My secret shoe fetish. . .

Well, that’s not true, pretty much everyone who knows me knows how I feel about shoes. So, last week when I started opening my birthday cards and one after the other had a shoe theme I knew for a fact that it wasn’t my little secret. I LOVE SHOES and have since I was the age of the little bonneted girl in her white shoes!

When we lived in a “bricks and mortar” house this wasn’t that big a deal. . .plenty of closet space to store many many pairs. (Well, Gary always thought it was a big deal but what does he know?) But, in 1994, when we went full time RVing it did become a big deal! There’s only so much storage space in a 36’ 5th wheel and how was I going to take them all? Easy answer: I couldn’t and didn’t…but, as with all collections, shoes multiply. On a fairly regular basis it gets to the point that when I open my (very small) closet they come tumbling out and then I tearfully say good-bye to some of them. Ah...but then I can shop for more; it’s like revolving door, in and out, in and out.

During one of the five moves we’ve made since 1994 an employee at the RV lot where we were making the move (male, of course!) noted that we seemed to be moving a LOT of shoe boxes from the old to the new 5th wheel. Gary was quick to point out that HE has three pairs of shoes while I was the owner of the many!

My favorite? A pair of Acorn clog-type slippers. I’ve had several colors and wear them constantly until they’re much past the beat-up condition of this Navy pair!

Grand-daughter Mary goes to a Tea Party!

Daughter Kelle's (Mary's auntie) birthday tea party in 1974
and...the 2010 Smilebox presentation! (Wish it would have been available in 1974!)

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Today my name is Turn 10

I was lucky to get an early retirement from Pacific Bell telephone a long time ago which afforded me the opportunity to accept some pretty fun retirement jobs: cooking school, investment banking firm, proof reader for CTB McGraw Hill and admin manager for United Way.

You may have read in my profile that this Grammie is now a retired full-time RVer.

And I now spend many of my days in a box at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. . .a turn box that is. I am one of the Safety Marshals who insure the safety of the drivers and motorcyclists who come to this 2.238 road course racetrack. While working we course marshals are referred to by the turn we are working; thus, today I answered to and called myself turn 10!

The course marshal’s tools of the trade consist of a set of flags (see examples) for communicating with drivers, a radio for communicating, a whistle, paper and pen for notes, thick gloves for picking up something like a hot exhaust pipe, a fire extinguisher, a bucket of “kitty litter” type material and a broom for sweeping when a car or motorcycle spews oil on the track! And our uniform is white pants and shirts. Our course marshals group even has a Facebook page: Laguna Seca Course Marshals group

And, of course, the personal items: layering clothing-everything from rainwear to sunscreen…the weather changes often here in Monterey, reading material for breaks and, most important snacks!

Quite a change from my career life isn’t it! And, do you know what the funniest thing is? I’m not even a big race fan. . . I just like to see cars and motorcycles go FAST!

Happy Easter

Easter always brings one of my favorite hymns to mind: "Jesus Christ is Risen Today...Hallelujah."

Happy Easter and Hallelujah!

Follow-up back to Nov. 21: “I’m thankful for…reading

  YES, yes, I did receive a Nook for Christmas!  It was on backorder so I didn't physically receive it until early February but one month later I LOVE it!  I had some reservations about reading  not real books and had vacillated  back and forth about getting an e-reader since the Kindle came out. But I’ve found that it does feel very much like reading a real paper and binding book!  (I still have no intention of giving up on “real” books) The page size is about that of a paperback, there is no flickering like I’d expect from a computerized screen and the page turner is conveniently located beneath my thumb.

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize…isn’t that most every girl’s favorite fashion mantra? So, of course accessories were  my next priority.  I  agonized more about choosing accessories than I do about making major purchases; finally settling on a navy blue zippered blue rip stop cover and a book light so I’m all set.

Our poet is published

Our grandson Jorden writes Slam poetry and regularly competes at a local coffee house. One of the coveted prizes, not even 1st prize, is a rubber chicken! He has three, two of which are shown in this photo. That's Grandma Henrietta in the purple dress and Chicktoria in the black strapless dress. I didn't know about Slam poetry being a genre but was impressed when a young man performed it at the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics.
Last Sunday five Seniors from our local high school here in California were involved in a car crash. Fortunately no one was killed but the relatively small school of about 600 has been pretty shaken. Our grandson Jorden wrote this poem and was asked to recite it at the school board meeting last night. Not a dry eye plus he received a standing ovation. It was also published in the local paper, the Cedar St. Times!


Unbreakable
by Jorden Thomas
Memories spent reminiscing
about the past when things
were different are floating away
now. Reality has struck the
heart of every individual and
silence strikes back with a force
never before seen. Lives have
been affected by the mistakes
of youthfulness and the dreams
of the wise. Yes, our community
has been affected. Yes, we find
ourselves experiencing an
uncomfortable sense of calm,
our breathes deepening and
our eyes filled with tears. Do I
know them well? No. Am I liked
by them? I don’t know. But they
are classmates…They are
people with whom, for the last
four years, I have gone through
the epic journey of high school.
The times are rough for those
who sat in classrooms with
them. The times are even more
difficult for those close to them.
And for family members, the
pain is unimaginable! Tragedies
of this degree always strike in
unexpected ways and at
unforeseen times. This tragedy
just happened to occur on a
rain-slicked highway in the
darkness of a Sunday morning.
Now, our mourning must travel
a road that will end in triumph
over an event that is already life
changing. To my fellow
students: I give you my undying
respect. To my community: I
give you my condolences.

We are Breakers…We are
family…We are strong.
We are unbreakable!

Manicures and Pedicures...ooo...ahh...that feels good!

I've never been much into manicures and pedicures but every once in awhile Gary gives me a gift certificate for one or both which I hold for a very long time. Well, yesterday I decided that I should use the ones dated 12/23/2008 so I took myself over to the Magic Nails shop.

The first thing they called out to me was "pick a color" and I turned to see this rack of literally dozens of nail polish to chose from! Amazingly one color popped out at me so I didn't have to agonize over a color. Then I climbed into the chair which was outfitted with electric message which rolled up and down my back. This is pretty neat! Feet go into the little jacuzzi tub, ahh that feels good! Clipping, snipping, filing, buffing, lotions...pampering feels good! The final step is the polish. I don't like my fingernails to be painted bright colors so I choose clear but the toes, yes, I love the bright Cha-Ching Cherry red!

But the pretty nails part aren't as important (although I admit that my hands and feet do look a whole lot better!) as the wonderful foot and hand messages that are part of the process. Why in the world don't I do this more often?

P.S. Toes really are pretty ugly aren't they...even when they're painted Cha-Ching Cherry?>

"Green" today!

I carry my three cloth "green" bags in the truck at all times but can never remember to actually take them into the store and use them! I really want to, maybe not so much for the environment but they are so much easier to tote than those limp plastic bags (and paper is just too unwieldy for me, plus I never re-use paper for anything!)

So...I am proud to announce that today I really did make use of them! They seem to be a little less efficient for the store clerk to manage but are really worth the effort.

I will continue to try and make this a habit (Isn't there a quote that goes something like "it takes 21 days to make a habit?")

Happy Valentine's Day

Grandson Jorden found this little rock "heart" this week...how timely!


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Sunrise at Laguna Seca

While the eastern part of our country struggles through snow drifts we enjoyed a beautiful morning sunrise complete with crescent moon. Today Dulee (little white Bichon) and I were treated to this beautiful eastern view of a blue, rosy sky, silhouette of Coast Oak trees and the bright white moon when we took his morning constitutional walk. To be truthful I'm not sure that he even noticed but I did!

Ah, winter in California!