travels

ok here is the thing, I love to travel.
I love the packing, the mad dash to leave your house clean so it is clean upon your return
I love planning the trip... maps.... directions
I love looking up places on the Internet
I love travel sized shampoo
I love imagining how many pairs of pants I am really going to need then bringing clothes home I didn't even look at
I love the anticipation of getting to the airport... security.... checking my bags and settling in the awaiting lounge
I love the "hudson news" the magazine mecca that awaits you around every corner of the airport
I love listening to other peoples conversations learning where they are going or where they are coming from as I flip through the latest trashy magazine I have picked up for the flight--this being as much a part of the ritual of travel as buying the ticket itself.
who is dating who, who is famous now, who within the glossy pages of the tabloid news do I have no idea about? for the most part I don't know half the people in the magazines.. does this mean I am too old to buy them now?
I love loading up the plane, I love watching the people who in spite of the rows being called feel the need to rush on-- dude that is why you have a ticket... you have a seat on the plane... no one can take that from you!
I love stowing my luggage appropriately watching Mr.I-don't-check-anything try to cram his over-regulation-sezed "carry on" suitcase int he overhead bin then gripe about how there is no room... shoving the carefully stowed baggage of some poor unsuspecting old lady into the back corner..
I love the pre-flight bustle the safety panel and the seatbelt demo...
I love the take off.. the time in the flight that you feel like you are limp being forced back into your seats by the shear power of the moment you leave the earth and begin your climb airborn... still a bus shouldn't fly
I love when they come around asking what you would like splashed over your 20 ice cubes giving you the impression you are getting something to drink
I love the turbulence, the bumps, the thrills
I love the landings.. especially when people clap! I love that on the way here I was on a flight sitting beside a very nervous flyer... dressed in a suit... I swear the poor man read the safety brochure 100 times to the point I asked him if there was going to be a test on it later that I didn't know about it and if there was I was definitely going to copy off him.
*insert tiny awkward chuckle from him here then right back to the safety insert.
because nothing is better then surviving the crash into the body of water, I am excited about using my seat as a floatation... I will pay my respects to Davey Jones before I remove the seat cushion that a million sweaty strange asses have sat on only to clutch it to my chest in a bear hug type fashion locking my arms tightly around it.... mmmmm talk about motivation to stay up on my swimming! there must be a better piece of fuselage to cling to than that one article!
yes I do enjoy traveling... getting to your destination having someone meet you at the gate big hugs discussion of all the fun people watching on the trip while you collect your luggage and get ready to begin your vacation/holiday...

So as I finish up my lovely time on holiday I am doing it all in reverse... it is a bitter sweet event.
I love it here, but I miss home too so I know I can come back but it is never soon enough for my liking :)
SO until next holiday I will put away my traveling gear and hope for a gentle transition back into full time life :)
and remember to study that card in the seatback in front of you cause you never know when you might need to get up close and personal with your seat cushion

needles are not just for poking

So I am 100
I have been knitting... I have known how to knit forever, but over the last little bit I have re-discovered how nice it it to complete a project.
I have purchased a sweet little book of hats and yes even considered it as a little side job... I love watching a ball of yarn turn into a little hat, scarf, booties, or blanket. There have been 7 babies born in the last year within my circle of friends and most of those little people have been the lucky recipients of a aunty Shonee original fun times.. poor kids probably just wanted a toy who likes getting clothes anyways!

So here I sit on the couch the rain falling outside week one of my holidays over and a bag of possibilities at me feet...
I confess I am the "witty knitter" and honestly I am proud of what I can do... just think how good I will be when I am finally of an acceptable age to be a knitter.. hehe
This knitting thing is contagious... as I sit here I look over to see my friend knitting away on a beautiful project of her own! Michaels is an amazing store.... it has a wonderful aisle full of possibilities wonderful fuzzy possibilities...

so the dog is asleep beside me, the cinnamon bun candle is burning, the kettle is almost boiling... I think life thus far is pretty good :)
so yes I confess my alter ego is "witty knitter with tricky sticks" we'll see if this nursing thing doesn't work I may just go underground and knit my way into retirement... tell your friends...

fall...it has been too long

life is funny I think,
I am in California.... actually the place the whole blog was re-invented for me..
So this is full circle.
I think it amazes me how looking back to a friendship that has been nurtured and maintained for years you tend to forget how long it has been in existence, you just feel like it has been forever.
I am visiting my sweet friend Sarah, she lives here in Sunny California. A state which I love... mostly cause who lives here... anyways, we were talking about how long we had known each other... it has been longer than 10 years! amazing. It really has flown by..
this is a truly solid friendship

so solid I have been cooking for her... yes me who "claims" to not cook has whipped out the 3 things I know how to make..
I made a really yummy "clean eating" meal
A rice bowl of sorts, more fusion cooking kinda Mediterranean/Spanish rice bowl
It was avocado, black beans, cilantro, black olives, lime juice, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese all tumbled together and let stand while you cook the brown basmatti rice. Serve the topping cold over the hot rice with a drizzle of the dressing which was balsamic, lemon juice a squeeze of spicy grainy mustart and salt and pepper to taste... delish...
what made it even better was it was wonderful stuffed into a wrap the next day for lunch then served cold over a salad yesterday... it kept very well in the fridge and the flavours only got better!

Then it turned cooler outside so thought turned to fall...
I made Butternut squash soup
chicken broth, an onion, 2 lbs of squash salt and pepper... simmer it till squash is cooked whizz it up in the blender and serve hot... another crazy simple one but oh so good and filling and good the next day served with tuna melts!

I confess I am getting better with the whole cooking thing...
BUT I tend to cook when it is not just me eating it... honestly I could live off Breakfast cereal... and really I have before--heck with all the enrichment they do to breakfast cereal and milk I get everything I need :)

That and I am able to relax, me and her dog chill on the couch I knit.. the dog sleeps we catch up on the OFFICE.. another show I could watch over and over again
life is good... I am happy relaxed and enjoying the little things in life once again.
I miss my family and my little beasts but that is what makes coming home from a holiday so much better too ! If you had nothing to look forward to when you got home why would you not just move?
so I will probably post again just cause I have time..
sigh life is good