Posts

Oysters

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We've traveled to California for the Thanksgiving holidays every year since we've been together. Thanksgiving visits to my family, and Christmas holidays with John's. Most years, our trips include at least a few days on the Sonoma Coast. We stay at my parents' home at Bodega Bay, then spend our time wine-tasting, eating at fun places, and golfing. A few years ago, we discovered the Marshall Store, with its selection of fresh oysters (I mean, fresh from Tomales Bay, right in front of the place!). If the weather cooperated at all, we'd head down there for a perfect combination of scenic, peaceful drive plus delicious seafood. This year, we decided to make one tiny change. Well two. We made reservations at the Hog Island Oyster Company (just north of the Marshall Store) and we invited Dad to join us. He'd never eaten truly fresh oysters, only the disgusting, slimy canned ones that his mother used for her casseroles, so he was a bit skeptical. We ordered fresh, ...

Writing Life

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After three years of intermittent work, I've set a goal for myself: I'm going to finish my novel by December 31. I started it in Michelle Wildgen's "Novel in a Year" class, and didn't finish. But, given the year I had, and my work travel, I was happy to be three-quarters along. Michelle gave me excellent comments to use once I restarted the process, and I've been thinking about them during my walks with Ellie. A move to Colorado, another year of work travel, and it just sat there. No more. I have no more excuses now that I'm "retired." My draft so far seems to focus on plot and setting, and shies away from deeper characterization. Well, because it's hard! I don't want to have to think that much about Elvira, and what she went through being married to an outlaw like Henry. On the other hand, I created them so I should be able to tell their stories in a more emotional way. I do agree that poor Elvira got a bit lost in the first draf...

Happy Halloween!

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Williamsburg

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There's nothing like starting a visit in a driving downpour, getting soaked unloading the car. Golf clubs, suitcases, and bags of groceries made it to the condo, mostly dry. Overall, we had a great visit, and spending some time with Lauren made it all worthwhile. She made us laugh and her Googling skills uncovered the absolute best lunch place in Williamsburg, off the beaten track. I think I ate the best sandwich of my life there. Our day in Jamestown was gray, but I hadn't been back in years, so the new museum complex was very impressive. I survived golfing with Dad and another man. My guess is he didn't play with women very often... My instincts said he was a Vegas mobster, but maybe I was being overly dramatic.

Truth

"Don't surrender all your joy for an idea you used to have about yourself that isn't true anymore."   --C heryl Strayed I should have this quotation tattooed in giant letters on my body.

Honoring Commitments...

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In a moment of weakness, I told my Dad I'd meet him at his condo in Williamsburg, VA TWO WEEKS after we got home from Ireland. What in the @#$% was I thinking? At least Lauren will be there. Family commitments are interesting. Sometimes we look forward to them, sometimes we dread them, and a lot of the time we make them out of a sense of guilt, or duty. He's flying all the way across the country to play golf for a week. I suppose I can fly half-way for four days. But as a stress management activity, I'm renting golf clubs. I refuse to lug them all the way for one round of golf. At a minimum, I'm going to Yorktown, and I'm going to blast the Hamilton soundtrack. My tiny rebellion.

Stained Glass Classes Ending

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For the last year, I've taken stained glass classes at Glass Warehouse, on Broadway. When we moved here, I was shocked to discover there weren't many places for true glasswork and instruction. Yes, I could paint my own pottery, but that's not my interest. Apparently, during the last financial crash (2008 or so), almost all of the shops that catered to glasswork enthusiasts closed in the greater Denver metro area. But Glass Warehouse remained, mostly because Connie and her husband live above the shop. I love my class, and the instructor, Becky MacKenzie, is just excellent. She's taught me much more, and more effectively, than anything I learned in Madison. And, the Friday group is pretty cool. The women are interesting and not crazy and several are real artists. We had bad news yesterday. Well, bad for us, not for Connie, the owner. She's retiring and selling the building, and our classes will end, by early December. Sigh.