Tuesday, November 29, 2011

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

Was going through pictures from this Thanksgiving and the last one...
2010 Sbicca Del Mar

2011 Sbicca Del Mar
 Was I really that, hmm what's the word, FAT?

Thursday, November 24, 2011

GOBBLE GOBBLE

This is definitely my favorite holiday window for Thanksgiving this year!
I would like to thank Ted Baker for their irreverence...(just so you know this bird is shivering without its feathers).

We began our day early with a Thanksgiving Run.  This would be the royal "we"...I drove the car, Henry and Jack did the run!!

This is at the beginning of the run, right before Judy and I walked to the Bagel place for Coffee, returning just in time for the end!!

Susan also ran
as did her son, Edan (not Jacob, loping in the background)
Jack was beaming after his first race...he finished twenty-third!!!  
Go Jack!
Then we moved on to the Thanksgiving fest (I mean feast)...celebrating family.
We went to Sbicca in Del Mar
Katie and Mark

Jacob, Jack, Julia, and Seth




Mark and Jeff

Judy and Kurt

Kurt, Judy, and Henry

Betsy, Julia, Jacob, and Jack

Henry and I

Jacob and Henry

Betsy and Katie   

The only person missing was Cliff....this picture is from last Thanksgiving ;^(

Sunday, November 20, 2011

TARDY FOR THE PARTY


They say not to be "Tardy for the Party" but I am just tardy in writing about the party.  

Jacob's Bar Mitzvah was a few weeks ago at Temple Beth Am and the party was at Petco Park...what a wonderful day.

First of all, Jacob did a fabulous job.  It was an impressive accomplishment.  We were all very proud.

 This is the dress rehearsal--Jacob and the proud grandparents!

 Everyone was in for the event....Clifford
Judy and Kurt
Henry and I pre-party.  I just put this in because I am wearing the jacket I wore to the wedding of Katie and Mark...nice!
Cousin Julie with Hannah Goldie.  Many people were here as well that somehow I have no pictures of, such as Aunt Nancy, Julie's husband and other kids, friends...sorry!
 
The party was at Petco and it was amazing to be there when it was empty. You can see our seats above the "Stand Up 2 Cancer" sign.
The night was spectacular!
 a little bench warming perhaps?
Eerily gorgeous!
...and exhausting!

 
 
 
 

Saturday, November 19, 2011

CHINA (not so) FUN!

We moved to San Diego almost 12 years ago.  We discovered a wonderful Chinese Restaurant -- which to me is an oxymoron because I honestly do not like Chinese food.  

China Fun proved to be an exception to the rule.  The food was fresh, cooked the minute it was ordered, and delightful.  It was owned by Mr. Ho and had a great staff of people.  One man in particular would always yell out: 
 
Cathi! Henry! Hi!

We began to hang at China Fun.  First Henry and I.  Then Betsy, Jeff, and the kids moved here.  Then Andy, Jen, and the kids.  They made special things for the kids.  We began having China Fun Tuesdays, where the family would meet and have dinner...our version of the Waltons, if you will.

Once when we went in we got:  Cathi, Henry, Hi, How many?  We answered 10, he assessed the situation, walked over to people who were in process of eating their dinner -- literally fork to mouth -- picked up their plates, said "You move" and put them at a different table so that we would be able to sit sooner.

No matter what time of day
No matter what day
He was there.
Smiling and saying
Cathi! Henry! How many?
Eleven years!

Tonight we went in to get something, and, he was not there.
Not there at all.
Other people, including the owner Mr. Ho, said Cathi, Henry
It was not the same.
Our server came over.
We said, "Where is he?"
She said, "Who?"
"He is always here!"
"Peter?" she said, "He is gone. Moved."


Eleven and a half years
Rough estimate 625 visits to China Fun
625 times, Henry looked at me and said
"What's his name?"
625 times he remembered us, and we were too embarrassed to ask him his name.  Now he is gone.


His name was Peter.
He will be missed.



 

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

CONFESSION: I AM A CRACK ADDICT!

You can tell just by looking at someone's eye (please view this un-retouched photo)


Note the large pouch under the eye
  • lack of sleep
  • salt retention
  • Now that I am really looking--tragic application of makeup (excuse me while I go fix that)
  • All signs of 
  
ADDICTION
I am a crack addict!
It started small--as all addicts will tell you.  You start with one and then it escalates.  One is not enough, then two....

Where did this path begin, you ask?  It began with a Diet...
one of the approved snacks became the downfall...
 

PISTACHIOS

LOOK AT THEM THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL






It began quietly...I read the directions and it said that I could have 12 as a snack.  Cool, I can sit and slowly eat my twelve while I watch TV.  I actually have a pistachio dish (OK, a prep dish, but it works)
It is a great snack...healthy, salty, tasty.  Then I began taking them into the bathtub for my soak and read time.



This requires two dishes, one for new and one for cast-offs so to speak.  I began eating them quickly, so I attempted to pace myself--one for every 5 pages on my Kindle--I have my Kindle on a very big font so 5 pages not so much.  I couldn't do it.

Occassionally I get one that you cannot crack with your teeth or hands--now I know what the nice heavy candles in the bathtub are really for...smashing pistachios.

As habits go, I suppose it is not so bad.  even though I find myself getting up in the middle of the night, scuffling to the kitchen, getting one (or two) nuts, then brushing my teeth and going back to bed again.  Probably part of the eye issue as well.

The good news is I have lost 20 pounds.
The bad news is I have a new and very annoying habit.