SATC

Sex and the City opens up tonight at Midnight at Livermore’s local Cinema West theatre, I can’t wait. I won’t be going to the midnight viewing but I can’t wait to go tomorrow. I can’t wait.

Homemade Donuts

I made homemade donuts today using canned biscuits and some oil. After watching my friend make donuts over 6 months ago, I completely forgot to try them out until I watched Paula Deen make them earlier this week.
It’s all about trial and error. I am sure that if I had Peanut oil they would taste better than using canola oil. I wanted the peanut oil since it has better resistence to heat and the oil wouldn’t scald my little pot (scubbing action needed) but all I had was vegetable or canola and Peanut oil is a lot more expensive. So, I used the oil that I had. Also, I made 4 donuts and 4 donut holes. I made a chocolate frosting for two donuts and it was too thin. I then made an orange frosting for the other two donuts and it was the right consistency and it was really good. The 4 donut holes got a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.
My diet today was not that great but if I am walking everynight, it really doesn’t matter, plus my clothes are not getting tighter which is a good thing.

a very relaxing Memorial Day weekend

A good thing about leaving for a long weekend on a friday and returning home on a Saturday evening….., I still got to enjoy a relatively long weekend (Sunday and today).

Sunday- I woke up and was lazy all morning, putting away little piles of things, trying to straighten up here and there.
I left to go to my friend Cindy’s house to make some much needed cards. I was able to make 8 cards- 2 for my Mom, 1 for my Mother in law, 1 for my friend Jason, 1 for my friend Juli, 1 for Pete, 1 for my friend Kat, and 1 for my friend out of state. I even addressed them, and wrote messages on the inside. All of them took about 3 hours. 3 hours to get inspired, 3 hours to find all the material, making cards takes time but not as long as making a scrapbook.
Left Cindy’s around 5:45 pm. I had a BBQ to attend to at 6 pm in Livermore with my husband. It is after all Memorial Day weekend. Isn’t that what you are suppose to do? Hang out with friends, BBQ, have fun?

Monday-
Today was a completely lazy day. Woke up, watched TV, went back to bed, got up, ate, watched TV, took a nap, got up, watched more TV, ate dinner, finished up a movie, watched more TV, worked on the computer and now I am going to finish reading my book and go to bed. My husband did the same thing but watched TV in a different room, ate, slept on the couch, ate, slept on the couch, etc.
A very relaxing day and my husband needed it more than I did.

32 hours of trying to see everyone

Within 24 hours of being in Sacramento, I got to see a big chunk of friends…. . I drove up on Friday mid morning and then came home the following night
FRIDAY
1 pm- had lunch at Garcia’s with Beth
3 pm- got to see my friend Gina graduate from Sac State, dinner followed. I got to meet her Mom too. Such a resemblence.
7 pm- went over to Juli’s house to “take care” of things
8:30 pm- met up with Ms. Rigg’s to stay over at her place.
SATURDAY
Went with Riggs to Juli’s place to find some clothes for her, for her Dad’s funeral and services.
12 pm- went to my old stomping grounds for lunch “Boston Market” for some Mac n cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy and some garlic butter spinach- SO GOOD!
1 pm- went to visit with my friend Bruce, his wife Su and their new son Tyler- such a handsome little guy. Bruce will be a “great” Dad.
2:30 pm- drove over to see Pete and his Wife (Elsa’s) new home (3 weeks new) in Sacramento. They have a great size lot 1/3 of an acre, great property and a cute 2 bedroom 1 bath house. Big yard for their dog, a pool, 2 fruit trees and a 1 bedroom, 1 bath casita in the backyard. Lots of potential for this home. Pete looked really happy. I am happy for him.
5 pm- went to Gina’s place to have dinner with her and her Mom. We went to Tower Cafe’ for some good eats- Pomme Frittes, corn chowder, Vegetable Fried Spring Rolls, and of course dessert- Gina had the blackberry, kiwi Tart and I had the strawberry rhubarb crisp. So GOOD! So stuffed too, I might add. After dinner, her Mom went to her other daughter’s place to hang out. This gave Gina and I the opportunity to hang out. I helped her move things around, I saw her living “jungle” which Bella likes. She showed me her new/old bathroom with the new decor and rugs. We even went shopping at Target to grab a few items she needed for the BBQ on tomorrow (Sunday). I left for the road a little later than anticipated.
9 pm- head home

I wanted to comfort but she wasn’t here

My friend Juli, her Dad passed away this morning and I am driving up to Sacramento to be with her but I know she won’t be at home. She drove up to see him and her Mom early this friday morning. I want to comfort her like she has comforted me while at my Dad’s funeral. In due time- probably within the week I will be able to be with her.
I will however be able to help out with the little things at her place- feed her cats, give them love, play with them, put away things. She left in such a rush, not giving herself a chance to do the basic things around the house.

Didn’t want to wake up

It was just for a moment, actually I don’t know how long it was, I was dreaming. Time almost stands still when you are dreaming and this time I got my moment, my big bear hug, the look I have been waiting for. To stare into his eyes that were full of life again, filled with love, filled with color, he was laughing, I was crying as I hugged him, kept hugging him. I don’t know how old I was, I don’t know how old he saw me as, I didn’t care. I didn’t see my Mom or my brother in this dream, I saw my Dad and my Mom’s parents, that is all that really mattered because they are gone. I greeted my grandparents with my typical “manopo” and then proceeded to give them big bear hugs but not too tight, they were a lot older but so much younger from when they died. I almost felt like I was the current age I am now (33) but they were so much younger, it was bizarre and strange and I didn’t want to wake up. I see my Dad standing in the middle of the room talking to his brother in laws, laughing, full of life. It’s like watching an old home movie or re-living an old party or looking through old photographs. This was one of the old home movies or one of the old photograph’s that I have seen or flipped through since my Dad’s passing. I am distracted by his presence and I slough by other family members whose faces I can’t see. I think I am the same age, because I can see eye to eye with him. In my dream, I know I am dreaming therefore, I didn’t really care what his thoughts are because I wanted to look into those eyes. (Let me take you back to reality, I have this memory that I can’t shake. It’s after my Dad had passed, I went to say goodbye to him one last time before the mortuary were to pick him up. To see him one last time as his true self, without all the mortuary makeup. I am not being morbid here, it’s the truth and this is the image I can’t shake. His mouth was open and his eyes were open. Before he died, there was life behind those eyes that I had witnessed one last time on Feb. 6th, 2008 from 7 am – 11 am. This time as I give him a gentle big hug but not a big bear hug, his body is small, fragile, bones, very saddening, his face is thin, his eyes, I can’t get over his eyes. It’s lifeless, like a coloring book, and you just colored in the eyes with a dark grey crayon, that’s the image I can’t shake. I wondered why I even looked at times, why didn’t I just give him a hug, why did I have to look into those eyes that I knew were dead. It’s really tough. At times I wish I could go back, but I don’t regret any action I took during the last month and 3 days of life after diagnosis). Back to my dream, I stare at him for what I think is over a minute, looking at all the features of his once full face. I say “I love you Daddy”, he says “I know”, I hug him and place my nose next to his neck. I get in a big breath of his after shave “English Leather aftershave” (his favorite). I rub his back and I give a big squeeze, he reciprocates. I can’t remember if I am still crying but time is standing still and I love the feeling of his hug. My Dad was unable on numerous times to reciprocate any hugs once he was admitted into the hospital on January 18th, 2008, he either had tubes in both arms to where they couldn’t be lifted, too weak to sit forward (January 26th) or the cancer would make him cough profusely and possible throw up or the mask he wore for his respiratory therapy (to get more oxygen and to help heal his pneumonia) would get in the way of hugs or kisses. Next thing I remember in my dream, I am giving my Mom’s parents hugs and kisses as if I just gotten to the family party. I told them I missed them. They said “I know”, like they were just ghosts in my dreams unlike my Dad’s comment. I wake up and I try to go back to that party, back to my Dad, back to the big hug, the smell of English leather. But I can’t, I am awake, but I feel blessed that I was able to dream about my Dad, my grandparents.
I have been waiting so long to see a glimmer, an image, to get a hug for just a moment in a dream and I finally got it. I want more!

Dog, Cat, Rat….. my Mom sent this to me :)

to hit a record breaking 100 degrees or more today

I can’t find my bathing suit. Once I find that, I can go over to my brother in law’s and use his pool.
Today is the first day of the Farmer’s Market which starts at 3 pm. Plus, it’s Thirsty Thursdays but I won’t be drinking any wine today, especially with this weather and a truck that currently does not have any air conditioning.
It’s only 1:30 in the afternoon and it’s 96 degrees. I think it will be over a 100 today. I just turned off the A/C which was on by default and hopefully I can wait until later to turn it back on.
It’s times like this I wish I were working in an A/C controlled building.

eating twice a day within 3 hours is bad for you

Isn’t anything more than a moderate serving bad for you especially in a short amount of time?

Mother’s Day:
12:30 pm- arrive at brother in law’s house for some togo sandwhiches, salads, dips, soda, and brownies.
Depart at 2:45 pm.

Arrive 3:20 pm at my cousin’s house: just in time to have some juice and dessert. My husband and I waited until at least 5 pm to dig into the leftover food of ponsit, BBQ chicken, Kilbasa, fresh fruit, Shrimp, and rice. So stuffed at this point. Waited another half hour before encountering upon my brother’s cherry pie and some homemade chocholate cookies.

I was so stuffed when I left the party.

getting some fuel for the road

Before my friends left on Sunday to go home, we made a pit stop around the corner from my house: Country Waffles to be exact. They were surprised that this little place was so close to home. This place is on a corner in a shopping center so one would not expect a country waffles to be in this location.
Any hoo- we put our names in and enjoyed breakfast on the “bar”- just us 5 ladies while my hungover husband slept in.
Nothing like eggs, hashbrowns and toast to jump start your morning and to provide fuel for the road ahead.
Jennifer was taking Gina to the BART station so she can meet “Chow” in the city for some “Chow Fun”. Then, Jennifer, Juli and Nicole are driving the Richmond to drop off Nicole at her families house for their get together. Then, Jennifer drops off Juli and then Jennifer gets to go home.
This is why fuel is needed for the road…… long road trip home.