Goodbye CA!

Goodbye Mountains!


Goodbye Ocean!

















Goodbye Sunshine!

The Great Shoe Discovery

I am totally a shoe hound. I love any shoe that is stylish and wearable. Comfort is my number one priority due to the fact that years of wearing way too high heels have left my feet ruined. I have great problems walking long distance in any shoe other than a gym shoe, until now. We stumbled on to the "Flip Flop Shop" at the Spectrum Mall in Irvine and my life is much better now. They carry a line of shoes called "Souck", which are canvas style shoes designed to feel like you are barefoot. They were originally worn by surfers and they are the bomb! If you want a stylish shoe that affords great comfort and are good for your feet check these lovelies out! You will not be disappointed. Attached is a link to their website if you want to know more.

http://www.flipflopshops.com/index.asp

California Memories!

I cannot leave California without paying homage to the great luxuries they have to offer particularly in the form of food. These are a few of my favorites:
This is my all time favorite: Pinkberry! The absolute best frozen yogurt in the world, a class above all of the rest topped with the freshest fruits of your choice and mochi toppings, along with various other toppings. If you get to California put this on your list of must have. The yogurt is unique in sweetness vs tartness. It is the best!

OK the next one is another fave "Sprinkles", not so much because of taste (don't get me wrong the taste is wonderful also) but is more about the presentation of these large gems. They are truly a work of art and worth the $3+ price. The store is bright, tantalizing and worth the fairly long wait. There is usually a crowd which adds to the hype. Oh and did I mention that they have organic milk that you can purchase. I mean my God what is better than milk and cupcakes????








OK now I have saved the best for last. The next is a restaurant in Newport Beach called the Crab Cooker. If you are ever near Newport Beach look this restaurant up and go! It is in the old (and I mean very old) Bank of America building. This building is a relic in it's own right and lends itself to the overall feeling of the establishment. They specialize in crab cake, clam chowder, many fish selections and potatoes that are made on an open grill. they are like potato balls with cheese and actually cooked on an open grill. They serve alcohol also. This is a must experience if you love seafood and love the beach!

"Tivo" the cat!

Here is the our other traveling companion. It remains to be seen as to how he will weather the trip! He is the ultimate cat's cat. No crap for him, he rules!

Florida or Bust

Rossi

Ok so I am now in sunny Orange County contemplating my cross country trip to Orlando Florida with my daughter "Ruth" and her dog "Rossi" and cat "Tivo". We will be leaving Sunday April 26, 2009. I am very sad to see them leaving California because we have had many great visits here and tasted a lot of wine and other frivalities that sunny CA has to offer. I arrived here on the 14th of April to begin preparation for the trip and to try to help Ruth move. Her husband Jason's company Yamaha (the company I used to work for and might I say the greatest company on earth) is transfering him to Florida. Of all the black holes that he could have ended up we will all take Florida. At least it is warm! I am attaching pictures of our traveling companions.

Friendship

True friendship is seen through the heart not through the eyes.

Friendship is one of those parts of life that we at times take for granted. It rolls off of our tongues as if we expect it to be present in all areas of our lives. I hear our ‘friendship is forever’ or ‘friends always’ is a common thread that runs through our lives. But in truth how many true friendships do you have? Think for a moment and list those you feel are true friends and those with which you have a close relationship. Are they true friends? Is their friendship from the heart? How many people do you truly see as friends?

Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding.

Friendship is a gift that two people give to each other. It is not an expected result of meeting but a true and unanticipated gift of enormous potential. True friends form a special connection that will weather any storm. True friends understand being human and give the other room to grow. True friends are there even when they are not expected to be present. True friends know and cherish each other’s gift.

Friendship is love with understanding.

Friendship is a path of unrelenting compassion. It is a view of life that encompasses not just your life but the life of the other. It is a special bond that is created out of genuine affection and is given freely to those who have shown their truth. It is given without the thought of reward but with the essence of the heart which longs for this special connection.
Think of your true friends and be grateful for the gifts they bring to your life. Allow your hearts to connect and bring comfort to each other. Expand your world by seeing through their eyes. Give them your love in return for each friend you have is an unearned gift that should be accepted with grace and thankfulness.

Living the Happiness Formula

A 92 year-old man, small built, but with an erect posture, is fully dressed each morning by 8 0'clock, with his hair well groomed, clean shaven, even though he is legally blind. Today he is waiting to be moved to a nursing home.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away making it necessary for him to move. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiles sweetly when told that his room is ready.
As I help him maneuver his walker to the elevator, I provide a visual description of his new room in the nursing home, about the furniture, including the design and color of the curtains."I love it," he says with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old who is presented with a new puppy.
"Mr.Parker, you haven't even arrived in your room yet, just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he answers. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the room is furnished and arranged....it's how I arrange my mind. I already have decided to love it."
"It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice, I can spend the day in bed thinking about all the problems I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or I can get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do work."
"Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time of my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you is to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank of memories."
"Thank you for your part in filling my memory bank. I am still depositing." Remember the five rules to be happy: - Free your heart from hatred - Free your mind of worries - Live simply - Give more - Expect less

Legacy

The Legacy You Leave

All You will leave behind for the world to remember is Your Legacy, so ask yourself:

Will you have earned the respect of your peers and the admiration of your critics?

Will you have acted humbly at the peak of success and graceful in the face of defeat?

Will you have kept your child like wonder and reveled in the beauty of the world and the small miracles that each day brought?

Will you be remembered for how often you laughed and brought smiles to the hearts of others?

Will small children and the elderly have been overjoyed to be around you?

Will others have trusted you with their inner most secrets?

Will you have forgiven and offered heartfelt apology?

Will you have looked for the very best, and done your utmost to build worth, in others?

Will you have fed a hungry child or clothed a naked man or given hope to a stranger in dire need?

Will you have left this world a better place by the life you have lived?

Ask yourself, what Legacy will You Leave?

The Real Green Drinking Bottle!

These are the most green, chemical free drinking bottles that you can buy. They not only keep drinks very cold but have no chemical additives like plastics do. I am trying to be cognicent of health issues as I get really old. If we only knew what we are subjecting ourselves to on a daily basis we would be shocked.