILo36d418eKU_e1Ex5Iu9S-7Fc/s640/blogger-image-1032678501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxSjuCeQ-YUxTSHxaFW122-Xp7L1TuimhrDXQoMWAU9e4bc0l1_9T3GSVd4U3t2INFh7YBgvDorvK_hogP76wgaSTeF8gOH6vGmGyMZ75iP_lX9H0WILo36d418eKU_e1Ex5Iu9S-7Fc/s640/blogger-image-1032678501.jpg"></a></div>Helena, Sue, sister Pietra, sister Sharon and me.</div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>One of the friends I caught up was Helena, who I told you about before. She wrote Give Us This Day. It was brilliant to hear all about her process. Rather than rattling out the shitty first draft ( as most of us have been taught) she edits as she goes along, agonizing over each word. It works for her! We all do things differently </div><div>and sometimes we need to stick to that. We forget that we've found an efficient way of being and doing-- and then we want to change it totally!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tyea5YIwso_IVD18SGyL_ALaAygFCkuqLGaOK7kInsvI7Onc_zEYJCJJtKXwBDIju6p50Jzqw49lacFtcVRVelIvZ4F3csJE2MS-NICmuosEGyKu_oEigpssBEsC-Bmd3FiOynipDfA/s640/blogger-image--1489497714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tyea5YIwso_IVD18SGyL_ALaAygFCkuqLGaOK7kInsvI7Onc_zEYJCJJtKXwBDIju6p50Jzqw49lacFtcVRVelIvZ4F3csJE2MS-NICmuosEGyKu_oEigpssBEsC-Bmd3FiOynipDfA/s640/blogger-image--1489497714.jpg"></a></div>My sister Pietra and Helena</div><div><br></div><div>Six of us from our third form (freshman) class got together one night. The year of 1975. We refer to our year as our third form year, because in those days most people left school at 15 or 16 years old to do trades, and in those times you could study nursing and other professions at polytechs too. For example in third form we numbered 350 kids but only 30 stayed for seventh form. Sadly 30 of our class have died. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqqYGgu3C6s7RfUc0bmVHXnG1HlLfmk-WadscZ1j5U_u_n3SEPCpLWOuA-aaDhkxU9K9kZ2IFdmujaLf29OWWuDZBpMLv981jyno58DJ7S51XpY2nWES5me_51gYjT2jPhtvXiWiktiA/s640/blogger-image-504646612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqqYGgu3C6s7RfUc0bmVHXnG1HlLfmk-WadscZ1j5U_u_n3SEPCpLWOuA-aaDhkxU9K9kZ2IFdmujaLf29OWWuDZBpMLv981jyno58DJ7S51XpY2nWES5me_51gYjT2jPhtvXiWiktiA/s640/blogger-image-504646612.jpg"></a></div>Dave, me, Shiona, Maureen and Helena (Sue went back to her bach to let out her new puppy)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The chap on the left, Dave, has been amazing. About a year ago he started organizing get-togethers, including pub nights, a weekend of events and even a comedy cruise to Australia, in the process reuniting people, some of whom lived in the same town but had gotten past the stage of even ackowledging each other ( "wiill they recognise me?")</div><br></div><div>I wont pretend my high school years were all glorious memories; like many kids of that era I was verbally and physically bullied. It's good to acknowledge this, and other people's history too, but its also good to move on.</div><div><br></div><div>We had so much fun those nights. I so looked forward to seeing these old schoolmates and it was so relaxing to spend an evening with people who share such a deep history, talking about times that were pants-wetting scary, ridiculously funny, sweet, mind-bogglingly boring, and sometimes painful, but mostly stuff you can have a good old leg-slapping cackle about later....</div></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-7289170279301279622015-12-30T18:09:00.001-08:002015-12-31T10:33:56.998-08:00Blue and GreySo sad today to leave Ohope Beach and the blue skies and blue seas and the houses and baches all greyed by the salt air. All around me is grey and blue and going through my snaps, I realized everything I wore was the same colour. I was matching my holiday! ( Do you ever do that?)<div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHjcC4_bazLzF50ZkkB6chZUVJxIfuA7GOiVW_cdjdd9QV6xWEQZpOwVS6B8JwgGPBkkimLInJYJiVJjxX9J-oqBAi89noPtKJbqw1wAcm7rZoTltVgdRDdQEbivM3xOuHE41WC10IVA/s640/blogger-image-727586122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHjcC4_bazLzF50ZkkB6chZUVJxIfuA7GOiVW_cdjdd9QV6xWEQZpOwVS6B8JwgGPBkkimLInJYJiVJjxX9J-oqBAi89noPtKJbqw1wAcm7rZoTltVgdRDdQEbivM3xOuHE41WC10IVA/s640/blogger-image-727586122.jpg"></a></div>Ohope Beach unwindulaxing "sweet as" style</div><div><br><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In my grey Standard Issue jersey. Tried to lead by example with the feet washing though the kids seemed genetically hardwired not to follow</span><br><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0KlgJ4eoVcfz23va3voJqSXzI1ZGJs2KoGFxN39VWyHGI-BRFZVrey2JpoL2ZjjUNbNWqFkrr8G2KZGfyL_02xe5xU-z4rMQBNFAyStOUisTs5RlJIOnKT4nSCBEEQtNGMOG0qNs8xM/s640/blogger-image-891534866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0KlgJ4eoVcfz23va3voJqSXzI1ZGJs2KoGFxN39VWyHGI-BRFZVrey2JpoL2ZjjUNbNWqFkrr8G2KZGfyL_02xe5xU-z4rMQBNFAyStOUisTs5RlJIOnKT4nSCBEEQtNGMOG0qNs8xM/s640/blogger-image-891534866.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> We had some bewty blue/grey evenings. Look. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4lkzlXz37paftSnb1qupCPUI4kOWkS4g9Z3c_760EB0Peidq6m-pFudKo349eYJhwfTIKya8dLbHB-V6jvtxDhAGYufAEwzeaaYk1iC-_duSWYkW9BOTlYtsMvVIa5SZG1rWs8pmuYk/s640/blogger-image--1730096334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4lkzlXz37paftSnb1qupCPUI4kOWkS4g9Z3c_760EB0Peidq6m-pFudKo349eYJhwfTIKya8dLbHB-V6jvtxDhAGYufAEwzeaaYk1iC-_duSWYkW9BOTlYtsMvVIa5SZG1rWs8pmuYk/s640/blogger-image--1730096334.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgS_pMSYKw_Pbb29t-yZY4FJDpSQHRLgAihVz3Ws90jwmetGlTg_lkUTa6xThDg5Kc5M5AwdRjFC2lZy6VMQdYgZWJOC3NdKRTmcqy713_4MRA-d_LmS_0P61A-DysFflpfMB9jym1L4/s640/blogger-image--1956856792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgS_pMSYKw_Pbb29t-yZY4FJDpSQHRLgAihVz3Ws90jwmetGlTg_lkUTa6xThDg5Kc5M5AwdRjFC2lZy6VMQdYgZWJOC3NdKRTmcqy713_4MRA-d_LmS_0P61A-DysFflpfMB9jym1L4/s640/blogger-image--1956856792.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYPmBGCxb_BvMm_8SPLnhzdBf89zphlCe_7S3ssXLHeucYsqaOnjIj_2xoGnBVTOvkhfk8yFFLMIQ6TSZi3okNUY5m4TOZlMMWiAzsd6Llq-26__GmroSnQr4w2cs_l67Xpxj5Nisvpk/s640/blogger-image--1552398152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYPmBGCxb_BvMm_8SPLnhzdBf89zphlCe_7S3ssXLHeucYsqaOnjIj_2xoGnBVTOvkhfk8yFFLMIQ6TSZi3okNUY5m4TOZlMMWiAzsd6Llq-26__GmroSnQr4w2cs_l67Xpxj5Nisvpk/s640/blogger-image--1552398152.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Heres a visual of me in my Ricochet ensemble patiently waiting for my glass to be filled, saint-like, I know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0utkwGN1kEkIWzwP_lwktyE5iIy-R1zwgBSsiaZ5leiuppyXxw1SH70-cuDIulNDQ0iEkzljdzJbS8x2z6H5CA_vacs8n5ab-x1W9M4BtNS0LDz_xmidRT2kPIIJ9q-xM_bcxpxzYvw/s640/blogger-image-358100887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0utkwGN1kEkIWzwP_lwktyE5iIy-R1zwgBSsiaZ5leiuppyXxw1SH70-cuDIulNDQ0iEkzljdzJbS8x2z6H5CA_vacs8n5ab-x1W9M4BtNS0LDz_xmidRT2kPIIJ9q-xM_bcxpxzYvw/s640/blogger-image-358100887.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>Kiwis seem to love floaty frocks w ssslips underneath, and I followed suit with this one, also by Ricochet.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4USPUbUvgHIDTBidmtV4fY4x7pbh2JdGGSLgxMvRyguY9L_XBPf77k7xVQyKJhbOJjyQTdK9HFLSx6vVGxiO1o5fFbZ_LGg-AVLmFHECmyVPHeitB9k0f_l2SDVmI-5Fe7GnrNBorJrE/s640/blogger-image--2119414271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4USPUbUvgHIDTBidmtV4fY4x7pbh2JdGGSLgxMvRyguY9L_XBPf77k7xVQyKJhbOJjyQTdK9HFLSx6vVGxiO1o5fFbZ_LGg-AVLmFHECmyVPHeitB9k0f_l2SDVmI-5Fe7GnrNBorJrE/s640/blogger-image--2119414271.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The silver sneaks were seen all over the beach purchasing lattes, steak and kidney pies and other baked goods with extra buttah.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCIbqhG8VtLwYz4ju4WRJr_Cevs-O58aZjNeR3lNum518HNdxDLwi8P2I2EH7O5On5Y9NZR0cg6kywVsb1ZBZXhI8gCT9E7JpyxKFtrKgoWXQ2gyX_Dz0m53723LKwphB-6L2K0HWnaA/s640/blogger-image-1542451952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCIbqhG8VtLwYz4ju4WRJr_Cevs-O58aZjNeR3lNum518HNdxDLwi8P2I2EH7O5On5Y9NZR0cg6kywVsb1ZBZXhI8gCT9E7JpyxKFtrKgoWXQ2gyX_Dz0m53723LKwphB-6L2K0HWnaA/s640/blogger-image-1542451952.jpg"></a></div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Then there were the brighter blue moments, down at Port Ohope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvIaEJBszenRu3ME629habpjsY0bKFUaxcx9j0nIBOlAcSI1Bfg5iuUx-p5E6eF6L11yblpYHWJveR-E_LijNQ-uyGGzSz3xmxV5-OiSF7NzJnI5IX4JgTw77x85P0ov9unlDOelySfQ/s640/blogger-image-186779341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvIaEJBszenRu3ME629habpjsY0bKFUaxcx9j0nIBOlAcSI1Bfg5iuUx-p5E6eF6L11yblpYHWJveR-E_LijNQ-uyGGzSz3xmxV5-OiSF7NzJnI5IX4JgTw77x85P0ov9unlDOelySfQ/s640/blogger-image-186779341.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Old linen shirt from J Jill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuY-ri5uiRheW1NPKGvPw9hqDsuDWmvK3h8YljQsIrzY1ky_3u7eDSVfquDLGl4rvgndiH80jxpdQjtZM3eEI3nxsdndO-IES3AJUQ9_bb_SqHMxeUcoiNumX-c00WkmT3716b8zJwuo/s640/blogger-image-105352290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuY-ri5uiRheW1NPKGvPw9hqDsuDWmvK3h8YljQsIrzY1ky_3u7eDSVfquDLGl4rvgndiH80jxpdQjtZM3eEI3nxsdndO-IES3AJUQ9_bb_SqHMxeUcoiNumX-c00WkmT3716b8zJwuo/s640/blogger-image-105352290.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Old Cover up by Elif, you've seen this one before.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpw-s-KdN-Rh7ci9xRthldstHxx4NBRcPWVQsvioBzPvKsAgMavD4PkNr_vx9ziY1GoirfPmvX5nwi-h9v2oUneghKgIGAMXCFA67RXopF3Puj8JjfLRST-ZLnuYFHNzGys20uT22j-8/s640/blogger-image--1674858729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpw-s-KdN-Rh7ci9xRthldstHxx4NBRcPWVQsvioBzPvKsAgMavD4PkNr_vx9ziY1GoirfPmvX5nwi-h9v2oUneghKgIGAMXCFA67RXopF3Puj8JjfLRST-ZLnuYFHNzGys20uT22j-8/s640/blogger-image--1674858729.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Everyone here is buying 1970's caravans and doing them up. It's veritable caravan madness in this beach I tell you! This one is parked outside the Port Ohope Store.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszPOkJAoSLh9kyiDo6qzWVyej_fAcjsHIww25dQ1LDpd0V8h7noU0outHoDUYF8VxuiVI0bZZ5RSd4CqA8hxGHLCojTUAO74ZSXYe4RWjiCXQvccfT6Zxjud-KwCpfeimdyO68gcUlUo/s640/blogger-image-1916017801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszPOkJAoSLh9kyiDo6qzWVyej_fAcjsHIww25dQ1LDpd0V8h7noU0outHoDUYF8VxuiVI0bZZ5RSd4CqA8hxGHLCojTUAO74ZSXYe4RWjiCXQvccfT6Zxjud-KwCpfeimdyO68gcUlUo/s640/blogger-image-1916017801.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Same aqua colour in the coffee drinking nook inside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xJTW86isi31Ak6heKUq2rTAP4PxkHAhO0TC24eLEstQGTjSMH4_5C_5DIA5ztnHVkO1GW4SFc3dNdcmaQQEvt4AcSExGJ83iVhawS3Lrb3NBqGvzc5a6F-kNipPIrgl8fhaOEA5cHP4/s640/blogger-image--215573527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xJTW86isi31Ak6heKUq2rTAP4PxkHAhO0TC24eLEstQGTjSMH4_5C_5DIA5ztnHVkO1GW4SFc3dNdcmaQQEvt4AcSExGJ83iVhawS3Lrb3NBqGvzc5a6F-kNipPIrgl8fhaOEA5cHP4/s640/blogger-image--215573527.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0UP336TN83ZqiuOgwQ-lxxfa4wQJpI-gjuzCxfEAtvpK26HWxUef0SOBde4nJiZ6E0Lwy1LTEEiRGv0zxkbj_KAivOMsMyg3j8sGoVu1-ue9nQwkF64H4d_TlL4OXHWmc3fMd4iXLQ8/s640/blogger-image--1949315798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0UP336TN83ZqiuOgwQ-lxxfa4wQJpI-gjuzCxfEAtvpK26HWxUef0SOBde4nJiZ6E0Lwy1LTEEiRGv0zxkbj_KAivOMsMyg3j8sGoVu1-ue9nQwkF64H4d_TlL4OXHWmc3fMd4iXLQ8/s640/blogger-image--1949315798.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Inside the caravan. Its a "no kids" coffee drinking area, so we remained outside with our little darlings and just snapped through the window.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e47XxCqF3HF6FcjyAH5jVBCAc7lxszZrV8Umq5k-Lm3jf2r-TvxnLf3p5mJVXPnwaE1o7NvOfe7hdxofpFcDKpyMW7nRZnKbDNI4rCRy8t2SfvT0HXmvGq1o6CRDBmI1hYebLTp6WvE/s640/blogger-image-726036883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8e47XxCqF3HF6FcjyAH5jVBCAc7lxszZrV8Umq5k-Lm3jf2r-TvxnLf3p5mJVXPnwaE1o7NvOfe7hdxofpFcDKpyMW7nRZnKbDNI4rCRy8t2SfvT0HXmvGq1o6CRDBmI1hYebLTp6WvE/s640/blogger-image-726036883.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>The coffee caravan even has a matching bike. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dxXqmYtyrLlC4ju0WDEwwv0BPkSSbeF00JnwlCR3S3aTBI2gX1oLcvsP86BNmTVXquG8gwj_85f45eNio8aAPAuHz1G08g6LUO1R2tIGEMRb4IuTtkW9snnHGiNgoVSt6pV8tzThlAM/s640/blogger-image--277545439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dxXqmYtyrLlC4ju0WDEwwv0BPkSSbeF00JnwlCR3S3aTBI2gX1oLcvsP86BNmTVXquG8gwj_85f45eNio8aAPAuHz1G08g6LUO1R2tIGEMRb4IuTtkW9snnHGiNgoVSt6pV8tzThlAM/s640/blogger-image--277545439.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Blue caravans galore! Our lovely friend Marion who just turned 61 (!) is doing up a blue caravan too. She was a six years ahead of me at school. I call it the Cariovarion. She and her American husband Jack have lived sussed: they live half the year in Ohope Beach, the other half in Wyoming. She had a health store and then worked as a milk trader in the old Chicago stock exchange, trained by her husband who was a pork belly trader. She was one of his best students, if not the best, because she learned by other people's experiences and didnt have the ego that tripped up other (male) traders, apparently.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfR1lg-cr5X-RWVvVfwies5TjJmNBOH5X1caqdmRAmmEEwVBn7fBekgffjDCeTUoynL939F6wFoYkguma1Z3GDxFBJnfau36r-haKVL0q6phm-6c_2-S0MChZIRWbVUO5FaevgviacnI/s640/blogger-image--2103027870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfR1lg-cr5X-RWVvVfwies5TjJmNBOH5X1caqdmRAmmEEwVBn7fBekgffjDCeTUoynL939F6wFoYkguma1Z3GDxFBJnfau36r-haKVL0q6phm-6c_2-S0MChZIRWbVUO5FaevgviacnI/s640/blogger-image--2103027870.jpg"></a></div>Hello Marion! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82hXeScL_RqNurJcwvoJaQZMn2dUWm2beAppL1FOtOZJAzBsS45MkmFzQMDcJ35C3McYFJ1r59D1BD5hlF8PVzbz2r84ud0WmvFuuRNpY20Rh7w30qkseCShUqLUCcojPgvQ6VSaqA6w/s640/blogger-image-491881995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82hXeScL_RqNurJcwvoJaQZMn2dUWm2beAppL1FOtOZJAzBsS45MkmFzQMDcJ35C3McYFJ1r59D1BD5hlF8PVzbz2r84ud0WmvFuuRNpY20Rh7w30qkseCShUqLUCcojPgvQ6VSaqA6w/s640/blogger-image-491881995.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtoSI5GbiTDDyCbb6i-bRC_z1W1_bNHeaNCk_BAmnu4TJLP22HMHOJcZIkrMIRCLJCQR8CG-XvI2YBJDeq3BifNds1dVHGhDjDy1bunkHbXnvq55smwrZiR4F_LaBMyP4fwUGdJAnUSI/s640/blogger-image--1226879362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtoSI5GbiTDDyCbb6i-bRC_z1W1_bNHeaNCk_BAmnu4TJLP22HMHOJcZIkrMIRCLJCQR8CG-XvI2YBJDeq3BifNds1dVHGhDjDy1bunkHbXnvq55smwrZiR4F_LaBMyP4fwUGdJAnUSI/s640/blogger-image--1226879362.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is Marion's neighbors' caravan. Caravan madness I tell you! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel8oTBOM7bZeF3pt1asnG1-_9WfZdr0lu035vyTkkSPYe9tFkKDCovL2OjX2jpCn6SQM1XBmLPoogfyRbLVD-QhCgKdg9J7NoVyHin6HqOrTpVv7ItKRK78yoF-enPcweQHxnByasOrQ/s640/blogger-image-666148042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgel8oTBOM7bZeF3pt1asnG1-_9WfZdr0lu035vyTkkSPYe9tFkKDCovL2OjX2jpCn6SQM1XBmLPoogfyRbLVD-QhCgKdg9J7NoVyHin6HqOrTpVv7ItKRK78yoF-enPcweQHxnByasOrQ/s640/blogger-image-666148042.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Believe you me, there was a lorralorra blue!! Hope you're dressing like your hols? Or your sparkly sneaks are taking you for baked goods...</div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-78486865414763050502015-12-26T18:28:00.001-08:002015-12-27T00:13:51.658-08:00MumThis is one of the photos I found in the album drawer at home. Mum made this fluffy jacket for her first dance when she was 16. Since then she hasn't stopped sewing, mending, baking, cooking, pulling weeds and holding kids' hands across the road.<div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkeB2bqibfYr2hcrYbphgpxwxf6kzyfe4N6fUqgPLYtQxOFeUh0EvbfwerX2bSxgmL2sIsi7408DWj09ypb5xVGLYcwLqzZO-pOTvzFu5AlFH9iYUx5zR0Ns0SMqpCfSMhByoTwwvz4g/s640/blogger-image--441806681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkeB2bqibfYr2hcrYbphgpxwxf6kzyfe4N6fUqgPLYtQxOFeUh0EvbfwerX2bSxgmL2sIsi7408DWj09ypb5xVGLYcwLqzZO-pOTvzFu5AlFH9iYUx5zR0Ns0SMqpCfSMhByoTwwvz4g/s640/blogger-image--441806681.jpg"></a></div><br><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">She really is the old style pioneer Kiwi wahine who can whip up a batch of date scones, sew a dress from a photo without a pattern and lay bathroom tiles, all of which she did in the past weeks.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbx4C1qZLgsz_1bV35AjBdDPQHxJtXDLhYcNpB6Q63Ed-EYj3LfUFNf9rsNlJW1l-9cfmVcwvTL4164K793z_wJWyEHI3FlPypfigEoqT8XPs7heCtCobQ_RRQrkhEdNso30MfrEVT4Q/s640/blogger-image--852803798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbx4C1qZLgsz_1bV35AjBdDPQHxJtXDLhYcNpB6Q63Ed-EYj3LfUFNf9rsNlJW1l-9cfmVcwvTL4164K793z_wJWyEHI3FlPypfigEoqT8XPs7heCtCobQ_RRQrkhEdNso30MfrEVT4Q/s640/blogger-image--852803798.jpg"></a></div>She made this dress too</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBsAJ8XVbDLX5F9b3fsOpfVctkNeICjBGBIBgv66hYNMqKbpOHf5-MCWVFm6gCxCMugL_x3BTum5nAMJnOHUZJ3yI4lEF7ecgaWkmRzVKK12cpwdF8UdCJzkEuvpE_9jnfrX30jJfW70/s640/blogger-image-1806845342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBsAJ8XVbDLX5F9b3fsOpfVctkNeICjBGBIBgv66hYNMqKbpOHf5-MCWVFm6gCxCMugL_x3BTum5nAMJnOHUZJ3yI4lEF7ecgaWkmRzVKK12cpwdF8UdCJzkEuvpE_9jnfrX30jJfW70/s640/blogger-image-1806845342.jpg"></a></div>Mum (at right) with Dad admiring a friend's engagement ring.</span></div><div><div><br></div><div>It was Mum's birthday on Boxing Day which is the day after Christmas (so named because that was the day British gentry gave boxed gifts to the servants.) Short straw as far as birthdays goes, but like most women of her generation she went on to make her own luck.</div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8vbR_omICB4774lVfM-U9jzA9jjq-NNIhMS_H3ewqKT8l3qfDhkQkO4ePkSSmxfgD1cNFyPhwGbgWXEcj3wHPjod50NgVHlHAPIHy24lSAzDTz1YwUCty3lJus93KxN1NG2T9t3SErA/s640/blogger-image--1252050927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8vbR_omICB4774lVfM-U9jzA9jjq-NNIhMS_H3ewqKT8l3qfDhkQkO4ePkSSmxfgD1cNFyPhwGbgWXEcj3wHPjod50NgVHlHAPIHy24lSAzDTz1YwUCty3lJus93KxN1NG2T9t3SErA/s640/blogger-image--1252050927.jpg"></a></div>With Harley and Jackson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDev6YjXUrSY_9Zluk6JV3BYPEzpWrzvErH1xdXQPNQO0J9F4ib-qFW0OeV8i0PIh5i2ar5x0woTxC-uoj7ni5rL-Mlfy5jug9kOGWwkyC1WBbOSNgOQCS1vKE4P0Pooe00bFI7jj1k-8/s640/blogger-image--515792038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDev6YjXUrSY_9Zluk6JV3BYPEzpWrzvErH1xdXQPNQO0J9F4ib-qFW0OeV8i0PIh5i2ar5x0woTxC-uoj7ni5rL-Mlfy5jug9kOGWwkyC1WBbOSNgOQCS1vKE4P0Pooe00bFI7jj1k-8/s640/blogger-image--515792038.jpg"></a></div>With some of the grandkids.</div><div><br></div><div>Madeleine. Who has a patient sideways smile and impatient hands that never stop moving; pulling stuff like stray threads (sometimes with such a no-nonsense tug the entire hem comes apart), who makes sticky date toffee pudding with a shove, slap and whack and close of the oven, who is such a good listener that everyone feels better sitting next to her, who has an abiding passion for interiors and design that always stipulates messy stuff away in drawers, who has a love of color and fabrics and aesthetics that never translates to personal vanity, who never re-gifts and always finds the right home for every little thing (however ugly or kitsch) for fear of hurting feelings. Who always amazes with her fortitude and finding the fineness in the everyday. Mum.</div><div><br></div></div></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-73066122888913287462015-12-25T10:40:00.001-08:002015-12-25T11:33:02.918-08:00Merry Christmas, Mere Kirihimete, and Happy HolidaysIt was all go yesterday. Well not really, there was loads of time for lolling around and swmming too. I actioned a caftan like arrangment for the big eating day, you need something roomy for the pav and be able to do a few arabesques a la Mrs Dibble. <div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGpRq8bqKz5nZm_GWMh_XUD9OrN4vF2WlKo8ujNl6nkTnMcEsJkANSjyERbLm-sX-eRWlUgwtYh6ZjHD70QzKPXc0XYcIVOwXhgD2wcMxWyTuE0wZf-arqFcneQUJ4q9n6p8PhYrQinY/s640/blogger-image--541542135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGpRq8bqKz5nZm_GWMh_XUD9OrN4vF2WlKo8ujNl6nkTnMcEsJkANSjyERbLm-sX-eRWlUgwtYh6ZjHD70QzKPXc0XYcIVOwXhgD2wcMxWyTuE0wZf-arqFcneQUJ4q9n6p8PhYrQinY/s640/blogger-image--541542135.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">SsSparkly sandals never go amiss do they? And it helps you whissstle your s'ss.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkkXj9j8vf6waIR9UxmiQITKzauWwz_kFPNo7GR2KdVujBG0a6-b80sHXIrUVsYOQb9TrYi4FaFI_gJTaLTkKKEv02NJDJ-KQbP-FbVpdUZjLwLJIuZAgdfOKK2JNM2038NNAr-ghfP0/s640/blogger-image-1939184945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkkXj9j8vf6waIR9UxmiQITKzauWwz_kFPNo7GR2KdVujBG0a6-b80sHXIrUVsYOQb9TrYi4FaFI_gJTaLTkKKEv02NJDJ-KQbP-FbVpdUZjLwLJIuZAgdfOKK2JNM2038NNAr-ghfP0/s640/blogger-image-1939184945.jpg"></a></div><br></div>A beach baublette is always good too. Tallulah is showing mine for the pic as my hands are bit Sasquachy these days.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV4KkTDEpR0euxj1YU5NvGnsqduq5ji9xviqhtqHMuWSKUHjo3CaKyo-LOP74OooHQAdKuiYqisP2XUSwV6YtsZuoHH2YTJplTc0LhJkvH2lTPTxVxzWtQvwHbxxGShwtth7pZVZ0mFI/s640/blogger-image-730799609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV4KkTDEpR0euxj1YU5NvGnsqduq5ji9xviqhtqHMuWSKUHjo3CaKyo-LOP74OooHQAdKuiYqisP2XUSwV6YtsZuoHH2YTJplTc0LhJkvH2lTPTxVxzWtQvwHbxxGShwtth7pZVZ0mFI/s640/blogger-image-730799609.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>It was a beautiful two minute walk down to Mum and Dad's from our bach.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw4FxRtDXByTzbTT0IifwuGCB17jW2xTBecWNVr4Ti0hK0T7p-ZhqkTBGKTyBLSnWgdJ4vXK_orq_AkNV0fa5jE4P59fxqZOrz0L5VAeB2C1NivjmezI-fR5nMfM8LegPRBa7IG8rAiI/s640/blogger-image--1068241879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglw4FxRtDXByTzbTT0IifwuGCB17jW2xTBecWNVr4Ti0hK0T7p-ZhqkTBGKTyBLSnWgdJ4vXK_orq_AkNV0fa5jE4P59fxqZOrz0L5VAeB2C1NivjmezI-fR5nMfM8LegPRBa7IG8rAiI/s640/blogger-image--1068241879.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Here we are, mum and dads place. Up the scrunchy path.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FzDpgTa1IcwWo06p37jECpCvjd1Okb_ej2qK2rOOw_0Zvy8NnGSRBjZF3FtDzFL1mYNkhbflSnBQ3UurgWG1lvohiPpWTG2rLubmF6UgeVAn0BOiBZY37RWMayKRGAoATEbVeP0bb9s/s640/blogger-image-1618797583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FzDpgTa1IcwWo06p37jECpCvjd1Okb_ej2qK2rOOw_0Zvy8NnGSRBjZF3FtDzFL1mYNkhbflSnBQ3UurgWG1lvohiPpWTG2rLubmF6UgeVAn0BOiBZY37RWMayKRGAoATEbVeP0bb9s/s640/blogger-image-1618797583.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>First thing I see. Everyone in my fam is always playing games, except me, Im not a fan, are you?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DWIIb0_chhaAi2e4nO0wx0qAt_B8Whq97ZsybHNb5UfYozz99sHdQfTp3Rufisti9sjuHpVnmVtrs7erYaIWmkRs8v5wWMewF2UzoXtp9kwHMMoM0CdWPexBye4T-wh_eO8wyRxbTkM/s640/blogger-image-1934306866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DWIIb0_chhaAi2e4nO0wx0qAt_B8Whq97ZsybHNb5UfYozz99sHdQfTp3Rufisti9sjuHpVnmVtrs7erYaIWmkRs8v5wWMewF2UzoXtp9kwHMMoM0CdWPexBye4T-wh_eO8wyRxbTkM/s640/blogger-image-1934306866.jpg"></a></div>Harley, Sharon, Jackson, cousin Finn and Pietra.</div><div>Then friends Kerry and Reece arrived. All was right in the world. They are great organisers and jolly good sorts all around.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznZTp1h7KH8gPtRZQgLwG2iwpM94WHm076TMo_Mdd5wsm9TpWBVz4i2jrsC0l4lotLE0XHtaH7jU-HNhN0unY6ehSnKPGhw3w9Wi96LemuKP-2EZlHZqq2dTr-uEfp4vZr9My8VP-4-0/s640/blogger-image-917680632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznZTp1h7KH8gPtRZQgLwG2iwpM94WHm076TMo_Mdd5wsm9TpWBVz4i2jrsC0l4lotLE0XHtaH7jU-HNhN0unY6ehSnKPGhw3w9Wi96LemuKP-2EZlHZqq2dTr-uEfp4vZr9My8VP-4-0/s640/blogger-image-917680632.jpg"></a></div>Kerry with Tallulah and cousin Leah.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJzvbLmmyylR5uxI2oooi84iMvRCPpuWc0qfxD5lwW2yqHs4sfYBFBXLPd9u-ZreFshGkcjjnCtVBoBDOSQV1x4rLnio4OVuV4XiXLFwT28U-7iuH1nCIQLTvxrHWUKT4xekQ7zfKUgU/s640/blogger-image-114252329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJzvbLmmyylR5uxI2oooi84iMvRCPpuWc0qfxD5lwW2yqHs4sfYBFBXLPd9u-ZreFshGkcjjnCtVBoBDOSQV1x4rLnio4OVuV4XiXLFwT28U-7iuH1nCIQLTvxrHWUKT4xekQ7zfKUgU/s640/blogger-image-114252329.jpg"></a></div>There was secret santa. ( we do one gift each under $30 with stealing allowed) Big hits were nailpolish and cards called Beardo where u guess who is behind the beard.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdoUfSEmkaO_XIvOqz892jINhebTFinC5Fa_qaZ3kj6z37lB3ch2Boaui4g9_iqb2wBFYIz0mGHy8aqDAhZYEGpawE0J5U9FmHs0DvR1FeslK3QYmjFgSd8kCkCghmMrdzJYXkTNGI_E/s640/blogger-image--515510184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdoUfSEmkaO_XIvOqz892jINhebTFinC5Fa_qaZ3kj6z37lB3ch2Boaui4g9_iqb2wBFYIz0mGHy8aqDAhZYEGpawE0J5U9FmHs0DvR1FeslK3QYmjFgSd8kCkCghmMrdzJYXkTNGI_E/s640/blogger-image--515510184.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>First we had champers and brekkie, a good old Kiwi fry up.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe9VN0mhfgpRQF8t4QdkRJDHMlJb96QYnGlaFKjLtKCLXAua5c5gBiMtuZ-EKIyTUvsOUBUUBwQCTsH8DfOb-7imhKdlgdfl54PdsAm7_kgXIUqATqROuKYHA8lhAp1wIN4eOE-7mpBg/s640/blogger-image--1765979837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe9VN0mhfgpRQF8t4QdkRJDHMlJb96QYnGlaFKjLtKCLXAua5c5gBiMtuZ-EKIyTUvsOUBUUBwQCTsH8DfOb-7imhKdlgdfl54PdsAm7_kgXIUqATqROuKYHA8lhAp1wIN4eOE-7mpBg/s640/blogger-image--1765979837.jpg"></a></div>My brother in law Adam personed the barby, the kumara (sweet potato cakes) were sweet as, as they say here.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4HvBL-vJ-WTkpK4w95bMJDUIA6MhWIZAwwl1qgr9MTvPH4PvGq2WzCh69Phc0NTgmSLIYa6DuYgvuB_d7kznezEpsZIe-YbzQs_uKjaX2UjCJk_V8QQKUlQZDiEjsVAtvaMF4I-qxvU/s640/blogger-image-635566113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4HvBL-vJ-WTkpK4w95bMJDUIA6MhWIZAwwl1qgr9MTvPH4PvGq2WzCh69Phc0NTgmSLIYa6DuYgvuB_d7kznezEpsZIe-YbzQs_uKjaX2UjCJk_V8QQKUlQZDiEjsVAtvaMF4I-qxvU/s640/blogger-image-635566113.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f4kvK2Km1n5TxOYp5Gne66gJCBv-Jdy_EN2ST8kZU2MUgPLLI35F8gcxuF9kpkFJBXWSUTHlM8A1Lhesmw06DXB2XtXX8qvLl11b_7EKsKqPeopbBCV4ReWFkOSkqAp743J_BWk7OpE/s640/blogger-image-609661647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f4kvK2Km1n5TxOYp5Gne66gJCBv-Jdy_EN2ST8kZU2MUgPLLI35F8gcxuF9kpkFJBXWSUTHlM8A1Lhesmw06DXB2XtXX8qvLl11b_7EKsKqPeopbBCV4ReWFkOSkqAp743J_BWk7OpE/s640/blogger-image-609661647.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>More all is right in the world. There was pav, fly trap pie and trifle ( and lamb and turkey)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-wUdQmhESp6o8MO5A1AcoUiUybZBoJqnVpcQJhnwMZ3pYQ1DWbhPEl9ecGu026DvluE01vHYvOfD4jXZz20E7TSVFlBo18fdTWRvKqcZMM_dqXkhIy5vtwO7Vv7MBKnQWQetp_waHW0/s640/blogger-image-1521389127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-wUdQmhESp6o8MO5A1AcoUiUybZBoJqnVpcQJhnwMZ3pYQ1DWbhPEl9ecGu026DvluE01vHYvOfD4jXZz20E7TSVFlBo18fdTWRvKqcZMM_dqXkhIy5vtwO7Vv7MBKnQWQetp_waHW0/s640/blogger-image-1521389127.jpg"></a></div>Mum confessed the pav was store-bought but tasted beautiful.</div><div><br></div><div>We had to stand in a long line the day before as there was a panic at Blueberry Corner re strawberrys. The. NZ Herald said there might be A shortage! Quelle Horreurs!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gwJNgYn8WxcmKhJlTshb81FBpW9nJXsi7HHlXr3Z5EqLKTg5zZIysQziAjk3kK65W4V1tOLCet8dltSZYd6GmEN7GR46bgTgAaZyUqClrNsIMt4ihHtS1qPF_c1uMJ0WItE2ENDjx6I/s640/blogger-image-516880527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gwJNgYn8WxcmKhJlTshb81FBpW9nJXsi7HHlXr3Z5EqLKTg5zZIysQziAjk3kK65W4V1tOLCet8dltSZYd6GmEN7GR46bgTgAaZyUqClrNsIMt4ihHtS1qPF_c1uMJ0WItE2ENDjx6I/s640/blogger-image-516880527.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWnVPkGuVmZSCpadBzTgX-_l5lBB7dF8X2E6yHYkDP1kaK6jwkPfY3D-B5JZ9J6KCSAXrMP8nx9oJfgt-BnRucdpJwQXKPfNcKpK26Os-W05QL259uYJP9j2LwyreQQtDxVocc1KRqf0/s640/blogger-image-1937919661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWnVPkGuVmZSCpadBzTgX-_l5lBB7dF8X2E6yHYkDP1kaK6jwkPfY3D-B5JZ9J6KCSAXrMP8nx9oJfgt-BnRucdpJwQXKPfNcKpK26Os-W05QL259uYJP9j2LwyreQQtDxVocc1KRqf0/s640/blogger-image-1937919661.jpg"></a></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Like good teenagers Tallulah and Leah prefered to spend their days in a darkened room giggling and talking and singing their hearts out. ( and changing their clothes) emerging in the evenings to serenade us. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaZu2ozdh5xGpRRZEnMsqP5rjX6JyYu1oHl58i7rO_r0ry8h2e9J23Bm3YXA0LeK2ytnNrpM-i7l5ZaP7YYr_iIezdC-QZGwVkv1qzvjwNPZ8TeEjhjnEB42OT68qCJyNv1qQPbURWzM/s640/blogger-image-1748121491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaZu2ozdh5xGpRRZEnMsqP5rjX6JyYu1oHl58i7rO_r0ry8h2e9J23Bm3YXA0LeK2ytnNrpM-i7l5ZaP7YYr_iIezdC-QZGwVkv1qzvjwNPZ8TeEjhjnEB42OT68qCJyNv1qQPbURWzM/s640/blogger-image-1748121491.jpg"></a></div>And as you can see I got A selfie stick for secret santa, so everyone will be cursing and swearing at me soon.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Tz33bOU8rrAOEbXX95gIB9igY9dn57rL6nnD6r4Y7TyRSgp0lkLSnwcRyAsrnRZa_VX6Oo3GiwaiCXhTNhbUoZI-7zKTCNrogwH7GQ49qx8ZL_CvHDvEN4Znud0qI8nlJ20YMOCVipg/s640/blogger-image-1750322654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Tz33bOU8rrAOEbXX95gIB9igY9dn57rL6nnD6r4Y7TyRSgp0lkLSnwcRyAsrnRZa_VX6Oo3GiwaiCXhTNhbUoZI-7zKTCNrogwH7GQ49qx8ZL_CvHDvEN4Znud0qI8nlJ20YMOCVipg/s640/blogger-image-1750322654.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLz_Fg6cVEP3hqFYvEHQtciONJHhHYcTV9jq8V2gUWD3eM9Tikd5ekxDyKtWdinCaaXUZ5SiDFvwIppA4YyDLRsp5bA6xoLMvqyzv-GH4nTNA22axTsDyoe6Cnqm3fAFuAtEldkfetys/s640/blogger-image--708951811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLz_Fg6cVEP3hqFYvEHQtciONJHhHYcTV9jq8V2gUWD3eM9Tikd5ekxDyKtWdinCaaXUZ5SiDFvwIppA4YyDLRsp5bA6xoLMvqyzv-GH4nTNA22axTsDyoe6Cnqm3fAFuAtEldkfetys/s640/blogger-image--708951811.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>What did you get up to yesterday? Or is it today for you? Thanks for being such fantastic bloggy friends and readers. Peace and Goodwill and, of course, pav for breakfast.</div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-45022033103443783872015-12-21T18:11:00.001-08:002015-12-21T18:53:41.671-08:00Home again (cont.)Looks like Old blogger app. cut out on me. Heres the rest of the no change is a good holiday from Ohope Beach...<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">There was the annual pilgrimage to Ruby Dunes down the road.</span><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2VsnmAdTmH1g8bMCkgZHWc3yhXEX0ZSwsQF8V065CjuZgy7Y9MQ7nIkM9ETrRk1yI2DgP1KZApcFm_6kcuLRCvNT8j8Pd0znHB9RI0L4JIvPsxYtkRXIyKWx4-BzTiZ4UV38YX2DL7o/s640/blogger-image-391846969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2VsnmAdTmH1g8bMCkgZHWc3yhXEX0ZSwsQF8V065CjuZgy7Y9MQ7nIkM9ETrRk1yI2DgP1KZApcFm_6kcuLRCvNT8j8Pd0znHB9RI0L4JIvPsxYtkRXIyKWx4-BzTiZ4UV38YX2DL7o/s640/blogger-image-391846969.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Pillows galore</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtw3vRJRQ_K8cxRYBIFziLV4-A3HDyjpnaGlkXRi76uoQevEtpAbYhF7Kj1ZZKPlN4pG54FB6rZIYrkqn8LQq6imgT1nefaHZ0ycIk5DE58nN08W7mjHdaoMBDx21REkSECPr4oQ2PzY/s640/blogger-image-1713132922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtw3vRJRQ_K8cxRYBIFziLV4-A3HDyjpnaGlkXRi76uoQevEtpAbYhF7Kj1ZZKPlN4pG54FB6rZIYrkqn8LQq6imgT1nefaHZ0ycIk5DE58nN08W7mjHdaoMBDx21REkSECPr4oQ2PzY/s640/blogger-image-1713132922.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb68_nBYhoJpMCEed-FmdfP9e9zaNzHRAJ86F6-RFcR5YS8UfGaBRQaMQjb3zBhv7nEwLLoc8LcM3-r6-61QnoRS7LgtbbjdqRv582CXwrBC2jVHWWbfBdf1hRuhE4tcJyCGhtCX60Bs/s640/blogger-image--621040276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb68_nBYhoJpMCEed-FmdfP9e9zaNzHRAJ86F6-RFcR5YS8UfGaBRQaMQjb3zBhv7nEwLLoc8LcM3-r6-61QnoRS7LgtbbjdqRv582CXwrBC2jVHWWbfBdf1hRuhE4tcJyCGhtCX60Bs/s640/blogger-image--621040276.jpg"></a></div>Pietra and Poppi browsing</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO6gw1r9QDv-XQt3AnvB6mWRVxxum9kXgSx6ibFVgYgTyUN-f5ZOesrdQ6M2dHtj38sjEqI_Zwsg6d_8JBFzLp7z9WisBSSx4YRzBppq-YJDp_cxtvK-nGgPn9ldK2xqgLzvCbR_fSTs/s640/blogger-image--275474853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO6gw1r9QDv-XQt3AnvB6mWRVxxum9kXgSx6ibFVgYgTyUN-f5ZOesrdQ6M2dHtj38sjEqI_Zwsg6d_8JBFzLp7z9WisBSSx4YRzBppq-YJDp_cxtvK-nGgPn9ldK2xqgLzvCbR_fSTs/s640/blogger-image--275474853.jpg"></a></div>Oh yes</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mHKQmfjiJqs-l4V0VNC8m4ohq3B-DLgbRNUVeu35kKS0EKbS4bq6rQGJ0Dgh97tjqBJdymz7I3BEXjt9wdCLhJRtEK2gzHHQPMVEadGdwX1iy3Lyxhfht32yx_wi2pM8xGrTNvj02Lc/s640/blogger-image-782783163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mHKQmfjiJqs-l4V0VNC8m4ohq3B-DLgbRNUVeu35kKS0EKbS4bq6rQGJ0Dgh97tjqBJdymz7I3BEXjt9wdCLhJRtEK2gzHHQPMVEadGdwX1iy3Lyxhfht32yx_wi2pM8xGrTNvj02Lc/s640/blogger-image-782783163.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>The owner Karen is a grandma to grownup kids and never seems to age.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CCrpHWjtcHcPIrsQIhnXhgKdzxLKwjTXjMMj-lelRc2mNEt9VgYtK1EVKJ13UAHlMszH_f5kFirtu94PtrJPPErnZTD4WBd157ZVv90AFQD8l135YtV9wA-huwaGtWk9RyviZlgU0YE/s640/blogger-image--260716627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CCrpHWjtcHcPIrsQIhnXhgKdzxLKwjTXjMMj-lelRc2mNEt9VgYtK1EVKJ13UAHlMszH_f5kFirtu94PtrJPPErnZTD4WBd157ZVv90AFQD8l135YtV9wA-huwaGtWk9RyviZlgU0YE/s640/blogger-image--260716627.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>There was the trying on of potentially unsuitable things... One sister said cool of these floral pantaloons cum hammer pants. The other sister added: for a 14 year old. What say you? Mutton dressed as lambe?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRyrfFcoYBRccLzdIpmP_4DoDo1qT4Y5cCLjGRiCBgbssSDNTXUGVjEqLUJapMFPQDUDFpxGqTGZ-DopUZBcqhfUfEq4iPmWg7R2mM0boWJbhkPiZRBKU3B2-SZCbeEm452FQnfI5WW4/s640/blogger-image--132556300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRyrfFcoYBRccLzdIpmP_4DoDo1qT4Y5cCLjGRiCBgbssSDNTXUGVjEqLUJapMFPQDUDFpxGqTGZ-DopUZBcqhfUfEq4iPmWg7R2mM0boWJbhkPiZRBKU3B2-SZCbeEm452FQnfI5WW4/s640/blogger-image--132556300.jpg"></a></div> </div><div>Then there was the scouring of the hills for the perfect Christmas tree..,</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXu-Mpy8Y_jbsnrcNdEBq3DLU8xIGb0v6tA6O5AGEN3abcHMdmS9td7xPXujM023Z-FFKUFsz4zPP8_HaHoPw3KOXL8WBG3ctThk3bwRYWuS8vV1m1FWqYsSeA-E_9rMFf3CgjZDQtm4/s640/blogger-image--214965734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKxyubWdJVcZfU7qzsIaF-vSyj9-Q8I17UtJ6hHtBk79zq-m7gkbZv4PDuNPW8M0N3Hi4Ol7-RSQaqXJH-7Yol9HtgRBG-joc2uuMY5dj5ZMTcDPeN3Atk8_6VrnaQGCXbnvw0fmEWAM/s640/blogger-image-1892051476.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And most importantly the datura and succulents were showing off like nobody's biz.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg50jQY036XKbafq4iEwnvi8o0XLCDsIDFSU63gwR2RLGhHgJFn2CRdo0iLbS2xczAznehWEQ1DO3Nh8KTmbCEA0dlVts_HXtA6YozfxBIpyNtDQ_5g5HspvyYr0dLRs9BU8lWkIJ_mE/s640/blogger-image--1006003792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg50jQY036XKbafq4iEwnvi8o0XLCDsIDFSU63gwR2RLGhHgJFn2CRdo0iLbS2xczAznehWEQ1DO3Nh8KTmbCEA0dlVts_HXtA6YozfxBIpyNtDQ_5g5HspvyYr0dLRs9BU8lWkIJ_mE/s640/blogger-image--1006003792.jpg"></a></div>Mum and Dads house</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrk6sZqRrxuDewJbY8qlbAhfh4qAAOImlVVUgaEyzVLlqixnmb7uchJq6A0exZqZd9klEIhEojbweWbtd1f4OEIkiG-LKQuyt5Fn11stw9zAbBxTzGoNCflA7qStMhrjj9jsgxUb8leY/s640/blogger-image-339527573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX1RcjT8_knOKXb8zXBpG3Kqyz5T_QJwaktxgegU1-svtUg23qchJp4KwtfRRWVIPL0tprsYNFxU-IlLkgW6VbpXBwoK8mKDCJIKeGxPQgGEie5BgWEzG8JqAkysAAzHzfd_5ry1HA54/s640/blogger-image--528157522.jpg"></a></div>Sometimes its a good thing that things dont change isn't it? Has your old home changed much??</div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-14937962781401429662015-12-21T17:53:00.001-08:002015-12-21T19:01:49.341-08:00Home AgainWe're back in Ohope Beach in New Zealand for Christmas. Some things dont change when you go back home, and sometimes thats a good thing. The early (ish) morning walk over the hill.<br>
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Kevin and Me</div>
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The neighbors kids had already made a good start on the pirate ship for the New Years Eve bonfire.</div>
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Sharon sister blister arrived, neighbor Marion came for dinner and we had the ham Mum won at golf.</div>
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Me and Shazza</div>
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Marion, sister Pietra and Mum</div>
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Dad cutting up golf winnings ham with assistance from bride</div>
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About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-16220982822619800772015-12-19T17:41:00.000-08:002015-12-20T11:40:19.829-08:00Best Book I've Read In AgesI've been meaning to tell you about the best book I've read in ages. My Mum said it was the best book she's read in five years. <a href="http://vup.victoria.ac.nz/give-us-this-day-pb/">It's Give Us This Day</a> by <a href="http://vup.victoria.ac.nz/brands/Helena-Wi%C5%9Bniewska-Brow.html">Helena Wisniewska Brow.</a> Anyone who knows me might say: "Hang on a minute here, isn't that one of your best friends since you were five years old...not very impartial." Yes, it's true, at age eight Helena and I were going to be nuns together (well, that didn't happen!) but still, I loved this book more than I ever imagined. And to be honest, it's not normally something I would race towards: memoir, a terribly sad childhood, historical.<br />
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Helena's book is about her father Stefan--and herself. The cover of the book says it all. It shows a photo of Stefan, then 14, and his elder sister Hela, standing by their mother's new grave in Tehran. The date is June 1944. The family - Stefan, four siblings and his mother- had been among the million-odd Poles deported to Siberian prisons after 1941, and among the very few who survived starvation and disease to make it to safety in Iran several years later. Now the children would have to walk on by themselves.<br />
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Somehow they would find their way to, of all unlikely places, New Zealand, among the 732 Polish children who were offered refuge there.<br />
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Helena tells of that journey, but also of the years after. Once her father reached New Zealand, why wasn't his story one of happily every after? What is this burden her father carried all these years? Why does he still long so desperately for his own country when his new country is so green and beautiful and safe? Is he unwilling --or unable-- to let it go? (All photos are Helena's)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDDG4EmTy2cdA33pZKMsCCAjU0Bs_6D-Eevq2-lTd00yyZuwB4IM6-5K2Ycxyl0JoGR3Fn2LLblBXwVzBebH-mffi8_7_HVxkUzBqzbsM_8Muy2LlQ9N3WaGKsMwclFygYfUl-ew1GTM/s1600/helena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDDG4EmTy2cdA33pZKMsCCAjU0Bs_6D-Eevq2-lTd00yyZuwB4IM6-5K2Ycxyl0JoGR3Fn2LLblBXwVzBebH-mffi8_7_HVxkUzBqzbsM_8Muy2LlQ9N3WaGKsMwclFygYfUl-ew1GTM/s400/helena.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Helena, just before her first book launch with her daughter, Lucy</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUVp06TlHJr3rCTf2wIgSY_eu3fCzmhvkCiHZ-QjoOs0KQihHbQ_IL_z4-8jQPvyQrsmb1s-XZ5fw5HHIrx7M-gdHGEymJpRnDOP27ixB8kuFIfVqnnmUOP6BnbyPLETt1bmkH0ukAaw/s1600/helena+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUVp06TlHJr3rCTf2wIgSY_eu3fCzmhvkCiHZ-QjoOs0KQihHbQ_IL_z4-8jQPvyQrsmb1s-XZ5fw5HHIrx7M-gdHGEymJpRnDOP27ixB8kuFIfVqnnmUOP6BnbyPLETt1bmkH0ukAaw/s400/helena+family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Helena with her three children and husband James, and her mother and father, before her first reading</i></td></tr>
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In re-visiting her father's past, we see that a child who is thrown out of his homeland and then loses his mother, becomes a man without a childhood, lost and damaged, maybe forever.<br />
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We see that however fresh and green and safe and welcoming your new country, to be exiled from your homeland is leaving behind a key part of yourself. An unknown and unknowable thing for most of us.<br />
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What was fascinating for me too was reading about her very different experience of the tiny town we lived in.</div>
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<i>At Helena's birthday. Helena is second from top right, me, at far right, her sister Zofia, second row middle.</i><br />
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This story is ultimately uplifting, but Helena avoids at every turn to offer us a facile close to the struggle to mend the past, to make sense of something that is senseless, even when her father embarks on a longed-for Polish homecoming.<br />
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Her final paragraph:<br />
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About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-8384478402695309172015-12-17T11:33:00.003-08:002015-12-17T13:59:56.701-08:00Manners, the New Affluents, dresses you can eat a meal in, and other stuff wot I roteSince I took such a long sabbatical (see what I just did there, give it a name and then it's very okay...) I thought I'd post a few of the articles I wrote for the SF Chronicle since the end of summer. How do you make sure you actually <i>enjoy</i> some of the getting ready for the mad rush of the holidays? My latest piece was about trying to do a serene <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Magical-mystery-shopping-trip-in-S-F-6657772.php?t=e1da526bfcbd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium">Mrs Dalloway day out</a>, just strollin' the streets, and browsing the new Gucci high-end clobber.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpjIOJZkMg2qwoYnEtoEfX4Z51Z_RNfrnyMKux-YBKvXy7vQ-0pPgRDuqxDqcFmZlx_-cUP0IrzQIdks70MEsvlk2dMUfPpoKZ3g0u7u_v5SKCYQFfMU58hbmhyqLBMuEvAjbyzviPtU/s1600/gucci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpjIOJZkMg2qwoYnEtoEfX4Z51Z_RNfrnyMKux-YBKvXy7vQ-0pPgRDuqxDqcFmZlx_-cUP0IrzQIdks70MEsvlk2dMUfPpoKZ3g0u7u_v5SKCYQFfMU58hbmhyqLBMuEvAjbyzviPtU/s400/gucci.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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By the way, I am loving<a href="http://www.gucci.com/us/en/lo/runway/women/cruise-2016-c-runway-women-cruise-2016"> this new Gucci stuff</a>! Just re-read old Donna Tartt's The Secret History (man alive, that woman can write a word or two) and she had the funniest things to say about Gucci; kind of preppy ugly-cool.<br />
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What gets your goat about other people? Here, no one replies to dinner-party invites. Another article I wrote was about <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Modern-etiquette-A-few-modest-proposals-6489298.php?t=6110590429bd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium">manners</a>, or modern etiquette, especially during the holiday/party time. (Everyone was conspiring to annoy me yesterday and was tempted to be rude to someone behind a desk who was being obtructive when on came that Sponge Bob song, "Don't be a jerk! It's Christmas!" Had to larf.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGtu70NB6wqBMwdvrHxIxXs7Wx19iBSYyY2yQB8UOouriICM22iOoIv2MjZLCjvfBU3Hho12mVqiZPVM3Pp3D4qmVANcha2afDMS3lUdsej1CaD2QvT-GrtR96qXTRuUnKnk5y02eKhc/s1600/manners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGtu70NB6wqBMwdvrHxIxXs7Wx19iBSYyY2yQB8UOouriICM22iOoIv2MjZLCjvfBU3Hho12mVqiZPVM3Pp3D4qmVANcha2afDMS3lUdsej1CaD2QvT-GrtR96qXTRuUnKnk5y02eKhc/s400/manners.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waiting for the guests to arrive, but will they? Manners during the holidays</i></td></tr>
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Good news in the East Bay is, people here are really polite drivers. They let you in, don't honk much and are pretty laid back.<br />
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What will you remember about the summer of 2015? What trends did you love or hate? Here's my<a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/The-eight-top-Bay-Area-trends-of-summer-2015-6499444.php"> </a><a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/The-eight-top-Bay-Area-trends-of-summer-2015-6499444.php?t=c70c0dde04bd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium">two cents.</a> For me, one of the things was the 20th anniversary of Clueless (20 years! gah! how did that happen) still one of the most perfect movies ever made.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJXU1gZolnaQzhjFFEzrUN2vGn3ybH119Upn2gYusRVugqw-VF56a9QTCyNLF9lDpaf52Ldwyd4YM-iL0LuW7jVIYQfKRiPbFFNclGY6hIlsETWkXmn9QUMQc_Yw_G6YARNRsHZnjAb4/s1600/clueless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJXU1gZolnaQzhjFFEzrUN2vGn3ybH119Upn2gYusRVugqw-VF56a9QTCyNLF9lDpaf52Ldwyd4YM-iL0LuW7jVIYQfKRiPbFFNclGY6hIlsETWkXmn9QUMQc_Yw_G6YARNRsHZnjAb4/s400/clueless.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The awesome twosome in their matching plaids</i></td></tr>
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If you're coming to Oakland, here's just a few of the brilliant stores <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Insider-s-guide-to-Rockridge-Temescal-6509351.php?t=f98b8c6dacbd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium">we have here and things to do</a>. This flying yoga is very bendying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgbGfj5BwwzQyktBVztENhUh5uuuSEY9jv1JMaVHFCMGyURmz0LI-CNwVc7ZEcUgx5qRF-PCPziZ7p0binMDAy8Wi7YFrxwv3vRY_e_s8x0XF6ZqDeStmUb86F2622S6SCRgp4_pwAc8/s1600/yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgbGfj5BwwzQyktBVztENhUh5uuuSEY9jv1JMaVHFCMGyURmz0LI-CNwVc7ZEcUgx5qRF-PCPziZ7p0binMDAy8Wi7YFrxwv3vRY_e_s8x0XF6ZqDeStmUb86F2622S6SCRgp4_pwAc8/s400/yoga.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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As a 53 year old Luddite, I don't expect to be invited on the Google bus anytime soon, but still, I found <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Interesting-sights-within-walking-distance-of-6458308.php">loads of things to see down in Silicon Valley</a> along the train stops, including a Pez (!) museum, if you please!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1leXwyT-dgiHmO1b2tFMYzkcjHY48I7eVXhipzvz277JTxbEcWVn3tydH2xDhngWwtlb_OvCux-ccwrCT5sqEYhBx54fggT8pmZwsOKXK3WeMlYJgYNslRQmoZELgKS_0JpdZZMlFPN0/s1600/pez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1leXwyT-dgiHmO1b2tFMYzkcjHY48I7eVXhipzvz277JTxbEcWVn3tydH2xDhngWwtlb_OvCux-ccwrCT5sqEYhBx54fggT8pmZwsOKXK3WeMlYJgYNslRQmoZELgKS_0JpdZZMlFPN0/s400/pez.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then I wrote about the New Affluents in San Francisco. People don't flash their money around here like they apparently do on the East Coast, so when we arrived here 13 years ago it was tricky to tell... I'm saying this in a purely anthropological way. Until I realized there were a<a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/A-field-guide-to-spotting-the-New-Affluents-6470319.php?t=9605f851b8bd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium"> few clues and here they are..</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvR1itATSF93Ahtt4MKKraXywuskRgmK4Jqw_c48p5cpps4tJfjK5UqkTluhW_9m_gQ07VFiDtltww9elK-cHg1D1lsQPRlWUfEEJqK264ZuGj_LSFU70IeUxQnChBc5FurtV3zFWRHA/s1600/banker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvR1itATSF93Ahtt4MKKraXywuskRgmK4Jqw_c48p5cpps4tJfjK5UqkTluhW_9m_gQ07VFiDtltww9elK-cHg1D1lsQPRlWUfEEJqK264ZuGj_LSFU70IeUxQnChBc5FurtV3zFWRHA/s400/banker.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Burning Man Banker</i></td></tr>
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And finally, two friends in Berkeley have<a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Berkeley-friends-reimagine-the-caftan-6690514.php?t=2ee79f3be3bd132bbd&cmpid=email-premium"> designed a dress</a><a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Berkeley-friends-reimagine-the-caftan-6690514.php"> t</a>hat you can eat a meal in. Caftans but without the Mrs Roper vibe...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNByLrkrCW3rEgwuEflr7bTUwW9YwwirATwU9EpuC-OjAJjXezCFfDDDsKpYwkCRnutW4Y3W5D0sFk57nvtBKD1yO5pwC6F_-sWA0-N7IutV4NRgCm8UUQDazGEzt0S0os2wZ7zjAV8n0/s1600/caftans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNByLrkrCW3rEgwuEflr7bTUwW9YwwirATwU9EpuC-OjAJjXezCFfDDDsKpYwkCRnutW4Y3W5D0sFk57nvtBKD1yO5pwC6F_-sWA0-N7IutV4NRgCm8UUQDazGEzt0S0os2wZ7zjAV8n0/s400/caftans.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gingercaftan.com/">Ginger Caftans</a></td></tr>
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Whew! That's a lot. Do you prefer a sleek fitted outfit for the hols or are you looking for something where you can have that extra plate of tucker and leap like a gazelle, if need be?<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-72353293245929720772015-12-04T09:34:00.002-08:002015-12-04T09:50:24.233-08:00Snazzy Work-Out PantsHave you been getting into those snazzy new work-out pants? They are very appealing--I mean, who wouldn't want to have fleurs, astral whanots and moons and stripes on their bum? But what do they really look like in real life?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkogJUfklux8-0q7jWlOGqA-Xx87GBav4Lf39WWTXEnm7lK4JzlYIK93tO_vnManOJWpUTOxL8WmWScuEWExPPWz_kVCwM2KRtLSYUC9wISuFTX2qIVNnAO2mr0UecuUepAJz-Dw_KyQ/s1600/giseleworkout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkogJUfklux8-0q7jWlOGqA-Xx87GBav4Lf39WWTXEnm7lK4JzlYIK93tO_vnManOJWpUTOxL8WmWScuEWExPPWz_kVCwM2KRtLSYUC9wISuFTX2qIVNnAO2mr0UecuUepAJz-Dw_KyQ/s400/giseleworkout.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gisele. Yeah, she looks good in them, but that's her job, innit?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsB2-_ipqVjqzPSFEMiLw-39VpQXuyX4XonUYn9zxWZMzUBr2Ez5I5dvTaOO1LE0oQysElQUAoarS01bBDgh-8jfwp-iKirPgArKqMp1OK8iwP9HmnctemeLwqRCKfYBaYd8TJY2rdDI/s1600/melbworkout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsB2-_ipqVjqzPSFEMiLw-39VpQXuyX4XonUYn9zxWZMzUBr2Ez5I5dvTaOO1LE0oQysElQUAoarS01bBDgh-8jfwp-iKirPgArKqMp1OK8iwP9HmnctemeLwqRCKfYBaYd8TJY2rdDI/s400/melbworkout.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mel B looks awesome in them. But she's got a fabulous bum...maybe a pre-requisite?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietEmCerapL89exJkwxCLZfofIlM1J8vTVvaeEa5vkfztpSZyrGtPPsR9S_SwLPTIvZGotozEwnZDchOXpxZmXMJxJhQEtee-TeUGC8dKQzcqFVPC8qj00bwYDOGcteDJFOmzMDa9lE8c/s1600/lilycollinsworkout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietEmCerapL89exJkwxCLZfofIlM1J8vTVvaeEa5vkfztpSZyrGtPPsR9S_SwLPTIvZGotozEwnZDchOXpxZmXMJxJhQEtee-TeUGC8dKQzcqFVPC8qj00bwYDOGcteDJFOmzMDa9lE8c/s400/lilycollinsworkout.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lily Collins: Think wearing a covering top like this looks more flattering.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToWjeqPdoTXJQgA3O3OtWtyLAucOcQxtxoXahkL8BFm8oMGnSU037pQQh32ey-IjKuftQqUY-vILsj6xv7AngoGRcNuRKIthM88GGDXU4OIxgy8Zh59H-WOp-T-KTxT7HImenjFqlKoQ/s1600/thighgap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToWjeqPdoTXJQgA3O3OtWtyLAucOcQxtxoXahkL8BFm8oMGnSU037pQQh32ey-IjKuftQqUY-vILsj6xv7AngoGRcNuRKIthM88GGDXU4OIxgy8Zh59H-WOp-T-KTxT7HImenjFqlKoQ/s400/thighgap.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thigh-gap. Disqualified from the survey</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP4uLhZXbmpAd33IeNW5BwHhZU7uZ1_WcUZasbXyqb5zI91O9nOEM06WmgOiv1mG3XPvZxQ8zlHXKmidWIBPp5is5LMe1Oy0-08YIbGXlJJ4oRmF-Apce9WwpH9wPpUDz4lVNOjq6XQE/s1600/shortworkout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP4uLhZXbmpAd33IeNW5BwHhZU7uZ1_WcUZasbXyqb5zI91O9nOEM06WmgOiv1mG3XPvZxQ8zlHXKmidWIBPp5is5LMe1Oy0-08YIbGXlJJ4oRmF-Apce9WwpH9wPpUDz4lVNOjq6XQE/s400/shortworkout.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>At the knee works better, and horizontal stripes or chevrons, counterintuitively, seem more flattering</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59RPf8si1hqycG4qkU8xfW8c6XOgpFQEvGaLI0A-Pjez2-NhUDOpbRahKeSuInWBwPe1woyLCcQJEgf41xfYgP6y3KuOA0hIuYqHAB4Qe8ePaOfc1QZJt-EoDQsg_usof1wng6OPY2f4/s1600/billie+Faiers+and+Ferne+Mc+Cann-workout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59RPf8si1hqycG4qkU8xfW8c6XOgpFQEvGaLI0A-Pjez2-NhUDOpbRahKeSuInWBwPe1woyLCcQJEgf41xfYgP6y3KuOA0hIuYqHAB4Qe8ePaOfc1QZJt-EoDQsg_usof1wng6OPY2f4/s400/billie+Faiers+and+Ferne+Mc+Cann-workout.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Billie Faiers and Ferne McCann</i>. N<i>o idea who they are, but they have more normal-looking thighs. Lefty looks best. Righty pattern is very, er, directional</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When I was at the Carmel Valley Ranch last time, I tried some on. Prepare yourself emotionally.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLDur6K-DM9rV553G2oXp3WPYs-N54tybj8ozD83VviFZE-sLulVx37i___BsgTh-WN_6A6Lf__zI7uB7ZK1thbwNGJvb24N8YnOeSqN_70A51gyc-LSJM7lmKdzSUtj-f_sUR08kw08/s1600/IMG_0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLDur6K-DM9rV553G2oXp3WPYs-N54tybj8ozD83VviFZE-sLulVx37i___BsgTh-WN_6A6Lf__zI7uB7ZK1thbwNGJvb24N8YnOeSqN_70A51gyc-LSJM7lmKdzSUtj-f_sUR08kw08/s320/IMG_0410.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Puts a shine on everything that doesn't need it. (Oh my eyes! My eyes!)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfgI8-iyQZMz6PPtfYf5-I_rZY63biyDI-96inrEFyFRFlHX__I3dURj9RiAiNKoA0Zzi7NXYCDY6NbFqyKLLB_mgFQQGs0JM-PegalRUZlv8FWweoEAWimQYmrvz543S0jgnZRrCcxk/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXfgI8-iyQZMz6PPtfYf5-I_rZY63biyDI-96inrEFyFRFlHX__I3dURj9RiAiNKoA0Zzi7NXYCDY6NbFqyKLLB_mgFQQGs0JM-PegalRUZlv8FWweoEAWimQYmrvz543S0jgnZRrCcxk/s320/IMG_0412.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gah! Make every part of you look enormous, the top part looks ghastly, you would have to wear very covering top</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIDVE2x9zIQ1p-0ysDKpwNRc6hkoOMZ2u787nmhN0b-UHBg5J55KhxS7CLlwRstbnJDlycdHLCz-hwGQS9Dvxu9GSd-ffuuEdQ65jAoesvHsuF4UTSKPW3cC5AG_n0AbL1JN-Xt3BRjE/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIDVE2x9zIQ1p-0ysDKpwNRc6hkoOMZ2u787nmhN0b-UHBg5J55KhxS7CLlwRstbnJDlycdHLCz-hwGQS9Dvxu9GSd-ffuuEdQ65jAoesvHsuF4UTSKPW3cC5AG_n0AbL1JN-Xt3BRjE/s400/IMG_0413.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Again sparing you the top view, which is <b>horrifying.</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In the interests of good journalism, this time I stayed at the Ranch I tried on some more pairs. (I know, I am nothing if not thorough).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzqy1bjrbYNIkttdNK32iqn1UWZPL7dAh_yApGQY8mumTWa66_Fs9Jf_8sEUrv929e5LeOa10iNqn4hnyhMX0pmK6gECxH0B1Nu7o_1WNWT8w_z1XkB-Wq95knptechYqWBqSW-XTRQ4/s1600/IMG_2946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzqy1bjrbYNIkttdNK32iqn1UWZPL7dAh_yApGQY8mumTWa66_Fs9Jf_8sEUrv929e5LeOa10iNqn4hnyhMX0pmK6gECxH0B1Nu7o_1WNWT8w_z1XkB-Wq95knptechYqWBqSW-XTRQ4/s400/IMG_2946.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Even the butterfly looks scared. (Oh please no! The vastness of the sky! The hugeness of the clouds!)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vOj2H4ke8OJX5mlc8NleferjFolk1U9XurUb47u7JBGRcz3z19L83eqJQAHR8y7RaKqgQVQtsbyp9c9cUJJ9QTHBdtdHdGdWYLQpjCR84aGO4yyv26_X2uHLx8oTV1FqEQjCJUkgf9o/s1600/IMG_2941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vOj2H4ke8OJX5mlc8NleferjFolk1U9XurUb47u7JBGRcz3z19L83eqJQAHR8y7RaKqgQVQtsbyp9c9cUJJ9QTHBdtdHdGdWYLQpjCR84aGO4yyv26_X2uHLx8oTV1FqEQjCJUkgf9o/s400/IMG_2941.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sparing you the top part again. (Please, I beg of you - no more!)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbCDax57TPwQbTctLGauLiEQX7PVreX423LXdf07x64Q1wV9SYDmj_-EQxjWwZRQMWGBt3ZK-AWGLcjbThL5WjeNSEwhWlkHaI5EBPFw0O9QtqAHnMfMYDnZfnO2yQTlMHfauec4z47o/s1600/IMG_2944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbCDax57TPwQbTctLGauLiEQX7PVreX423LXdf07x64Q1wV9SYDmj_-EQxjWwZRQMWGBt3ZK-AWGLcjbThL5WjeNSEwhWlkHaI5EBPFw0O9QtqAHnMfMYDnZfnO2yQTlMHfauec4z47o/s400/IMG_2944.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>(Okay you're doing one more.) Did a murky side view because the front was so awful.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What have we got so far pour moi on snazzy pants? Flattering? No (But everybody still wants to wear them so will keep crazily searching...) Shiny? No, and I say a thousand times no. Astral? Best not. Pattern? Better as an insert, rather than all over.<br />
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But that's just me. What have you gathered from your research?<br />
<br />
(And by the way, have you seen this<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYRENWT8lz8"> hilarious video by three Australian women </a>about doing just about everything in your activewear except being active?)<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-77732725364080895722015-12-03T17:41:00.000-08:002015-12-04T08:57:27.554-08:00 MorningI got up this morning at the Ranch to this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVrFPME93NVllQpiQa9A-G97Ex9W6gaAjVcKrCK6dkrSa0S1oxUlozULzqrqrg8-MHpmICMefGfXLmVUdoEF4w9g0sQq7joiNt8AnwRObwKHAVlbWGtyHpDfDu3m-UzbGfQjaKe3Y4jc/s1600/IMG_2927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVrFPME93NVllQpiQa9A-G97Ex9W6gaAjVcKrCK6dkrSa0S1oxUlozULzqrqrg8-MHpmICMefGfXLmVUdoEF4w9g0sQq7joiNt8AnwRObwKHAVlbWGtyHpDfDu3m-UzbGfQjaKe3Y4jc/s400/IMG_2927.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>and this</i> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4cRaBfc-hCYdKH9iNjeLbkjTPoEAO5yokyV4UfVwOEXXcH_i8rP482Kjx5OABAfQWnOUvqfsrgJ1Y4wRcsKi34ZJtQpDaX0uDUUyfeeFJKoZMAE5nK0lHLgFMun2hF6y8jHVeaKCamE/s1600/IMG_2929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4cRaBfc-hCYdKH9iNjeLbkjTPoEAO5yokyV4UfVwOEXXcH_i8rP482Kjx5OABAfQWnOUvqfsrgJ1Y4wRcsKi34ZJtQpDaX0uDUUyfeeFJKoZMAE5nK0lHLgFMun2hF6y8jHVeaKCamE/s400/IMG_2929.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>and this</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaazGb4GrwbEOuoAIcJ_xbYEEKBYooHJbCWM7mqAilX2l76uggsczr6A7RKkLH-khz9Fm5kbdCr_mbuyvCJ8L-7dIcwxQd2Enu7-3XqF9S5kPfNTh4FGHJKY5sdd4q_9-wLyG4yAlc5zU/s1600/IMG_2928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaazGb4GrwbEOuoAIcJ_xbYEEKBYooHJbCWM7mqAilX2l76uggsczr6A7RKkLH-khz9Fm5kbdCr_mbuyvCJ8L-7dIcwxQd2Enu7-3XqF9S5kPfNTh4FGHJKY5sdd4q_9-wLyG4yAlc5zU/s400/IMG_2928.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>and this</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xJR2eUNuPU4HivZMY2O7TW5-y0PSDGpxNrUvzqZfSrfUOqWbl0I_bmd_1Yy6L66Bh3SB9wLJCfuqqQ5iezTWaQG-UcG-akrEtqBk1HwhSjaAnWAm-FG-O1tiihxOM1IvzQRrglPK6Lg/s1600/IMG_2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xJR2eUNuPU4HivZMY2O7TW5-y0PSDGpxNrUvzqZfSrfUOqWbl0I_bmd_1Yy6L66Bh3SB9wLJCfuqqQ5iezTWaQG-UcG-akrEtqBk1HwhSjaAnWAm-FG-O1tiihxOM1IvzQRrglPK6Lg/s400/IMG_2925.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<i>and this</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39IuJ2evat6G05eiRB5UO-QoSb2Wkp7lNmMu2DL-kVZneWuOB2-6U7vT1gyBRFKPwALB8VoBYbQhkSpsS0qURCSY-P-qgB0vOluYLvGNyptOM4aWBsF9WaNdSXLj9pjV3RzDhVlzExPk/s1600/IMG_2936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39IuJ2evat6G05eiRB5UO-QoSb2Wkp7lNmMu2DL-kVZneWuOB2-6U7vT1gyBRFKPwALB8VoBYbQhkSpsS0qURCSY-P-qgB0vOluYLvGNyptOM4aWBsF9WaNdSXLj9pjV3RzDhVlzExPk/s400/IMG_2936.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
My friend texted: "Surely you will be leaving for NZ as soon as you can?"<br />
<br />
Our hearts go out to the families of those in San Bernardino, California. The Attorney General was quoted as saying: "This is not us. This is not who we are." And yet this headline says there is a mass shooting <b><i>every day</i></b> in the US.<br />
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We can't completely stop desperate people getting access to guns. But the laws have to change. Whoever in government is still pro guns--let's see your names printed against these headlines.<br />
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<br />About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-88894630245209086622015-11-29T10:44:00.001-08:002015-11-30T11:39:26.216-08:00Carmel Valley RanchI'm staying at the <a href="http://www.carmelvalleyranch.com/">Carmel Valley Ranch</a> for four days (by myself) to finish off the third draft of the so-called novel. The Ranch is 500acres of oak trees, dewy, rested peeps and free s'mores fireside, which are probably crucial as Cy might say. I know, not really the starving artist thing. Here's some snaps from last time I went.<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carmel Valley Ranch, adults' pool. S'mores are served poolside of an evening</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Some people I don't know</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Things I didn't do</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Didn't sit here. This is one of those wall thingies you think you could do yourself but...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Didn't sit here either</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sat here. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Club sarnie for luncheon. Not starving</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nicoise salad. Still not starving</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beet salad. Still not...well you get the picture. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the best steaks I've ever tasted. That goopy sauce might have something to do with it</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Indoor-outdoor thinking</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>All the rooms have fires</i></td></tr>
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I wonder if they'll remember me from last time? The reason they would remember me is because of my love of beet, or beetroot as they call it in NZ. My husband can't even smell it or see it without feeling ill and this was my chance to fill up on it. I had juice with loads of beets and beet salad for lunch and with steak every evening.<br>
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Every morning I did a spin class which was located further down in the valley. I actually walked down the entry road rather than taking the hotel service car, though people looked at me like: what are you doing walking crazy woman. <br>
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The final morning after my spin class, I popped into the cafe to get my fresh juice drink. The young woman said they were out of all veges except for beets. I said Ok, just do beets then. She looked at me skeptically, but I thought it was because I looked particularly hideous after my class.<br>
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Five minutes later, she was still juicing. That's a lot of beets, I said. It is ...beets, she said. (Did I hear <i>ten?</i> Surely not.)<br>
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Anyway I walked back up the steep road to my room. It was a long upwards walk: past the golf course, sip of my juice, past the kids' pool, sip, past the beehives, sip, past the lavender gardens, sip. It was very hot. I was about 100 feet from the top and feeling very, very bad. It was very, very hot. A number of swanky automobiles drove past. Feeling very very queasy now. Then--Urk! Blurk! I leaned down into the nearest miniature olive tree--and barfed. Full on crimson projectile, the juice of ten beets and more.<br>
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A black escalade slowed down, then sped up, a yellow convertible slowed down, then sped up. They obviously thought I'd been on the turps the night before. <br>
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There was red everywhere: all over the ground, the olive tree, my t-shirt, my hair, my shoes. I pretty much crawled the remaining 100 feet to my room...past loads of people checking in: families, couples on romantic mini breaks, company bods doing team building. I looked like an extra from Apocolpyse Now. <div><br></div><div>Yes, think they'll remember me, don't you?<br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A visual of my view during beetblurt</i></td></tr>
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<br></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-54821377448981437552015-11-29T10:31:00.000-08:002015-11-29T10:31:36.710-08:00ThankfulSorry for the bloggy silence. I had intended to take a week off and it became (gah!) four months. Now you see the (non) workings of a hard-core procrastinator--bet you can't beat that! Anyway nice to be back, and I want to give some belated thanks, even if the headlines lately are so horrifying, it's hard to read the paper.<br />
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Thanks that Harley came home for the holidays. (Tell me... is it normal we only saw him for two hours during the whole week?)<br />
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Thanks that we have friends who give 110%. Lesley and Curtis invited us to Thanksgiving at their house and made this cool 18-person wood slab table, and covered the chairs, and made napkins of the same material, and painted the kitchen --all the day before!<br />
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Thanks to a city which remains beautiful and resilient.<br />
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Thanks that we live in an area where people do not blame a whole race for the grotesque and inhuman acts of a small group.<br />
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Thanks that I still find things around the house that make me laugh.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The front of Cy's homework folder (left at home..)</i></td></tr>
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Thanks that at the grand old age of 53 3/4 I feel free to embrace the matchy matchy (I even match my duvet for goodness sakes). Today I came across a new term --banana roll--apparently it's the term for the fat on back of your upper thighs that makes a second bum. I said, whatevs.<br />
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Thanks there is plenty of sunny spots to sit around the house.<br />
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Thanks it isn't worse. Two months ago I woke with a ringing in the ears, Tinnitus. No cure and only a 30% chance that it will go away. Drives you crazy...but could be worse. The only way to put it in the back of your mind is to be totally engrossed. Writing and spinning have turned out to be the best things: I've never been fitter.<br />
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Thanks that we live in an area where a simple walk down the street is a treat. See my essay, <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Magical-mystery-shopping-trip-in-S-F-6657772.php">Magical Mystery Tour</a>, for the San Fran Chron this week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The new Gucci outfit in the windows on Maiden Lane</i></td></tr>
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And finally, thank<i> you</i> for reading and commenting and for being a Aplus penpal.<br />
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Stay connected, friends. And Kia Kaha (Stay Strong)About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-68265597455078127222015-11-28T15:22:00.002-08:002015-11-28T15:22:33.573-08:00Oakland Town Ball, est. 2015One of the amazing things about living in Oakland is that you get to know youth who-- against all odds-- have become successful and tenacious, but also kind and giving. Mahlik A. Smith, 17, is one of those.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mahlik A. Smith, 17.</i></td></tr>
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Mahlik was the youngest of six boys raised by their single Mum in West Oakland. Growing up Mahlik says his family "had to use many resources to survive such as Section 8 housing, food stamps, free lunch and clothing." His family's hardships have motivated him to "never stop working toward success, graduating from college, and being stable financially."</div>
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As a senior at McClymonds High, an Oakland public school, Mahlik is looking forward to graduating this June, having maintained a GPA above 3.5 throughout high school. His goal is to become a sports medicine doctor and he hopes to attend Hampton University as a pre-medical student.</div>
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One of the stabilizing forces in his life has been the<a href="http://www.bgcoakland.org/"> Boys & Girls Club of Oakland</a>. He started at the Leonard J. Meltzer Clubhouse in West Oakland at the age of five and has been a constant presence for 11 years. </div>
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Mahlik says the club was "a key piece of the puzzle that kept us all fed, safe and involved in positive activities" and his mentors taught him "how to be a leader, a student athlete, and a giving person." He's taken many leadership roles: volunteering, tutoring younger members and coaching baseball and basketball. Outside the club, he has won many awards for helping other youth and giving them voice. What an awesome young man.</div>
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This year there are 2,500 youth in the Boys & Girl Club of Oakland.</div>
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To raise money for the Club, some amazing men and women are organizing the inaugural <a href="http://www.oaklandtownball.org/">Oakland Town Ball</a> on Friday December 4. Looks incredibly fun with a performance artist, <a href="http://garibaldiarts.com/">David Girabaldi</a> and aerial arts and a live auction with loads of goodies.</div>
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Good chance too to wheel out the old ball frock. Speaking of which, just to change up Old Blue, I made it a v-neck.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Old Blue: Before</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>New-Old Blue with v-neck</i></td></tr>
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Or if you can't make it, you might like to make a <a href="https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/bgcoakland">donation</a>. Too often we hear only the negative about Oakland, but Mahlik and his story (and there are many, many others) just makes your heart sing, doesn't it?</div>
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About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901268365510893153.post-76197642551412208692015-07-30T14:26:00.001-07:002015-07-31T11:22:53.999-07:00The Longest RidePacking unsuitable shoes, and books I'll never read. It must be vacation time...<div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiMn8k2-Fngjv3bKH07JFjwNqUGfz_QQL8q2QNbTN0DAnte6vXJ9h_qC8ResuWOyM_Sfb9jVWbAXEPFll91jPyTWltuZqjbaQTEnnUavNw5sJuxxpHTC1y36sFYxOhv1ixpuUcsHTjuU/s640/blogger-image-1455330944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAiMn8k2-Fngjv3bKH07JFjwNqUGfz_QQL8q2QNbTN0DAnte6vXJ9h_qC8ResuWOyM_Sfb9jVWbAXEPFll91jPyTWltuZqjbaQTEnnUavNw5sJuxxpHTC1y36sFYxOhv1ixpuUcsHTjuU/s640/blogger-image-1455330944.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div>Actually I did finish the one on the right. Its an up up all-nighter, but less in a Girl On A Train way and more of a trainwreck, unlikeable couple way. A 28 year old author and she looks like this: no fair!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-sLT3fYGG3JcP-cluLwY7k2peCN9b2Gypw1bzgEUypuwlxREh_n1ZaQDB8EU6-ysVjE3xaf0OyOoqyFJuiKGL6zaJwICS8SdMJhvCMIqiPEWGWOz3_jLN-tYX6GOb4mdTq2jpDMmsUU/s640/blogger-image--881138954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-sLT3fYGG3JcP-cluLwY7k2peCN9b2Gypw1bzgEUypuwlxREh_n1ZaQDB8EU6-ysVjE3xaf0OyOoqyFJuiKGL6zaJwICS8SdMJhvCMIqiPEWGWOz3_jLN-tYX6GOb4mdTq2jpDMmsUU/s640/blogger-image--881138954.jpg"></a></div> </div><div>So we're back at the Family Vacation Centre at the University of Santa Barbara, with eight other families. It's our 11th year. You know the place... The students take the kids on adventures while parents do whatevs. Basically you don't see the kids all week. "Can't call it family" said one of the kids. Whatevs. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbnW_E2w0X2JTFcQ7UutlTpVexOBdIprM7Ewlwr4d6sMhyyu0j15wybxHuNiAGQeX3UnPwnyAxK_9sF1MPr_zMyrPnO7ursezEoaTxWw7mnCrAQ6E_g4POZ9JjE5QYTl3oNHKbZNr4Hc/s640/blogger-image--1711313209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbnW_E2w0X2JTFcQ7UutlTpVexOBdIprM7Ewlwr4d6sMhyyu0j15wybxHuNiAGQeX3UnPwnyAxK_9sF1MPr_zMyrPnO7ursezEoaTxWw7mnCrAQ6E_g4POZ9JjE5QYTl3oNHKbZNr4Hc/s640/blogger-image--1711313209.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqd8K_PsQrpWYxlCpugRntSgBJ9Y3MyHmpgOBKwQzgS-UQnXLFXcu4lbWjxbWSdl8Bf_crcnWcXlKbPSCaGD0Awu5FbVatH3mqWK15DIIDpnHzGSgWS7Y7uptnBBa5SFoWiCNNd4scmw/s640/blogger-image--694325571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqd8K_PsQrpWYxlCpugRntSgBJ9Y3MyHmpgOBKwQzgS-UQnXLFXcu4lbWjxbWSdl8Bf_crcnWcXlKbPSCaGD0Awu5FbVatH3mqWK15DIIDpnHzGSgWS7Y7uptnBBa5SFoWiCNNd4scmw/s640/blogger-image--694325571.jpg"></a></div>Harley is back east visiting grandparents so just three sprogs this year..,</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9brv_M4cBd7UNsW6KmzpwnCOTLO_qPHyAIDaCjVg5Cpw7NYZC6OgO4lK00D6dBT3Ao7KgftXnpbB4KaFf33ZJMHcdClzd4FKeHhe75hGnvVeTq9uGUYOo81WiIIlsDPCntDkgqTIZHsQ/s640/blogger-image-201098380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9brv_M4cBd7UNsW6KmzpwnCOTLO_qPHyAIDaCjVg5Cpw7NYZC6OgO4lK00D6dBT3Ao7KgftXnpbB4KaFf33ZJMHcdClzd4FKeHhe75hGnvVeTq9uGUYOo81WiIIlsDPCntDkgqTIZHsQ/s640/blogger-image-201098380.jpg"></a></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF51puwSuuh8g6DJuZJqHC-kQBgT75F2BcOIC0H_MtOGiDh0fS-y4WtwGFUtqbyk5fg_63y-kespZicH7zvWk9MbWJbHNWi85meG8b0bfpFdGP1kWotZljcU9y2wv7vywiQ0WJIK6W_M/s640/blogger-image--1343740378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF51puwSuuh8g6DJuZJqHC-kQBgT75F2BcOIC0H_MtOGiDh0fS-y4WtwGFUtqbyk5fg_63y-kespZicH7zvWk9MbWJbHNWi85meG8b0bfpFdGP1kWotZljcU9y2wv7vywiQ0WJIK6W_M/s640/blogger-image--1343740378.jpg"></a></div>Temps have been mid -80's all week, unheard of. Its usually foggy and cold on the CA coast..</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jucZxbMoQx1OU-9T0k4tbetein_iLmJU12uKsVFKQlhcpBPGCtBgqZAZ4bY-LtfCVKuvTQhh2SaiWs4tSLZAv2zmHMoUp2zX3cU3VkwyJmIGLfMo5wLXH-YOA-tpEu39nPAPjKYsLKY/s640/blogger-image--1348514064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jucZxbMoQx1OU-9T0k4tbetein_iLmJU12uKsVFKQlhcpBPGCtBgqZAZ4bY-LtfCVKuvTQhh2SaiWs4tSLZAv2zmHMoUp2zX3cU3VkwyJmIGLfMo5wLXH-YOA-tpEu39nPAPjKYsLKY/s640/blogger-image--1348514064.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFhtvegr5rHojNy3A2OXMjeOAqwS8SNi8OtgtnYLwHQ_SEklpTkcRNzcYhO2ObbgFU7vGJEAOuJG5mp9_SResJ3eDSezUZEHiT6htdt5B9C24xsIMCfXaTJURq89S3ItxXvnTLxxj0kI/s640/blogger-image--304730321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFhtvegr5rHojNy3A2OXMjeOAqwS8SNi8OtgtnYLwHQ_SEklpTkcRNzcYhO2ObbgFU7vGJEAOuJG5mp9_SResJ3eDSezUZEHiT6htdt5B9C24xsIMCfXaTJURq89S3ItxXvnTLxxj0kI/s640/blogger-image--304730321.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl_PqY_5d_H5_ZObgpZHp7TF8_OF2Rqbnkbk6L4CgTBZZciQMTAPMMeioyiHXrNkrvwlS35FyYggccVPi3elHMVI1CKqmjSUjIHynHdWcgx2WUoICizHvy5W8E_XKndGvz7zw8ZKvXSw/s640/blogger-image--1926083106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl_PqY_5d_H5_ZObgpZHp7TF8_OF2Rqbnkbk6L4CgTBZZciQMTAPMMeioyiHXrNkrvwlS35FyYggccVPi3elHMVI1CKqmjSUjIHynHdWcgx2WUoICizHvy5W8E_XKndGvz7zw8ZKvXSw/s640/blogger-image--1926083106.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxesoVytjORwYBtiWqhjC9s8BDzXXSS11BYyb2k6sKOIBnuZaCCVNjEq_0iMF-46_6SD9YmCwh86RZLC6pX_1t78Go047KwhAERVkyvtmQHc24B3rL5aEabVeK_CGChORiPvW6TTKhpXo/s640/blogger-image-46331494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxesoVytjORwYBtiWqhjC9s8BDzXXSS11BYyb2k6sKOIBnuZaCCVNjEq_0iMF-46_6SD9YmCwh86RZLC6pX_1t78Go047KwhAERVkyvtmQHc24B3rL5aEabVeK_CGChORiPvW6TTKhpXo/s640/blogger-image-46331494.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>And for the 11th year running, all us mothers are back in the beginner surf lessons. We are all in our 50's. Our goal is to stay up for 10 feet. #DreamBig. We aim to rip, tear and lacerate the waves, ever the whilst suspecting that scrambling up and going along is our destiny. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-sRyvlnBuu-lt9AiOzX4RmITABOc04VbawyNR9WLJPyE2uQQAa6M5Wm_gEQt6lSN4l2WmWXRpZWChzKhxS6TZl5OI0R5fV7cwiq6eP2URHAftGSVSQtbJJuP3UsCU1RJYfx6mvr4BHs/s640/blogger-image--17750394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-sRyvlnBuu-lt9AiOzX4RmITABOc04VbawyNR9WLJPyE2uQQAa6M5Wm_gEQt6lSN4l2WmWXRpZWChzKhxS6TZl5OI0R5fV7cwiq6eP2URHAftGSVSQtbJJuP3UsCU1RJYfx6mvr4BHs/s640/blogger-image--17750394.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbRV7QFPu2HwBUNZGKWBAt6yVgm9zb6INGoVA_0ZMbPGCcbwuo7NEg7qKL_b8gjOL3UQ9SbrmMikOekAj2mpOxdbs1xRvvF_9e8Rh2r7XWWX-DbiBMwfJxPIgd5jb8IphQs70eOFMKYE/s640/blogger-image--796173045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbRV7QFPu2HwBUNZGKWBAt6yVgm9zb6INGoVA_0ZMbPGCcbwuo7NEg7qKL_b8gjOL3UQ9SbrmMikOekAj2mpOxdbs1xRvvF_9e8Rh2r7XWWX-DbiBMwfJxPIgd5jb8IphQs70eOFMKYE/s640/blogger-image--796173045.jpg"></a></div>Its so easy on the sand</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiihZqxobyTSiwtzqDkgVD2CQPtFglniT6aGTlpNBASombRvqcyFWF6_BEXCV03LTRdvz_HNq9L-7Og8q7qzGXeh2JPZ_1JtX4IHjvncePjMincgY4e8FnkdyIWpXa3HAZ9Mgx_BXhVU/s640/blogger-image--1613025791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiihZqxobyTSiwtzqDkgVD2CQPtFglniT6aGTlpNBASombRvqcyFWF6_BEXCV03LTRdvz_HNq9L-7Og8q7qzGXeh2JPZ_1JtX4IHjvncePjMincgY4e8FnkdyIWpXa3HAZ9Mgx_BXhVU/s640/blogger-image--1613025791.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>And being over 50, these are the sort of conversations we have out in the surf:</div><div><br></div><div>Me: Zack, the instructor, looks like that actor thingumy whose father is whatsisname. He was in The Longest Ride. </div><div>Friend: I know exactly who you mean. </div><div>Me: (remembering five mins later) It was Scott Eastwood.</div><div>Friend: No, that wasn't who I was thinking of. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">(Nodding to Zack) So he was in that movie?</span></div><div>Me: Yeah, Scott Eastwood is teaching us surfing. </div><div>Friend: So The Longest Ride is a surf movie?</div><div>Me: No, it was about bullriding. </div><div>Friend: Makes sense.</div><div><br></div><div>Our fantastic instructors, Zach, Dom and Nena. Look at Zach on left. See?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8LMFe3N6F85u6iYLghZqIBNAMtufDxelyma-C-0HuWqbZ5RYCgNWfNrX3G3YOu5i_ZxjEXX5V6G7GLT2qqSn1WEbh_ZA_NiSACOqJmCw3e-tyboYD2EL2bVMLNQ1DbU_llO-zf9Shck/s640/blogger-image--1765713544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8LMFe3N6F85u6iYLghZqIBNAMtufDxelyma-C-0HuWqbZ5RYCgNWfNrX3G3YOu5i_ZxjEXX5V6G7GLT2qqSn1WEbh_ZA_NiSACOqJmCw3e-tyboYD2EL2bVMLNQ1DbU_llO-zf9Shck/s640/blogger-image--1765713544.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div></div>About Last Weekendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04716571630418078937noreply@blogger.com36