Sausalito, California
Oh, and guess what.
This was the very LAST item on my LIST. (#21 – Visit a new place in California.)
Hooray! Now I can get back to watching TV.
Here are some other places I went last week….
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T is for Travel
Category: Family
T is for Travel
Sausalito, California
Oh, and guess what.
This was the very LAST item on my LIST. (#21 – Visit a new place in California.)
Hooray! Now I can get back to watching TV.
Here are some other places I went last week….
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Easier said than done.
We’re talking about my “40 Things” list. . .
#33. “Fish for my dinner”
I’m working on it.
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| It was a beautiful day at Grapevine Lake. And I’m sure the fish were biting. Somewhere else. |
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| Jig #1. Lost in 29 minutes. |
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| I was happy on the INSIDE. (Deep inside.) |
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| Dressed to KILL. |
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| Jig #2. Lost in 3 minutes. |
Needless to say, my first fishing expedition was a major bust. But I’m hopeful. With my new pole, new hat, pink wellies and official fishing license, I am PROMISED that–with a few lessons and tips–I’ll only get better.
#11 – Retrying more food I thought I hated.
This time: black olives.
Me no likey. Still.
#34 – Treat my parents to the restaurant of their choice.
They chose Texas Land and Cattle. Not extremely imaginative, and not the best steak house in town, but I didn’t argue. I was happy they agreed to the outing. Plus, they were in vacation attire–so the Four Seasons was out.
At the end, my dad didn’t even reach for the check, but my mother did try to slip me her credit card. Dad’s butterflied filet was the tastiest of all the dishes. We skipped dessert at the restaurant for ice cream cones at Braums. (I did not treat.)
#9 – Double my car payments
Done and done. This baby’s alllll mine, yo.
#10 – Sing in Public
In front of roughly 200 people (I’d call that “public” by any stretch of the imagination), along with three other women, I sang THIS in church last Sunday. Different version, of course. We were no Mo-Tab. I’m not saying we were “better” than Mo-Tab. I’m just saying . . .
Easier said than done.
We’re talking about my “40 Things” list. . .
#33. “Fish for my dinner”
I’m working on it.
|
| It was a beautiful day at Grapevine Lake. And I’m sure the fish were biting. Somewhere else. |
|
| Jig #1. Lost in 29 minutes. |
|
| I was happy on the INSIDE. (Deep inside.) |
|
| Dressed to KILL. |
|
| Jig #2. Lost in 3 minutes. |
Needless to say, my first fishing expedition was a major bust. But I’m hopeful. With my new pole, new hat, pink wellies and official fishing license, I am PROMISED that–with a few lessons and tips–I’ll only get better.
#11 – Retrying more food I thought I hated.
This time: black olives.
Me no likey. Still.
#34 – Treat my parents to the restaurant of their choice.
They chose Texas Land and Cattle. Not extremely imaginative, and not the best steak house in town, but I didn’t argue. I was happy they agreed to the outing. Plus, they were in vacation attire–so the Four Seasons was out.
At the end, my dad didn’t even reach for the check, but my mother did try to slip me her credit card. Dad’s butterflied filet was the tastiest of all the dishes. We skipped dessert at the restaurant for ice cream cones at Braums. (I did not treat.)
#9 – Double my car payments
Done and done. This baby’s alllll mine, yo.
#10 – Sing in Public
In front of roughly 200 people (I’d call that “public” by any stretch of the imagination), along with three other women, I sang THIS in church last Sunday. Different version, of course. We were no Mo-Tab. I’m not saying we were “better” than Mo-Tab. I’m just saying . . .
Writing Inspirations – family
Why I love my family (part #1)
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| (Dad & sis & nefs: Park City 2011) |
The other night, I was needing some information about an upcoming plot point in my NaNo story. I was stuck, so I phoned my father, hoping he could offer me some insight or suggestions. Our conversation went somethinglike this:
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| (Dad & I. Alaska 2005) |
“Dad, here’s where I’m at….. My Girl Reporter is covering a protest at the local lumber mill. She knows it’s probably nothing because protests at lumber mills are a dime a dozen. But this one actually turns into something. You worked at a lumber mill for forty years. I need some kind of scandal.”
“Yes, we had protesters all the time. They were usually about something to do with how cutting down trees is killing the environment.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to write about that. I’m PRO-timber industry.”
“Okay. Let me think about it. The scene you’re writing…..is it a peaceful protest?”
“It started out that way, but then I got kind of stuck in the chapter and didn’t know what to do, so Girl Reporter suddenly gets hit on the head by a flying boot and is knocked out.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why. I just needed something to happen and….that’s what happened.”
“She gets hit by a boot?”
“Yes.”
“Why not a shoe?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why not a two-by-four? At least that’s indicative to a lumber mill.”
“I thought a boot was funnier.”
“You know, I read a lot of books. True, a lot are fiction, but all of the plots are at least realist. They could all potentially happen. And never have a read a scene with a Girl Reporter getting knocked out by a flying boot for no reason.”
“I know! That’s why it’s funny!”
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| (Dad & I: Tennessee 2005) |
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| (Dad & Susan: Forks, WA 2008) |
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| (Pops chillin’ at Patrick’s Point: 2004) |
Writing Inspirations – family
Why I love my family (part #1)
|
| (Dad & sis & nefs: Park City 2011) |
The other night, I was needing some information about an upcoming plot point in my NaNo story. I was stuck, so I phoned my father, hoping he could offer me some insight or suggestions. Our conversation went somethinglike this:
|
| (Dad & I. Alaska 2005) |
“Dad, here’s where I’m at….. My Girl Reporter is covering a protest at the local lumber mill. She knows it’s probably nothing because protests at lumber mills are a dime a dozen. But this one actually turns into something. You worked at a lumber mill for forty years. I need some kind of scandal.”
“Yes, we had protesters all the time. They were usually about something to do with how cutting down trees is killing the environment.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to write about that. I’m PRO-timber industry.”
“Okay. Let me think about it. The scene you’re writing…..is it a peaceful protest?”
“It started out that way, but then I got kind of stuck in the chapter and didn’t know what to do, so Girl Reporter suddenly gets hit on the head by a flying boot and is knocked out.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why. I just needed something to happen and….that’s what happened.”
“She gets hit by a boot?”
“Yes.”
“Why not a shoe?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why not a two-by-four? At least that’s indicative to a lumber mill.”
“I thought a boot was funnier.”
“You know, I read a lot of books. True, a lot are fiction, but all of the plots are at least realist. They could all potentially happen. And never have a read a scene with a Girl Reporter getting knocked out by a flying boot for no reason.”
“I know! That’s why it’s funny!”
|
| (Dad & I: Tennessee 2005) |
|
| (Dad & Susan: Forks, WA 2008) |
|
| (Pops chillin’ at Patrick’s Point: 2004) |
Happiness is…
Dad
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| Pops reading in beautiful Sequoia Park |
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| LoVe |
Happiness is…
Dad
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| Pops reading in beautiful Sequoia Park |
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| LoVe |
Florida Love
The Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
No. Let me be more specific…
South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
The sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
My sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
My sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
Me…stretched out on long, turquoise beach chair, still soaked and panting from swimming past killer undertow of last night’s storm, umbrella shading upper body from sun, lingering taste of red velvet cake, surrounded by the chicks (sister, friends and baby), dreaming of upcoming bike ride into Seaside outside my sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
(Plus…Sister and Baby C performing “Baby in a Ball” = Countless hours of fun.)Florida Love
The Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
No. Let me be more specific…
South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
The sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
My sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
My sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
Me…stretched out on long, turquoise beach chair, still soaked and panting from swimming past killer undertow of last night’s storm, umbrella shading upper body from sun, lingering taste of red velvet cake, surrounded by the chicks (sister, friends and baby), dreaming of upcoming bike ride into Seaside outside my sister’s tiny one-bedroom beach condo on the sugary-white sands of Seagrove Beach, Florida on Highway 30A along South Walton County on the Gulf of Mexico is my Disneyland.
(Plus…Sister and Baby C performing “Baby in a Ball” = Countless hours of fun.)
Ophelia London 