These six months include the last days of one world and a new beginning.
December 27
At the San Marcos campground in the San Onofre State Park. My idea was to try and catch a shot of the nuclear power plant but you can’t get there from here. I quizzed the folks at the pay gate so thoroughly I was getting that eyes narrowed ‘uh oh terrorist alert’ look, so I stopped.
It turned out to be a good place anyway…
…with a most enjoyable, easy, scenic 1 mile walk to the beach.
I wish this picture was a scratch-n-sniff. Here was the perfect chaparral scent, that out-for-a-hike in Southern California aroma that evokes childhood in every California girl.
And then ocean breezes cool the dusty sage.
One road leads to one of the best surf beaches in the area, Trestles Beach, and the other leads to food. Can you guess which one I took?
Couger nummies, right outside my door.
One thing I noticed here tonight (and you may look at the first picture again and note that I parked that baby myself – wahoo!) is that getting a hook-up is wimpy, ok, dang cush really, and your best-friend-neighbors are people who travel around in Motor Homes, but with a hook-up people don’t run their generators and the campground is actually quieter than some without hook-ups.
I still want that extra battery though, for options. And so far I know I really like having the juice!
December 26
From Christmas Eve to the day after Christmas:
At Marija’s Christmas Eve Dinner where a few dozen people scarff Rosy’s BBQ, eat, drink, and be merry.
During the Holiday Season the Monday Night Ladies, like some sort of freakish cult, take to dressing alike in our various gifts. Some years we wear tiaras, some years we wear glittery necklaces and this year it was all about the fuzzy sox and jingle bells.
At Darryl and Angela’s for the arrival of Santa Claus and for Christmas Breakfast. Santa Claus was extremely clever this year I’d say and especially in keeping with our modesty compaign.
Ho Ho Ho!
Here’s Angela’s Great Aunt Jean. She’s always got that next great trip on the horizon. You go Jean!
At Bill and Cheryl’s family Christmas Dinner with me and Ken in attendance. It was great to have both of their kids around and we ate and played games and laughed ourselves stupid.
Alex and Carol had a day after Christmas brunch where I got to see most of the Lopez Connection gang and best of all Alex’s parents were up from Florida.
Lucas and Betsy had us all down for a gathering, food, fun, and a gift exchange. The kids were perfect and mom behaved herself pretty well too!
Cynthia had to work but she did call in for a few words of cheer.
December 20
Brigitte invited me to an afternoon Tea Party and Cookie Exchange (since I am after all free in the afternoon(!)) that she was co-hosting with three other lovely women. Here they are: Evvy, Brigitte, Renee and Suzy. The party was at Evvy’s home and it was a delightful and elegant sweet-treat as you can see…
…from the amazing collection of teacups. Everything else about the party including the house, the food, and the guests was equally as delightful and elegant. Thank you Brigitte!
HO-HO-HO as we say all night long… It’s the Monday Night Holiday Party and are we so darn cute or What!?!
Alicia made the entire dinner with all its parts: turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, a yam extravaganza, mama’s traditional green bean and onion-ring casserole, cranberry salad, Alicia’s specialty rolls, cake and ice-cream. Pheww.
And we all got presents from Everyone! Here we are, left to right, top to bottom: Marija, Maxine, Lourdes; Ljubi, Becky, Alicia, me, Maryanne, Marsha, Ruth.
December 18
Just a quick collage of a few of the hundreds of people who came to Maxine’s holiday party. What fun! And not to mention the trays and trays of delicious Maxine-made food. Oh yes, Maxine you are indeed the hostess with the mostess!
December 14
Lunch with Bonnie and here are her officemates: Margaret Sharp, Bonnie’s estate planning colleague and Carol Ramirez, their secretary.
December 13
The first full holiday weekend! Friday night’s dinner at Michael’s. Yum-eee.
Saturday at Nancy’s friend Annmarie’s party followed by the God Bless Americanna holiday slide show and commentary. Here’s the guy’s website. He calls himself a Kitch-Culture Histo-Tainer. It is definetly something entirely different!
And this place here! Faa-bulous. Annmarie’s boyfriend Larry made up an amazing loft space above his studio there in the heart of Hollywood Production Studio World.
Great spaces all opening onto giant industiral windows. I’m crazy for the windows and the floors were killer too.
Sunday Windy and Hana came to Sandy’s lovely show in a home in Brentwood featuring her new collage pieces…
December 8
Welcome to the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation tour, by appointment only, and it’s free and you know how I feel about that! It’s only available during the week so being Retired makes it all the better.
Carol had the tickets. I’ve never been here but she comes from Michigan and invites me along. Thank you Carol!
I spent the hour making little whimmering noises and girggly intakes of breath.
Here is the foundation’s website. There is a photo of just one of the rooms and even in the one room you will see a careful and personal survey of art in the 20th century.
We can’t take any pictures inside although a crew from Architectural Digest was there doing a spread. We can’t even have a purse but the guide did agree to let me carry the camera to take some pictures outside.
The guide was wonderful. That’s her, looking back towards the group, answering every question with contagious enthusiasm and offering information you wouldn’t know you didn’t know.
Women on tour, and that one guy who was the one voice allowing the requisite ‘what do you think this IS Anyway?’ and ‘hey, my granddaughter could do this’ sort of expressions. Everyone else seemed very appreciative of such an illustrious collection and more than glad for the chance to be there.
December 7
Marsha’s cousins Bill and Carol out here for a little work and a lot of fun.
…and all the five Dragojlovic brothers and their spice on the occasion of Boban’s Big Four OHHhhh. Surprise!
Left to right, top to bottom: the 5 brothers Dushko, Peter, Boban, Roy, Goran; Mary, Dad (Djura), Shirley, Mary Jo, Mom (Vukica), Kelly
Wow! A picture from Kamal with his girlfriend Ynez. She looks like a good one Kamal so Be Good!
