matanzas creek winery...

i went here with my photography group on sunday. i had an amazing time.

memories...

in the early 70s...i was living in japan...and my brother and i got to see the jackson 5. what a treat that was!!!



i've been a fan of the jackson family since the beginning...and in addition to all the michael memorabilia shown in the photo...i also have music by janet, jermaine & even latoya.

michael jackson ~ one of a kind.

REST IN PEACE!

gone too soon!

disposable income...

i'm taking control!!!

today was the first day that i actually went into a store and came out with only the items i went inside to pick up in the first place.

i'm an impulse shopper.

the racks near the checkout counter were put there for me!

it's like they have a neon sign flashing...buy me...buy me...you know you wanna!!!




well...this morning...i forgot my lunch at home.

i thought of going to the mall to do a little 'looking' and pick up some lunch. but...i went to the grocery store instead.



i walked directly to the deli. bought the sandwich meal deal (comes with chips & a drink for $7.50)...and got the heck outta dodge! why? cause i know me.

when the guy behind the counter asked if i wanted the meal deal...i said 'yes'. if i had gone off wandering about the store to get items to go with my sandwich...who knows what i would have ended up purchasing.

oh...and there's a starbucks inside the store also. i took a few steps towards it. stopped myself because i already had my beverage. *see sentence two paragraphs up that said i bought the sandwich meal deal.



besides...i already have beverages in the refrigerator under my desk at work. lots of beverages. i also have some nibbles inside...that i could have had for lunch...but...i mean...i needed to spend some money.

signs of summer...

in my garden. finally.

i'm also growing tomatoes, pumpkins, green beans, beets, jalapenos, collards, and i can't remember what else; and lots of flowers & lots of herbs.

strawberries...


eight-ball zucchini...


anaheim chilis...


sunflowers...

me time...

i love saturdays! i get to sleep in...though i usually don't; and...i don't have to do anything that i don't want to do.

oh...sometimes i make plans...but...i usually regret it.

don't get me wrong...i like doing things with my friends...at the spur of the moment. what don't i like? agreeing to be someplace a few months from now...and suddenly...the event is now!

i mean...to say that in november i'll come to your FITB (fill in the blank)...sounds great...in june! but...the closer the date actually gets...the more my mind starts trying to come up with ways that i can get out of whatever it is i agreed to do.

so now. i don't make plans. i don't agree to do anything! and if you force a response...know that i might not show.

so...today was one of those 'half-hearted' plan days.

my daughter was in town...and was going to a wedding in sf. since she was leaving sunday to go back to ny...wasn't staying the night in the city...or at a friends...she asked for a ride. since i'd not been to sf for a bit...it was a good excuse to go play tourist. with my newest glass in hand...i hit the road.

so...here's a link to my saturday adventures.

oh...and i planned to go to the movies...but...i scratched that. besides...sooner or later...pelham 123 will be on the tele. as a matter of fact...it was on sunday night...but i guess i wasn't really interested...because i didn't watch it. besides...that wasn't the right 'version'.

tuscan lemon chicken...

i knew i wanted to make this recipe when i saw the photon in the cookbook. i was not disappointed. it was delicious!

click here for the recipe.

farmer's market photos...

i had a great time at the farmer's market on saturday. i went to pick up some fresh produce & to take a few photos.

i have a little granny cart that i picked up at the airport a few months ago that i took with me so that i wouldn't have to carry everything. i'm glad i took it...cause i bought a lot more than i'd planned to buy.

i bought quite a few nectarines & peaches...which i plan to grill on sunday...to go with a new chicken recipe i'll be trying out. i also bought some green beans...to go with the ones i picked from my yard.

well...i've got a lot more reading i should be doing...so i've got to get off of this computer.


veggies...


artist...


father & sons...


clownin'...


harold beaulieu...

birthday wishes...

june 3, 2009. my 52nd birthday!

i always celebrate my birthday for a couple of weeks. i don't make plans...as i prefer to just do whatever i feel like doing vs. having to do something because its been planned...then going thru with it and feeling downright miserable! i don't do that anymore!



so...even though i didn't take the day off from work...i had a great day! i was scheduled to be at a meeting all day...so...i pretty much spent the day sitting in a conference room...where there was a non-stop parade of food ~ bagels & fruit for breakfast, lasagna & salad for lunch, cookies & then a cake.



the meeting was very productive; however, once i got out of the meeting...i had family & friends to talk to...emaills to return...and a birthday to celebrate!

i hadn't spoken to anyone in my family...and i was missing my birthday greetings. when my mother calls...i just hold the phone and wait for the singing to commence. she doesn't just sing the 'regular' happy birthday song...you get a medley.



at 52...i'm pretty set in my ways. i have quite a few hobbies...but not enough hours to enjoy them all. i've contemplated a schedule...but what would be the fun in that. i've been paying for my gym membership for years...but have only started going in the past year...and am finding that i enjoy it. i used to read more books than i do now...but lately...i mainly read tweets.

so...in my 53rd year...i'll continue doing most of what i've done in the past...and see if i can uncover a few more hours in the day to tackle some of my newest hobbies.

now...it's time for a glass of bubbly. cheers!