Gypsy George

Recently I met a very interesting man and since I have the tradition of naming my man friends "George" I will call him Gypsy George. GG was a fascinating free spirit who had a compelling story....and you ALL know what a sucker I am for a story :)

Gypsy George has had many ups and downs in his life and it seems when he is down he likes to divest himself of earthly possessions and travel. One time he just bought a VW van and went on a road trip. He likes to travel until he finds a way to the top again. Currently, he is on a journey because of his divorce, so he was briefly in my neighborhood.

I loved hearing his stories (you all know I have a little gypsy in me) so we got together a couple of times. Then he invited me over to hear him sing and to look at our iphoto collections. I went to his place with my laptop and expectations of a creative flow of energies...music and photography! Well....let me tell you this...THE MAN CAN SING! He also plays the guitar with great passion. He sang a song from South America and then a French song. I would have been quite happy if he sang to me all day long!!! What a treat!

But....

He didn't sing all day long. We looked at some pictures and then he wanted to show me a DVD that is one of his favorites. OK....editorial comments here...I am not big on watching DVDs. Ask anyone in my family or any of my friends. I fall asleep! I love to go to the movies, but even then I have occasionally been known to take a tiny snooze. So, when GG decided we should watch his DVD I was not excited. I tried to tell him about my indiscretions of sleeping in movies, but he did not listen. He insisted THIS DVD was worth watching. I tried to tell him I wasn't a fan of watching DVDs and he insisted THIS DVD was worth watching and I WOULD LOVE IT. Can I just say....this really annoyed me?!! I looked at the DVD cover (feeling like a prisoner) and saw "170 minutes" and began to feel claustrophobic! To make matters worse, the first scene of the movie was a scene of a lake with a monkey's head above the water. The monkey scans the horizon and....

Gypsy George said...

In his very french accent....

"Do jou see thee weeesdom of that monkee?!?"

Ok, I try to be completely open minded and non-judgemental, but I totally didn't see any wisdom in that monkey. I almost laughed when he said it because it just seemed so...so....ummmm.....funny. Forgive me for wanted to howl in laughter and say, "Monkeys are not exactly known for their wisdom!"

I knew I had to escape and be on my way or I would say something insulting/funny/sarcastic. And that is not my best side. It is a side I try to extinguish or control or at least soften. I said something like, "Oh my! It is getting late and I have another engagement. I am afraid I will have to get home!" With that I was out of the prison (although he did walk me home).

Gypsy George was a fascinating guy, but he has left for France to spend the next six months volunteering in a Buddhist Monastery. I really admire his quest to divest himself of earthly ties and find meaning in life.

I hope he doesn't ask a monkey what he should do next :)

DANGER

Have you ever had an experience that made you wonder if you just needed to go crawl in a safe hole somewhere until it was safe to go out again? That is what I felt like on the first night of class this quarter. I was rushing out to campus and I thought I could time it all perfectly and pick up my reader before I went to class. I drove out to Isla Vista....a dangerous place to drive because the students just bike, walk, and skateboard wherever they please and you have to make sure you don't run into anyone. So, I parked and hurried to the book shop...no luck! The line went down the street so I knew I wasn't going to have time. I went back to the car and carefully backed out of my parking place. I didn't see a guy on his bike and he got mad at me. As I drove away (very slowly) I was worried about being more alert. Once I got to the parking lot next to class...well...I was trying to cross the bike lane and I stepped out right in front of a girl on her bike. I didn't see her, but I heard her gasp! After apologies I made a bee line for class.

I arrived just at start time and the class was very full. I found a seat and luckily I only had to climb over one guy to get there. I soon found out that about half the students in the room were trying to crash the course. I wasn't worried....I had registered...I was IN! The professor said he would give out all the add codes he could at the break. Well...at the break I was hungry and started to go up the aisle and into the coming stampede. I thought I would just have to make like a salmon going upstream and try to get out. However....ummmm....my foot caught on somebody's backpack and...YES...I fell in the middle of the aisle!!! Right down on my hands and knees....

The stampede stopped

I looked up in shock

A wall of "boys" stood looking down at me

A girl on my right said, "are you ok??"

Everything was in slow motion...but I said "yes."

A "boy" that was standing in front of me didn't say a word...he just held out his hand to me

I took his hand and got up

The stampede ran past me

Jeeeezz! How old am I??? I felt ancient and clumsy and asked myself what in the world I was thinking going back to school at my age. So embarrasing. I thought about the boys' probable conversations after class: "Yeah, I didn't get in the class because some old lady fell in the aisle and I had to stop and help her up! By the time I got to the professor there were no add codes left."

Driving home that night, I felt like Mr. Magoo. Remember how he would be driving along oblivious to all the danger around him? I figured that it was quite possible that all day I had been in danger. Maybe things were flying past me and just missing me. Maybe I was almost falling in holes. Maybe the spell finally wore off and I ended up on my knees in a crowd of young students. They were very nice to me after all...

So, that is my story. So far class is going better....and I am being very very careful.

Not dating

Yep...I am a lone bird on a branch these days. I am taking a break from dating. It feels kind of good in some ways. I am focusing on other things right now and I need to have a time out from the man hunt!

This will most likely keep the George Board bored. Or it may get them all excited if they think this is their chance to somehow control me....hehehe. Good luck guys!

At any rate, I still have some good stories to tell. It is kind of funny that deciding not to date seems to create some kind of vortex that attracts men. Hmmmm....I will post more on this later. So, for now it is work and school and family and just a pause while I do some inner work.

Stay tuned for more news....it's not like I stopped breathing or anything. Plenty of George stories to tell.....

The Hot Dog Man...

Everyone has their happy place and mine has grown into a lovely place. About half way between work and school is an area near the cliffs of Carpinteria that has walking paths and sunshine and nature and breezes. It is a perfect place to stop and do some study or reading for class. I can leave work, do some study (I have even written papers on my laptop) and then go to class. It is perfect because I can just sit in my car and do what I need to do. Good concentration happens there and some really good papers have been written there. I have fallen into the habit of this place and it is good. BUT....

The best thing about this magical study hall is...the Hot Dog Man! He has his portable hot dog stand and he is there most days. He serves up hot dogs of any type...all plump and hot and, I am quite sure, calorie free. When I walk up to his place I am greeted with a smile and asked what I am wanting today? Sometimes, if I am totally stressed out, he can tell and he reminds me to breathe and have something to eat or drink, or just hear the latest news. There are plenty of people coming and going and lots of local chatter. He is better medicine than the Dr. (don't take it personal Placebo George:) He just has a way of making me smile and stop worrying about anything. Now, just driving into the parking area makes me smile and I can't wait to see what is up with HD Man. I don't know his name, but I don't need to. He is fabulous! One time I stopped in early December and...there he was...in a Rudolph costume! YES a whole costume with antlers and the nose...serving hot dogs and smiles and "Merry Christmas." I laughed and wrote my final paper before going to class happy and warm. Sometimes I just get something to drink or chips and a drink. Once or twice I got the whole dog...yummm. BUT no matter what I get, he places two wonderful fresh Red Vines in my hand. SMILES! And occassionally he says I get "style points" if I am dressed up.

On stressful days at work I announce that I am going to quit my job and get a hot dog stand...that is the life! My fantasy :)

lib·er·al

So, what is it like to be labeled the "liberal" when all your friends are "conservative" ??? It is very interesting! I really resist labels, so I try not to put myself in a box or others in a box. We don't necessarily all fit in the same two boxes...RIGHT? oh.....or .....should i say LEFT?????? But there is nothing like a good ole' political contest of thought and theory. Mostly Curious George is the only one brave enough to have such an open and challenging discussion. He and I take to political debates like brother and sisters to pillow fights.

With glee and piles of empty wine bottles!

So I guess it shouldn't have surprised us when our friends from D.C. brought Curious George and I some political jewelry that they felt was in fashion. (I am most sure that it was in a 75% off basket at the airport).
Yep! we received matching "Friends Don't let Friends Vote Democrat" buttons! Curious was quite pleased! I fondly posed for a picture with him....keeping myself from pinching him hard :)












The following day the friends all left for our annual ski trip to Mammoth. I was left to work a few more days and join them mid-week. This, of course, gave me the opportunity to be creative! I thought I did a really nice job fixing the glaring errors on my pin....see for yourself! (And NO! Mark, I don't think it is bastardized at all! I think it is born again:)















So the question of the day is this! When did the word "liberal" get to be such a negative word? I looked it up on Webster's and here are some of the synonyms:

gen·er·ous

boun·ti·ful

mu·nif·i·cent (I totally love this one!)

I am feeling good!

Unlucky GEORGE!

OK, well I can tell this story now because I can laugh about it now. For a while it wasn't funny! When Romantic George broke up with me I was very lonely, so I decided to go on a date. I am not good at moping around the house and feeling sad for very long, so I just wanted to get up and get out.

I met Unlucky George at Sakura and then I met him online. We went for a cup of coffee and it was nice to get out and to meet someone new. So, when he asked me to dinner the night before Thanksgiving I thought, "why not?" and we went to the new sushi place in Ojai. Unlucky George was nice enough, but by the middle of dinner I knew this would be our last date. I need someone who is not shy and he was quiet and not very good at sustained conversation. But after dinner he asked if I would go to Movino. I said ok and we went downtown. We walked into the bar and we went straight for the loveseat that faces the band. The band was just beginning to play so we were in a good spot....uhhh....so one would think.

Well, for me it was the worst spot to be in because it is exactly where Romantic George and I used to sit when we went to Movino..our favorite spot!! So, Unlucky and I sat there and I started to cry! Not loudly or anything, but tears were beginning to escape the corners of my eyes. I started to remember all the good times RG and I had at Movino and I started thinking things like, "why aren't we together?' and "We have to work it out!" Stupid, stupid girl!!! Seriously! It was like watching myself in a movie...I was Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give...I was losing it!!! Meanwhile U.G. was enjoying the band and not even noticing there was a problem...which was good because I didn't want to be totally embarrased in public....but....I was seriously about to start sobbing in public. So, I excused my emotional self to the restroom where I huddled...crying....and thinking I really was Diane Keaton who was about to have a nervous breakdown. Even though I knew how stupid I was being, it didn't stop me from trying to call R.G. from the restroom. It is to his credit that he didn't pick up the phone because I would have just further made a total fool out of myself if he had.

On returning to the "loveseat" with U.G. he offered me another drink and I asked if we could just call it a night. He took me home. Tried to kiss me goodnight at the door, but I turned my head and gave him the "cheek." I spent the rest of the night crying and knowing I was a lost cause....ok....I am a total lost cause!!!

So there you have it. Unlucky George was a nice guy....just very unlucky in his timing! Sorry U.G. but I am not ready. I guess I will take some time off from dating until I can be smart again.

Why does breaking up remove brain cells???????

So this is 2009!
Wow! A whole new year in front of me. It is filled with hope and with love. Happy New Year to all my online friends and family :) I am thankful every day for you!

Well, here is my status update. Single again! I have come to the conclusion that these last few years have been the time for me to learn about breaking up! And I am learning...slowly...kinda. Really! I am learning. The thing about breaking up is that you learn a whole lot about yourself. I am always interested in learning from my experiences and moving forward with more knowledge, so....I guess this is a good thing.

There is a lesson I am learning all over again. It is about love. I remember when I was pregnant with my second son. I was so afraid because I loved my first son so much that I didn't think I could love another baby as much. Seriously! I was worried!!! My heart was so full with Ben that I couldn't imagine having those feelings for another baby. When James was born I immediately knew my fear was silly. He was just the most precious baby and my heart fell in love all over again. I learned that my heart has an unlimited capacity for loving. I am now learning this about all other relationships. God is a lover! And we are made to love. It isn't limited to one or two people. I love friends and family and...I have fallen in love with a couple of good men. The love can change over time, but I don't have to limit love to any one person. There is always room for more. If a relationship doesn't work, it doesn't mean I can't move on and fall in love again. And I do enjoy falling in love :)

So, here we are in 2009 and I have decided to focus on attracting genuine love to my life. The kind of love that will grow through any challenges. The kind of love that will get better with time. I am going to learn what that is and what I need to do to have it. I have some help with this and I am willing to do whatever I need to do to make it happen. So....another year for me and it holds promise and hope...and LOVE.

True Love

What does it feel like when a man says I love you? I have heard this before and this next comment is not intended at all to take away from any other time I have heard it....but today when I heard it, I was different. I heard it from someone who is my friend, my brother, my protector, my example, and someone I greatly admire. I trust him completely, and if he loves me I am so honored. This was not your romantic "I love you" or the ending of a phone call "I love you" or even the friendly "I love you." This was from his heart to my heart in the most honorable wonderful way and I feel so uplifted and loved. It reminds me, along with a whole lot of reminders this weekend, that I am most likely the luckiest girl in the world. I have genuine friends who are by my side at all times. They protect me, hold me, heal me, love me, listen to me, watch me do foolish things, pray for me, and hope the very best for me in all ways. They even love me when we argue politics or religion, when they try to tell me who to date and I just don't listen, when I do stupid things, and when I am just me. And I love them. I am so thankful to have so much love in my life, and I am loving you all right back!

And to my special friend who said this to me...I love you too...in such a special way....thanks.

Scaredy Cat

Whenever I am afraid I remember when I was about five years old. My mom had signed me up for swim lessons and for our final lesson we were all rewarded with a ride on the big slide! All the kids went up the slide and came down laughing and having a great time. When my turn came...well....I got really scared! I had never gone down a slide into the water and it was so big! I reluctantly climbed the ladder and when I sat on the top of the slide I just froze in my fright. I clenched both sides of the slide and went down one inch at a time. This was not fun at all, but I was really scared.

So last week I went sailing again with Romantic George and . well . I was really scared! We went out to race again, but this time it was just the two of us and I had to actually help! I started out trying to steer the vessel....this was very scary to me. Sailing is new and I am still getting used to the feel of wind and sails! So, Romantic George completely won my heart and my trust when he went through the fear with me and just patiently taught me about sailing....he took all the pressure off by saying we wouldn't race we would just have fun sailing. He took the rudder and began to teach me how to adjust the sails. This was easier for me and I really liked it. Before I knew it we were out of the harbor and we were sailing right over the starting line!!! We raced . and I was less and less afraid. Actually, I started having a whole lot of fun. Romantic George just kept telling me how great I was doing and encouraging me...what a sweetie! We finished the race and placed second again!!! RG says "always a bride's maid never a bride!" but we were proud of our race!!

life is so good when you can look your fear in the face and just walk right through it. I had a great time and I fell even more in love with my man! He instinctively knew not to push me, but to give me space to grow into it....and it worked out very well. So....FACE YOUR FEARS!!! Don't be afraid to be afraid!! And, most of all, HAVE FUN!

Well, I will work on getting over all my sailing fears (like getting hit in the head, or capsizing the boat)


But some people's fears are just too big to face. Like....


things that REALLY scare the George Board....

But can she SAIL???

I admit to being addicted to adventure and to learning new things, but let me tell you that sailing is for the hearty soul!! I learned this first hand last month as we traveled to Huntington Lake and sailed in a Regatta.

OK, let me just be very honest about this experience! I had never been on a sailboat. I had no idea what people DID on sailboats. It is a good thing I didn't know because I had to learn it quick and if I had known ahead of time I may have been too scared to try.

FACTS about sailing:

• It looks peaceful, graceful, and effortless
• The sails are on a metal frame that moves back and forth
• The occupants of the vessel have to dodge the metal boom of the sail when the vessel turns
• When you don't dodge in time....it hits you in the head
• When it hits you in the head....it HURTS!
• Sailing vessels CAN capsize
• Regattas are one of the most intense competitions in existence
• I SURVIVED
• I can't wait to do it again!!! Am I out of my mind???? Most likely!

Satori and her Captain/Crew (cute, aren't they?)

The competition was fierce and the Captain and Crew were amazing!
I even had a title! "Snack-tician"
I guess I wasn't much help between head bonks.

Well, guess what!!???

SECOND PLACE

do i look dazed???

Romance still RULES!

A funny thing happened to me earlier in the year. I opened my email one day and found this message: I just spent the money for one month on MATCH.com, so I could e-mail you...

WOW! Talk about romantic!! I read with interest a brief note from....you won't believe this...Romantic George!!! I was quite surprised to hear from him because it has been a couple of years since we dated, but I answered his email and was soon swept completely off my feet by his attentive and sweet ways. There are a limited amount of times in one's life where the stars all seem to line up and something really unique happens...and romance is definitely the way into this girl's heart. Isn't it funny when the unexpected comes along and changes your life?

My life was definitely changed as love bloomed and we had quite a fun time. The George Board had to meet and approve this date! And it was a fun party as we all gathered and Romantic George and I had the opportunity to cook it up...oh...and sneak a kiss in the kitchen. What fun. We biked, we hiked, we danced, we walked the beach. I even told him I was never going to change my name again...and still he loved me...well that did give him a moment's silence. (Is it so strange that I don't want to change names again???) Anyway, we were a couple of kids having a good time and it was a very fun time. I am thinking good thoughts tonight about RG and I hope he never ever loses his Romantic streak!!!

See you in my dreams....

The George Board

I call this meeting to order!

You know I have named all my dates "George" so that they can retain anonymity...and dignity. This is working out fine, except I still haven't met "George of the Jungle" OR George Clooney...sigh. But the naming tradition had morphed into a group of men that I have not dated, but have come to think of as my coaches/brothers/protectors/MENtors...and now...they have decided to be my Board of Directors. HMMMMMMM....do you think it is because of the "DIRECTORS" part? Maybe they are thinking I can be controled....HAHAHAHAHA! NEVER...

Whatever their motivation....they have healed me! They have given me back my trust in MANkind. AND, they have some pretty incredible talents. Like...

Being my entertainment for Valentines Day
Don't worry...the wives are at the table :)

AND

Giving a helping hand in the kitchen...
especially if their tools resemble weapons or surgical instruments!

Mostly I love 'em because they care about me and they keep me happy and smiling!!! I also love their wives...honorary board members...thanks for sharing, ladies!

Meeting adjourned!

Just Do It George...

So, just let me say it this way...get your mind out of the gutter! Just Do It George is a whole lot of action instead of boring talk about it! We met on Match and I am really enjoying our time together. He is in great shape (can hike your boots off), and I can keep up with him just fine, cause he is a great leader. Our second date was a beautiful hike up Cozy Dell Trail...uh...in the mud! But it was a whole lot of fun. He brings delightful refreshments on all hikes...he gets it done for sure.

This is the kind of place he might take me for lunch!

JDI George knows all about wildlife and good places to explore. We have hiked, climbed a few rocks, hopped a fence or two, and crossed many a stream...

Is this the BEST???

One other thing Just Do It George has is a great laugh. It comes in handy at times like this:

uuhhhmmmm...oops! I fell in the stream!!!

He had to take this picture, and I'm surprised he could stop laughing long enough to catch the shot. We are wild and fun...stay tuned for our next adventure...

You never can tell where that will be!

Upbeat George

Well, it has been awhile hasn't it? Sorry, but life has just been sooooo busy. Lots of overtime at work, school is going full steam ahead...and...HECK...a girl's gotta have some fun!

I have to go back to September. It was a real adventure and I know you will appreciate how some very special Georges took care of me. The story begins with three Georges. They decided to hike the John Muir Trail...wow. A total of over 200 miles would be their goal as they began at Half Dome and were headed for a photo finish on top of Mt. Whitney. Bonnie and I wanted to join them for a few days of backpacking, so we arranged to hike in and join them. Our hike over Kearsage Pass was uneventful, except that we heard there was a storm on the horizon. We proceeded to hike north to Rae Lakes to meet the men.

Our stix on the top of Glenn Pass

Of note: there are no phones on the JMT. There is no cell reception in the Sierras. You kind of have to guess when you plan to meet someone. This was one of my biggest concerns...lack of communication. BUT!!! Unbelievably Bonnie and I were hanging out in our camp and suddenly her face lit up and she looked over my shoulder...at Curious George. The men were right on time! They looked like hell, but we were never so happy to see them...see for yourself

Lucky for you! You can't smell them...

So...we all went happily to sleep that night with dreams of hiking for a couple of days and enjoying the landscape.....can you say....NOT! We woke up to sub-freezing weather and little white snowflakes cascading around us. It was time to GO. So we quickly packed up and we knew that we were going to go all the way out that day. It would be 12 miles of hiking in the snowstorm and we would have to go over Glenn Pass AND Kearsage Pass...both just under 12,000 feet. The wind was blowing and we were bundled up as much as possible. Dam Good Oracle George led the way and I was just behind him. All I had to do was follow his feet. This was a good thing since the trail was quickly being covered by snow.

It was a tough day! I thought I might not make it out, but the Georges were fabulous. Curious George kept encouraging us and letting us know we were going to make it. Oracle George just kept leading us through the storm, and...yes...meet Upbeat George.

I can get 'er done!

Upbeat George is...just that! He NEVER says anything negative. He is also a terrific drummer (get it??? up BEAT???). Upbeat George's middle initial is "T" for titanium. Mr. ultralight himself! Upbeat George shared with me as we were walking our walk. He said, "your hike is YOUR hike. You do it your own way at your own speed. You know how you need to get there and it is your own hike." I really appreciated his encouragement...as usual.

Well, we made it! Nine hours of hiking and we were out. It snowed all the way and we were tired, cold, and hungry. We heard tales of those who didn't make it out. They were stuck for a bit while the storm moved through. Not a fun thing! It was quite the adventure, and my feet were hurting a whole LOT....see how sad they were?

Sorry to subject you to this!

Well...another adventure and another George.
Life is goooooood!
And so is a nice, soft, warm bed :)
Good night!

Tigger George

OK, well I am a firm believer in singles sticking together, so when Curious George's brother came to town...well, I naturally had to check him out! Tigger George is funny and smart and really fun to pass on a bike trail. Yeah, we took him out on the trail and he thought we were trying to kill him. He survived to tell about it! But, strangely enough...he didn't accept any further invitations to bike with us. BUT, he did take me to the movies...uh...well...it WAS after the long bike ride...and it WAS after a big dinner...and I TRIED to be discreet...but...I fell asleep in Harry Potter! I don't think I snored, REALLY!! All things considered, Tigger George is a good man but now he is back in his home state. It was fun, TG!!!

It's all about the numbers

I have read a few books on dating and the truth I have found is that dating is all about getting your numbers up. Like any other pursuit, there is an element of betting on the odds. So, I have adopted this strategy and it has been a really positive experience. Also, I have kept in mind that dating is for fun and is a great way to meet new people and get to know myself better. SO, since I have been getting over a little more serious relationship (yeah, that is only my perspective apparently) I have slowed a bit, but have found some really nice men to spend time with. Thus begins my catch up on my blog! In other words...I'm coming back!

Moveon.heart

Well, I guess my sad poem worried my friends. Ok! I had a very sad day. I allow myself limited sad days and on those days I am allowed a maximum of 30 minutes of the biggest pity party I can throw for myself. Then, I move on. Not without my sad moments and it has been sad to realize that what I thought was possible is just not possible. Dreams are the hardest things to let go of, aren't they?

Well, I was inspired this week by Lola. I found Lola's blog, a very inspiring blog, by hitting the "Next Blog" button. Her post was just what I needed to hear, and I have been repeating to myself: "LET IT GO!" and "LET HIM GO!!" This is very effective therapy..THANKS LOLA!!

Endings

Sometimes there is no happy ending
And lemons are just lemons
Not lemonade
Love does not conquer all
Absence does not make the
Heart
Grow
Fonder

Sometimes hearts are broken
And the one
You love
Never returns the love
And you must move on
And accept the ending
Is just an ending
Nothing else

Sometimes sweet whispered words
Do not grow and bloom
Into heartfelt affection
Kisses are just kisses
No promise of a future
Not even a pondered poem
Counting the ways
Just a gesture
Never meant to mean
Anything

Sometimes there is no happy ending
And one must move on
And try to never
Lose hope
And hope to never
Fear love

The Wonderful World of Men

Yes, I love men. This may sound strange, but I really have learned to appreciate the male species and I have learned to value them very highly. After a rather traumatic divorce I went through a period of, “I don’t need any man around to rescue me, and I can do EVERYTHING myself!” I went about mowing my own lawns, washing my own car, doing my own repairs, opening my own doors, and toting myownluggagedamnit!! This seemingly proved that if all men dropped off the face of the earth, and I wasn’t against that idea at the time, I would get along just FINE! (oops, am I yelling?)

I am here to testify that the world would not be the same without men.













This week especially has shown me this and I feel so lucky to have many wonderful men in my life. They listen to me…kind of…and they give me lots of good advice, they fix things for me (thanks Oracle George...and sorry I hit the gate again), they laugh at my jokes, take me fishing (thanks Mike the Mentor!), they CHEER when I throw a seven at the craps table (I THINK it was a good cheer….maybe…oh well, I tried), they write off my car damage, they carry my stuff, open my doors, and occassionally call to say, “I am thinking of you” (sigh…23 george). Why didn’t I ever notice this gift??? Possibly I was too busy doing my chores. Last weekend I had two extremely talented men serenade me with guitar, harmonica, and voice. They were fabulous and wow! I felt so honored. Then, last night I went out with a very special man friend and we talked, laughed, ate good food and drank good wine. He told me how “hot” I am (this cracks me up! Did he mean hot flash?) and when the lady with roses walked around he stopped her and got me a bouqet. This is a quality man. I love our friendship.

So, my girlfriends, if you have a man…take a time out and tell him how great he is. Don’t forget all the little things he does for you and don’t ever forget that in all his big talk about how tough he is…there is an even bigger heart beating in that chest and it needs a hug too…heck! go all the way…he’ll love it!

Ring My Bell!

Curious George and Placebo George have given me a hard time about my little bell. First of all telling me it was stolen…even though it was in a box that said, “Free! Take one.” and I simply availed myself of the gift. Secondly laughing about the concept of a bell on the bike. Even though I think it is possibly to mountain biking what the seat belt is to auto operation…an essential safety device. When Get Around George and I come flying down a dirt trail with blind turns (no, it has nothing to do with my squinty eyesight), switchbacks and slippery slopes, it is difficult to manually ring the traditional bike bell to warn of our presence. I just know if I lifted a finger from the grips I would be eating gravel. And the trails around here are a mixture of bikers, big dogs, little dogs, walkers, children, and ipod wearing deaf people. SO…the bell is the best solution I have seen.

I tried it out this week and am reporting to you that it got favorable ratings from me and from the people and dogs on the trail. I rode up to Gridley and took Shelf Road back to Signal. A very busy dog/pedestrian trail. I strapped the handy little bell onto my bike (this reminds me…I think the biggest objection that CG and PG have against using the bell is it isn’t large enough for these manly men. Surely they would only be able to tolerate Big Bells)












Back to my story! I took off on the trail and the bell was a friendly sound. Rather like the sound of sheep walking along the road. Don’t worry! I did not bleat! But the hikers were very grateful to have a warning! I got feedback like, “NICE BELL!” and “I LIKE YOUR BELL!” “THANK YOU!” even one dog who tried to dance with me….the four legged kind….you know? Everyone, including me, liked the sound of the bell and I did not startle or run over any hikers in this experiment.

So, that is my bell report, but don't just take my word for it...read Elly's report! ARE you game??? I know where I can get one for you too!

PS: In my high tech world of bike accessories the next is this:



Now they can hear me coming AND see me going. I just LOVE being the center of attention!!!

Pay it Forward George

Do you remember a time when you were in so much trouble and someone saved you? I really forgot what that feels like, but let me tell you about my day.

It all started Sunday when I took my car to the dealership. I got a nice tax return this year and was treating myself to keyless entry! After a two hour wait, I was told I needed to come back and leave the car because they were having difficulties getting the keyless to work. OK, I made an appointment to drop the car off today and take a loaner home so I could work while they fixed. I was excited. After a few hours I received a call from the service technician telling me that my car just wasn't set up for keyless. If I really wanted it...it would cost $700. I decided that pushing a button on the door was just fine with me and got in the loaner car to return and trade for my car.

Uhhhh....

This is where it gets a bit tricky. The wind was blowing and I guess it blew the gate into the driveway....and...I guess the gate hit the driver's side mirror on the loaner...and I guess it broke the plastic part around the mirror....sinking feeling. Little voice in my head says, "just turn it in...no one will be the wiser." Other, more Christian voice says, "turn yourself in and confess." So...I confessed. All the way to the dealership I thought, "This is going to cost some money...the $250 I saved on keyless entry will now be spent on the mirror, and my deductable is $250, so insurance won't help."

Can you say WRONG!!??? The nice young lady who checked the car in came to me and said, "Yes, the mirror is broken. It will cost $400 to repair." I went into immediate shock! I told her yes, I would turn it into my insurance. She didn't know how to do the insurance so she went to find her supervisor. I was stunned...I felt stupid...I wanted to cry out "I am a GOOD driver!!! This was an accident!" but instead, I waited. The supervisor came in and introduced himself. When he heard the $400 figure he was also stunned and left to find out if that was true. I waited.

A little tiny tear escaped and slid down my left cheek. I felt like such a child! Another little tiny tear ran down my cheek. I panicked! Oh no!!! the dam burst. I couldn't stop myself!! I started crying. Such a baby!!! I tried to stand facing away from anyone in the semi-populated cashier area. The more I tried to stop...yep...the more I cried. NEVER get me started...The supervisor came in and saw me crying and said, "don't worry I am taking care of it." I cried more and said I wanted to pay because I broke the mirror...I would pay. He said, "no, don't worry about it. It is taken care of." I protested...and cried more...and apologized for crying...he said to stop it or he would start crying too. They sent me home with my car and no bill. WHAT?? I really couldn't believe it. It makes me want to cry again just writing this. I phoned Lisa and told her my story, which helped because we started laughing about it. She said she totally understands now why people drive around with banged up mirrors. I agreed and said I now totally understand the duct tape fix for mirrors. We laughed and I felt better.

Now I know that there is someone out there who is going to be put in my path so that I can pay this forward. I will be watching. I have never felt so rescued!! Talk about a white horse. And you know, I would have paid the $400 and survived it. But today I needed to learn how it is to be shown compassion and favor. Thanks George...you made my day...week...year. AND If anyone wants good service on their car...go to VENTURA TOYOTA and tell them I sent ya.

Get Around George

Breaking up is hard to do! Especially after a 20 year relationship! It was good and I was happy, but...

...the chain kept coming off at the most inappropriate times...


...and not ALL of the 21 gears were still functional...


...and the Georges were making fun of how heavy it was and that I had a kickstand!

NOTE: If you don't know what a kickstand is...YOU ARE TOO YOUNG TO READ THIS BLOG!!!

Me and my kickstand enhanced 1980's paint job bike have shared some great adventures! We rode to Thatcher more times than I can count. We toured Monterey, San Francisco, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, and yes...even a couple of scary rides in Santa Barbara! It has been great fun. And just in case you think kickstands are useless...when you are standing on the roadside at the beach in Pacific Grove watching the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen...it is nice to kick down the kickstand and relax.


But time moves on.


So...I have a new love...
I call him Get Around George.

Riding a bike ALWAYS makes me smile. I have even been teased by those bike path guys about my smile! I just smile back. When I am peddling along I think of the first bike I ever had. I could barely touch the ground when I stopped. Sometimes I fell over! But it was the greatest. Feeling my hair blowing in the wind and just peddling around on my blue, too big for me, Schwinn! IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A SCHWINN IS...YOU ARE TOO YOUNG TO READ THIS BLOG!!

So...now I am happy with my new George...and hopefully it will be a long time before I have to do this:




HEHE that is Curious George and Placebo George. I'll soon be passing them on the trail.



You know....I have an idea...


YES! Seize the darn Day!!! I am not going to wait around any more....here I come! Anyone want to JOIN ME???


Hey all you Georges! Want to learn the language of LOVE??!!?? I think I have exhausted the George supply in this area...time to globalize!

Hey...

Does anyone know how to say "George" in Italian???

From 1164

It was close to 20 years ago when I stood with Ryan and looked out the front window at the moving van across the street. Ryan was the only kid on this street with no one his own age to play with...this left me to be entertaining...I wasn't always in the mood...you get the picture? So, we looked across the street and I said, "Ryan, I sure hope they have a first grader so you can have a playmate." It wasn't too many days until we saw a cute little blond boy standing in front of 1159 and we were thrilled when we met Thomas who was ready to enter first grade. An answer to my prayers! In some ways it seems like such a long time ago, but it feels like yesterday!

I remember those days when Kathy and I took Ryan and Thomas to the first day of class. I think the trauma of the first day of second grade was the best and the worst. The teacher had such a scary reputation and our poor boys looked pale and shaken as they found their seats. Kathy and I pried ourselves away from the back wall of parents and went home with crossed fingers. We didn't have to worry too much about our boys because they were very resourceful survivors. The years all blur, but my favorite memories are things like Thomas and Ryan selling their homemade comic cards to all their classmates, or confronting Mrs. White, their sixth grade teacher, with their charge of sexism because she called on the girls more often than the boys, and putting Chloe in a salad bowl in the wagon and pulling her up and down the sidewalk. Torturing Katy's Barbie dolls, and making their own movies, fake fighting with Eddie, and jumping on the trampoline. Not long ago I found the picture of Ryan and Katy on their way to the prom. So many good memories! And now a whole new generation as they have grown and multiplied. We are so blessed!!

Is that a tear on my keyboard? Yeah I think I have been walking around with a lump in my throat for at least a month knowing Kathy's moving day is coming soon. Kathy, you have blessed me in so many ways! I have always admired your genuine caring nature and non-judgemental heart, your ability to turn a boring afternoon into a party...your way of always showing up when I need you the most...our long walks and long talks...your shoulder to cry on when I was getting a divorce...your kick in the pants when I need it...your strong margueritas! Remember the time I almost had to call a cab to take me home?? Across the street??? I always watered them down after that! You have the biggest heart of anyone I know, and I know this isn't the end...it is the beginnning. But an era has passed and it was very good. Thanks Kathy and God Bless your new home. May we all howl at the moon together!!!

Pretty in Pink

Cadence Taylor Hester
Born Thursday, March 22
Weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz.
SOOOO CUTE!!!

See for yourself:

She is dreaming of having good times with her Grammie!
Eternally grateful to PD for getting me home in time to see her arrival. You did good babe!

Happy Birthday Oracle George!!

OK, so it has taken me a while to post your George name! It is time you have your title. I just hesitated because you wanted to be D.A.M. Good! Well, you are dam good, but to me you are Oracle George, so get used to it....one cannot choose their own George :) You did have me stumped though, cause you asked and you NEVER ask for anything.

For anyone who doesn't know OG, his name is well earned. He knows EVERYTHING! He has learned the ying and the yang of the sword and the velvet. Sensitive, yet strong...wise, yet contemplative. Being a man of the fish sign is a gift and OG has mastered the art of being a fantastically creative artist, yet a mathematical genius who apparently can't sleep at night if his checkbook isn't balanced...go figure! Really...FIGURE! Oracle George led us up the mountain in style and fashion...even though he was holding his pants together with duct tape...NO FEAR OG!!!

Really....happy birthday Oracle George. I will never, ever forget the time you rescued the bird from the middle of Ojai Avenue...tender and tough.

PS - Oracle George's only fault is that he has steadfastly defended the guy who wore exactly the same outfit for three dates in a row, saying I am too picky and that men never think about clothing....admit it OG...you are swimming upstream on this one.