IN A HURRY FOR WHAT?

When I left home this morning I found myself in a hurry to get to Starbucks to get coffee and drive 33 miles to the office…then I hurried to the Toll Road but didn’t speed too much... every day I see cars pulled over and I don’t want to get a ticket…it’s about the only slow thing I ever do and often get harassed by my wife for driving like an old guy, which I am…she’s a speeder…

I hate being late…even getting to my own office when I can take the whole day off and play golf, which I should do more often…
Keeping people waiting is not my style so I leave with plenty of time to spare in case I get a flat tire or get caught in traffic…this post will surely put a curse on flat tires and I wouldn’t be surprised to get three flats in the next month…

When I got to my office this morning I couldn’t wait to write this blog…
I hurried thru my voice mail and called back the ones I needed to and answered a few important e-mails…I write almost all my blogs straight away with short sentences because it’s faster…

But today, as I was only semi-speeding on the freeway, I thought about reasons I’m always in a hurry...
Could I blame technology and high speed Internet connections that take split seconds to download?
How about my BlackBerry so I can read e-mails before getting to work?
What about having a few books in my briefcase in case I finish reading the one I’m currently reading? I don't to have to hurry to the bookstore for a new book...

Sorry, gotta go now…

Bed in Breakfast

Once upon a time we planned a weekend escape to a Bed & Breakfast place in Cambria, on the coast near Santa Barbara…B & B's in and around Santa Barbara were supposed to be the Mecca of the world and who would want to miss that…
Donas was thrilled to go and looked forward to it …me too…

I forgot the name of the place but it was called something like Miss Molly’s B & B and it was modeled after either a French or English country manor or an authentic log house…I remember the manor was at the end of a long dirt road with four or five private houses in a row, and as we parked our car I saw a man sitting on the front porch next door trying to suppress a laugh…

We were met at the door by Miss Molly (delightfully dressed in bib-overalls) and after checking in she escorted us to our bedroom…the room looked like any other grandmotherly room...I felt like if I touched anything an alarm would go off…I couldn’t help but notice there was no TV and hoped I got to love the smell of potpourri…

After setting our bags down we were escorted to the ‘activity room’ where we found out that Scrabble was the activity…we played for a while as I sipped the vodka I brought in case of an emergency…
We went to town later and had a nice dinner, then came back and hit the sack…

The next morning we went down to breakfast, while all along I thought they served breakfast in bed but that never happened… we found three couples enjoying oatmeal and bran muffins…no eggs, bacon or sour dough toast…I never saw any of the garden fresh bread they were famous for…all these thirty-something’s were wearing walking shoes, hiking boots, backpacks and sweaters tied around their shoulders no doubt dressed for hiking, bike riding, walks on the beach or whatever… no one spoke for a while but eventually the word shopping came up to liven things up for some of the women…others talked about saving water, saving our land, trees, spotted owls and clean air…they’d all be driving hybrid cars these days…

(Good Golly) Miss Molly told us that a gift shop was available on site and antique and gift shops were all over town…later in the afternoon she promised Hors D’oevvres and wine but we missed that…she also pointed out a few books on a shelf, some of which were titled ‘The Beast, the Ghost and the Haunting of Cambria’…my favorite one was titled ‘The Mystery of the Dark Lighthouse’… enchanting novels huh?... …another thing Molly mentioned was to watch out for bears in the area…we walked two days around town but never saw one…

To this day we talk about how romantic it was and how much fun we had…we ate lunches and dinners together with wines, nineteen flavors of iced tea and delicious desserts…she bought quilts and bedspreads that she still has and she bought me a hat…I scored points that weekend and I’m thankful she and I were able to do it…we are living happily ever after…

But I still can’t understand the fascination of B & B’s. We were not senior citizens at the time so maybe it’s something you acquire in time…like the taste for prunes…

Falling for Fall

Every year about this time I start getting antsy about the arrival of fall…
Even if it’s still hot and will be even hotter next month there’s coolness in the morning that’s a sign there’s relief around the corner…

But before taking a trip to your local nursery plan to add some organic matter to your soil that will bring the soil to a rich dark color…mulch it into the soil a good twelve inches or so…not an easy job so you may want to hire a gardener to do it…planting is much easier and more fun...

Now you’ll be about ready to plant but do a little homework before you head out and buy those flats of color for your garden…typical fall annual plants are plentiful…
The list includes the usual multi-colored pansies, snapdragons, petunias and the border plants alyssum, and blue lobelias. Stocks are good for adding fragrance to the bed and don’t forget the ever-popular kale and cabbage…directions for spacing the plant apart are usually in the plant trays...

Don't forget that these plants look swell in pots too...

If you’re caught for time try seeding some annuals to create a nice wildflower bed… a good low maintenance alternative…don’t forget to irrigate and keep weeding until the plants begin to touch and grow together…apply water soluble fertilizers to keep the nutrition up…

I bet you’re like me and can’t wait for fall…

Cheeseburgers In Paradise

Years ago our family took a vacation to Maui with three other couples and almost all our kids…they’ve put up some great golf courses there and not too many parking lots...

We each had a condo overlooking the ocean with the Island of Lanai in the background…
18 people: 8 adults, 10 kids,
4 rental cars…lotsa luggage and golf clubs…
4 golfers, wives and kids (except Julie)...you may have to ask her why she didn't come with us...she was missed...

Golf every other day for 10 days, sometimes 36 holes a day…because we were younger then and the second round usually cost about $20…the first round was around $100…

We teed off around 6:30 so family could sleep in…some mornings they told us they did some research before 'shopping-for-real in the afternoon'…I never figured out what that meant…

Kids would eat breakfast in the condo or sometimes go to MacDonald’s to get away for a smoke or whatever…

While on the course we changed cart partners every time we played so every guy could ride with every other guy and laugh at the ‘other’ guys…we had a blast looking at photos and videos of our golf swings, bad tee shots, out of bounds shots, missed sand bunker shots and missed short putts on Bermuda grass greens, but mostly at the clothes and hats we wore… of course on every shot we commented how great the drives were...liars, but golfers do that...but no one lied about scores...we watched each other like Sea Eagles...we had small bets going all the time...What a life… It was so good!

We ate dinner out every night…

Di Lallo rule 15 B…cooking dinner on vacation is not allowed…

(except when we were camping and we’d given that up long ago)

But there was a problem with all this happiness happening…
Come dinner time, with so many people deciding where to eat, the most difficult task was coming up with a restaurant at costs suitable for everyone…

On the second or third night, needing to eliminate these nightly decisions when we were all starving to death, one of us selected a restaurant and if others wanted to go along they did…

Mama’s Fish House was our favorite place and we ate there a few times but not as often as we would have liked to...

On non-golf days and in the afternoons we’d drive around the island to Lahaina, Haleakala Crater, the Road to Hana, and pineapple plantations…

For lunch on these days (and many evenings) cheeseburger joints were the favorite…was waaaay cheaper than fancy restaurants and hotels...

We have maintained long lasting relationships with these friends…we get together once or twice a year...kids didn't want to go when they were younger and they wouldn’t come along now unless we bought…and the guys still play golf together…We still laugh with and at each other and always have great times…

A way with words...

By Andy Rooney, a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words.

I've learned....That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned....That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.....That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned....That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned.....That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned.... That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned..... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them..

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

My Man Manny

Saturday Julie's taking me to the Dodger game where they're selling Manny WIGS..

I'm getting one for her and me...

25 good things...and other stuff I love...yeah, golf too

Pasta and meatballs

Chocolate cake, carrot cake, cake

Apple pie a la mode

Custard pie

Peanut butter and avocado on toast

Peanut butter and banana on toast

Peanut butter cookies

Banana splits

Peaches and cream

Cantaloupe with ice cream

Hot Meatball sandwiches

Chinese and Japanese food…

Corn on the cob…

Sushi and sashimi

Driving up Highway 1 to Pebble Beach

A long drive on the first hole

Long straight drives

Short putts for par

Getting up early, reading a book or the LA Times with a few cups of coffee

Fresh made corn tortillas at El Torito

Shrimp cocktails

Oysters, clams and lobster

Chicken salad sandwiches...yum!

Garlic bread, ciopino and vodka in S.F.

Sourdough bread and wine in S.F.

What are your faves Gina and Julie?

SUNDAY, SUNDAY

A blogger who plays by whatever rules or book is not what any of us want in blogs…it’s just entertainment… but I have to admit having taken a few liberties for the sake of passing time...
It's too quiet around here...

I Miss Bum and wish I could be in Hawaii with her and Sarah, Tony, Elijah and Sunny…
It’s Sunday and after doing some office work for a while watching Golf, Angels and Dodgers my remote’s on fire… It’s impossible for me to sit and watch TV for more than an hour at a time…I’m also reading a brand new author, Nelson De Mille…he’s been writing for thirty years and has a long shelf of books at bookstores waiting for me…several of my book reading buddies have recommended him…

Its still way too quiet…

I visited my Mom at the home this morning; I brought a dozen assorted tasty-looking doughnuts and a few of her favorite jelly-filled that she thumbed her nose at…it was the first time in a while that those jelly ones didn’t bring a smile to her face…the other patients ate theirs like they were going out of style…

Gina, Logan and I are eating at El Torito tonight and I’m looking forward to a Cadillac margarita and a beer…usually joining us are Julie, Allison and Thatcher but two of them are ten or twelve thousand miles away and Thatch is surfing with his Dad down in Baja…

Manny Ramirez just hit his second Dodger homer and the crowd is going nuts…Dodgers 6, D-Backs 3 in the fifth…
V.J. just won the golf tournament…
The Angels lost to the Yanks earlier…

OH! Congrats to my niece Tina for a brand new daughter Ava Inez…I love her name!... I met Ava yesterday at Kaiser hospital in Irvine where it took me a long time to find her room…I walked the halls of the third floor and there was no one around to ask…I finally spotted a janitor lady who gave me directions…she said the hospital makes it difficult so newborns can’t easily be stolen…

p.s. I ate one of the jelly doughnuts in front of my mom...she didn't say a word...