Out of Touch for Awhile - December 15, 2013

I've been home nearly two weeks already but have not managed to find time to sit
down at this computer!  I've been making the rounds of doctors ( got my hip
injected - amazingly successful this time, knock on wood - just hope I'll have some
relief for a few months ).  Also, saw my dermatologist who "froze" the tiny
area on my nose that was a precancerous lesion.

Spent some quality time with dear friends and got to see some musical
favorites perform - Sony and Jerry Holland at the J. W. Marriott in San Francisco
and Margie Baker at her usual Sunday venue at the Burlingame Hyatt.  If you
haven't seen either, you should give yourselves a really wonderful Christmas
gift and spend a few hours enjoying both!!!

I finally got up to West Sacramento on December 8th and I've been totally
enchanted by my precious little granddaughter, Harper Ann Vukasinovic.  She
already has me wrapped around her little finger.  I am really impressed with
what wonderful parents my son, Alex, and his wife, Laura, are.  The household,
Taffy and Bucky included, is so loving and happy.

You can barely see her two little bottom teeth peeping through

Here she's wearing one of her Christmas outfits..and Taffy is nearby,

as always!  I bought her one for Christmas Eve that says,

"Waiting Up for Santa"

Harper is almost 20 lbs now - and still getting boobie 

milk but Laura makes fresh baby food for her...favorites

are pears, applesauce, yams, carrots.

She babbles and plays happily for long periods with

her doggie baby sitters near her and Nana and mom

working across the room, cooking.

One of her favorite spots is the laundry basket!!!

Bucky lets Harper pull ears, tail...whatever, without complaint!

I couldn't believe how quickly this cute little bug and I bonded.  I am really going

to miss her when I take off January 8th for my three week jaunt around the South.

I do plan to return to India, too, in June...but only for three months this time.  I

can't imagine missing too many months of my granddaughter's life.

Weekend Reflections #65 - Mirror Building - December 10, 2010

Weekend Reflections #65 - Mirror Building - December 10, 2010

These buildings are in Burlingame, California, across from the Burlingame Hyatt.  I love

them because they always reflect the world going on outside their mirrored  walls.  It's an

ever changing scene.

I am participating in a wonderful meme, Weekend Reflections!

Check out the site for some wonderful pictures from around the world!



Mellow Yellow Monday - A Great Birthday - October 4, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday - A Great Birthday - October 4, 2010

There were only subtle bits of yellow for my birthday yesterday, slices of lemon at  a

meal, fans in the decor at Esperpento Restaurant, or other bits of yellow here and

there but I'm going to put my post in Mellow Yellow anyway.

It was a great day from start to finish.  I began it at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame,

CA, listening to the fabulous Margie Baker sing jazz, blues, and music from the Great

American Songbook.  I didn't get a picture of her this time ( she hates having her picture

taken ) but the other musicians obliged!  Keithe was terrific on keyboard and Ken did

his usual great job on bass.  Royal delights on drums and he is so sweet!

I love this banner at the Sweetwater Cafe where the Hyatt  has their jazz brunch every

Sunday and where Margie Baker performs.  There is a hint of yellow in the leaves.

Keith at keyboards and Ken on bass

Royal on drums

Keith

For dinner, my family took me to San Francisco's Mission district to eat at a wonderful

Spanish restaurant, Esperpento.  The only one missing was my middle son, Alex, who

stayed in West Sacramento to study for a big calculus test tomorrow!  His wife, Laura,

who had run in a half marathon in the morning in San Jose, stayed in the area, to join

us for dinner which was so nice, even though she was bone weary and was suffering

from a bum knee ( no matter what, she is always beautiful! ). 

The food was fabulous at Esperpento and we had such a wonderful time in thiscrowded,

noisy Mission restaurant.

Wall decorations

We had to wait for Shawn and his friend, Dawn,  to arrive from Fairfield since he had

Air Force Reserves this weekend.  Of course, we put the time to good use with

appetizers. They were yummy - fried calamari, wonderful spicy potatoes, and

grilled artichokes.

Patatas Bravas

Grilled Artichokes

Fried calamari

Once Dawn and Shawn arrived, we ordered three of their grilled specialities, a seafood

platter, a vegetable platter, and their grilled meats - fabulous, all of them.

Me with my oldest son, Shawn, who will be 40 in December

Shawn with his lovely friend, Dawn

Time for a food shot - here's the grilled seafood!

Me with our family's only girl, my lovely daugher-in-law, Laura

( she looks like this after running a half marathon! )

My son, Jeremy, and his lovely girlfriend, Katie

( don't my sons choose beautiful girls! )

Jeremy will be 26 November 2nd and he HATES having

blog photos taken

Shawn's girlfriend, Dawn, who is a 911 dispatcher

Grilled meat platter

Grilled vegetables

This cake was such a wonderful surprise.  Those of you who know me well are aware of
my addiction to marzipan.  Katie went home to San Diego last week and brought this
cake back from there.  How she managed it on the flight - and got it home and to the
restaurant without my knowledge is beyond m!  I was so surprised when it came out
after the meal.  It was so delicious and was the most wonderful finale to a wonderful
birthday.  If you have to be sixty-six and you can't be in Rome, sharing a birthday with
the best sons and their lovely ladies and a marzipan cake is definitely the way to go!

Thank you, children, for this day - and for my plane ticket to my 45 year

nursing school reunion in New Orleans and for my Droid 2 phone ( I am

definitely keep up with the hip grannies - except I'm not a grannie yet ).

I am participating  in Mellow Yellow Monday - join us!!