m a y . 2 0 2 6

 looking forward to lots of spring activities. 

     the admins at work had one more gathering for admin professionals month.  we went to the opening day early afternoon performance of the new Miranda movie!  I had never been to this theater before but it's a cute little upscale theater with a nice bar!  parking is terrible!  while it wasn't made specifically for the movie, the bartender recommended a delightful bright red berry margarita.  the popcorn bucket purse was insanely overpriced, but I've received a couple of recognition bucks, so I used that to purchase it :-)  i met some admins I've not met before, and we had a delightful time! 

     we watched the Kentucky Oaks over dinner and my #9 horse won! 

     took a trip to Woodland to have lunch and a long catch-up conversation with old high school friend Kermit.  we spent four hours eating at a cute bistro with outdoor seating, watching the town go by, reminiscing about old days, and catching up on the present ones.  he also gave me his art deco era throne since he no longer has room for it.  in 1980 he took a picture of me sitting in it.  I promised I would take a present day version photo sitting the same way!  we talked about our friend Robert too and I promised to connect them both. 

     on the way home I was able to catch the race coverage and heard about the first woman trainer, and only the ninth jockey to win the Oaks and Derby in the same weekend!  my #9 horse was a scratch.

     when I told Robert I had the throne, he said he wanted to get the picture too!!  ahh. so many fond memories of those times long ago.   the following day, Robert reached out to Kermit and they had a long catch-up over the phone (since he's in Oregon).  both said it was 'just like old times' and were grateful I helped make the connection.  we will try to meet up when Robert drives down here for Memorial Day!

     some years May the Fourth sneaks up on me, but this year, I remembered to pull out my shirt!

a p r i l . 2 0 2 6

the showers of April have started!

     here in Cali it's raining but on the Space Coast it was a great day for a moon launch of Artemis II! 

     the roses were blooming, enough to bring in the house. 

     for Easter, neither of us had energy to cook, so we enjoyed a country baked ham, their Mac & cheese and green beans, and we baked yams.  I also made the cream cheese apple cake that was so good at the last holiday. 

    

     for admin professionals day my team got me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, as well as $50 for a food delivery service!  a local golf event company gave admins a free afternoon party where we could tour their facility, nosh on some good food, drink some no-jitos (mojitos with no rum) and play a little golf!  it was challenging but fun to get a club in my hands again.  I did ache in every bone in my body by the time I got home though. 

m a r c h . 2 0 2 6

celebrating two years

     it was two years ago that I began my cancer journey.  while many people who have never traveled this path think that the major part of the journey is over - surgery and chemo - they have no idea the ordeals that the preventive cancer meds can cause.  and the physicians who counsel you before-hand leave that part out.  granted, it is necessary if you want to survive, but only my sisters in my support group know the breadth of discomfort that we all endure as we travel this five to ten year road.  

     last month I attended the celebration of life for two beautiful people who died too young.  on the first day of this month I heard that another theater friend, closer to my age, lost her battle with pancreatic cancer.  we all thought, if anyone can beat this she can.  but we were all sorely mistaken.  Cancer ain't for sissies, and as my mom would say, "she was tough as old boots."  our theater ghost light is shining a little dimmer today. 

     the Synagogue where I attended the Shaloha dinner last year was performing a Wicked Purim Shpiel this year that I just had to attend!  after making Butter Chicken for us for dinner, I rushed out to drive across town to see the merriment!  it was tremendous!!

     I took the train to the bay area one day to attend the going away lunch for my manager.  the train was held up on the trip down by periods of slow-down so that commercial trains hauling products took their right-of-way.  I was nearly an hour late so met my colleagues at the restaurant.  luckily I was able to get work done while on the train, so it wasn't a total loss.  I had painted a small 6x6 inch painting of the front of our building, with the dates of her years of service, and gave it to her at the lunch.  I had a delicious Asian salad with teriyaki salmon that was so good, I decided to try making it at home!  After hitching a ride to the office with a co-worker, I checked in with my colleagues in Security, and then caught a rideshare back to the train station for the next nearly four hour, delayed again, ride back home. 

     Friday the Thirteenth Craig needed me to take him to the ER.  it turned out he had an infection that was causing dizziness and loss of leg strength.  after 36 hours of IV fluids and meds, he was released to go home on his birthday.  I had made the Asian slaw with teriyaki Steelhead Trout that I had enjoyed earlier, and my version was just as tasty! 

     over these two days Joyce did FaceTimes with each of us, and during one of them Finn showed off that he could stand up!  I just love that even though we're not there with him, we can still enjoy his growing activities from afar over video <3  

     one of our African Daisies is doing great after three seasons but the other one dwindled and died.  I decided it might be a good time to plant a Lantana, the color is Fiesta Limonada.  that way the yellow and pink motif will carry on when this blooms. 

     we also have buds on the orange and lemon trees!  the lime is only leafing right now. 

     the next evening we watched the Oscars, and I made lamb chops with a pineapple liqueur salsa topping, plus Mexican street corn salad.  easy and delicious, and not too strenuous given all the other activities I've done this weekend.  

     on St. Patrick's Day I did all the food prep again.  I baked the corned beef with a honey mustard glaze, and added carrots, baby potatoes and chard during the last 30 minutes of cooking.  I also made a Guinness chocolate cake for dessert and for a late birthday cake.  it tasted great with a scoop of rum raisin ice cream too! 

     the following day, our team was meeting for a team lunch at the cafeteria, so I went in early, attended an on-site vendor fair and participated in a "women at Intel" sponsor panel.  I caught up on work from a conference room, then met the team at the cafe and had an enjoyable lunch. 

     I asked Joyce if there were any items on her wish list for Finn's birthday that she didn't receive and would really like.  she mentioned that it would be cool if he had a ukulele to go with his percussion instruments and kazoo.  I found an inexpensive one that plays and had it shipped to them.  she sent video of him plucking the strings with the attached pick.  hopefully this will inspire a love of music if not the desire to also play something as he gets older!  

     as Passover is approaching, I found a juvenile Hagadah online and printed it out for Finn.  I also found a Charoset recipe for Joyce, since that was her favorite part of Pesach.  even if she doesn't celebrate it with a seder this year, she will be armed with a few things she can introduce over time as Finn gets older.  I mailed both of them to Joyce so she would have in time for the holiday. 

     I also found a recipe that was for an actual sourdough starter!  since I killed the last "store-bought" starter, I think it would be great if I have a way to start my own.  it took about six days for the ingredients to bloom into the substance I want to make some sourdough bread!  success!  

     I texted my old high school friend Kermit on his birthday.  I had found a current phone number for him online, and it matched the last number I had for him, so I took a chance.  we had a wonderful back and forth over text until mid-afternoon.  he's had some health issues, but is still chugging along enjoying life, and is in good hands as far as his health is concerned.  one can only ask for that when one is alone. 

     over the last weekend of the month I would be traveling out of town, so I got a rental car.  each time I request a compact, the team at my go-to pick-up spot always upgrade me, this time to a lovely and comfortable Buick Encore.  on the Saturday, I made a batch of hummus, using the recipe I used before.  it's so nice to be able to whip up a batch in 5 minutes, and know exactly what is in my hummus!  I also worked for two hours to make lemon marmalade from the Meyer Lemons on our tree.  there were seven from the last crop, and I wanted to use them before the new flowers started producing fruit.  I spent about an hour first peeling the outer skin off to julienne, then separating the seeds and pith from the fruit segments.  I cooked the fruit and peels separate from the pith and seeds so I could easily strain the pectin from those throwaway parts.  I wanted to add a little extra zing so I picked some mint from the garden, and minced that with some sugar in my mini-food-processor.  I also added some minced ginger, the only store-bought ingredient besides the sugar.  seven lemons yielded me about 5 cups of delicious marmalade!  

     Joyce texted us two videos of Finn walking! with help, holding onto a wall, and pushing a sturdy walking wagon.  Joyce was 13 months when she walked too! 

     on the Sunday, I traveled to the event in San Francisco.  it was an uneventful drive, driving in over the bay bridge, and then leaving for home going over the golden gate.  I always try to go over this spectacular span any time I can build the detour into my drive time schedule.  it was a gorgeous day in the city, and I took a few pics out and about on the way to the event.  on the way home I made another detour at the dinner hour and had delicious Chinese food at a tiny restaurant on the outskirts of Davis. 

  

  

  

     on the last day of the month as I was enjoying lunch, I noticed a bloom on each of the rose bushes.  when I went outside, there were five buds and blooms on the QEII and one bud on the Disneyland rose.  I cut three off the QEII so I could enjoy them at my workstation in my home office.  

f e b r u a r y . 2 0 2 6

 lead-up to a one year birthday!

     wish we could see our little man in person, but Joyce keeps us well stocked in pictures.  as sick as I've been - turns out I got a wicked case of viral bronchitis - it's good that we aren't around him as regularly as Mama had been with Joyce.  this bronchitis has clung to me for three weeks so far!  finally got an appointment with my doctor to see what it really might be ...

     I didn't watch very much of the SBLX going on in the Sili-Valley.  I can watch the good commercials online before the event; and I was not invested in either team as a fan.  if anything, I would have loved if they both could lose.  but the simple fact that the NFC kept the cheat-riots from a record setting win was a WIN!  so there is that.  

     this also, was wonderful to see:

     I watched the half time show the next day after I read a couple of online descriptions of what the various scenarios were.  I must say, even without understanding the language I loved the awesome danceable music throughout.  I've got no complaints  :-)

     after my doctor visit - complete with chest x-ray and a covid shot - turns out I don't have walking pneumonia - which was a real concern.  I just have to tough it out until the virus is done. 

     while driving home I couldn't help but notice this beautiful tulip tree in full bloom!  I shared its purple loveliness with my sister. 

     and at home, or lovely Peace Lily has bloomed again. 

     I cooked shrimp scampi for Valentines dinner.  I also prepped ingredients to take to a support group potluck brunch the next day, but at some point I reached or leaned and somehow pinched a nerve that made moving any body part extremely painful.  I didn't get to the brunch, but here are pics of the scampi and the Pink Ribbon Lox Bagels, made with home made pink pickle ribbons on salmon cream cheese, capers, red onions, all on mini bagels.  

     instead of the brunch I did watch the annual race at the Daytona track.  it was nice to see someone new win, and in a crazy final with crashes and no yellow flag! 

     between the bronchitis and the pinched nerve issue, I missed several band practices.  I hope Ron doesn't kick me off the team!  

     mid-month, my manager broke the news that she would be leaving the company for a very good opportunity.  much sadness was expressed by everyone who works with her, as she really is just THE best!  I will still be supporting a VP, so my title is not in jeopardy, and our little team will learn to struggle along without her somehow.  

     even still grappling with pain from the pinched nerve, I pulled myself together to attend the celebration of life for our dear friends Stacia and Andrew, in Menlo Park at a country club that Craig is very familiar with!  each leg of the journey was three hours, but with heated seats in the Jeep rental, that was made so much more bearable.  the ceremony was scheduled for two hours, but with lingering and catching up, I was there for four hours as the cleaning crew was moving in to shut us down.  I saw so many beloved members of our theater families, and met a few more that I've never had the opportunity to run across.  **  the following day, I suppose they waited to make the announcement not to conflict, one of our favorite theater companies that had just celebrated their 60th anniversary, announced they would be closing.  the hits just keep coming.  the arts in the sili-valley are not as appreciated as they had been when the greedy buzzards weren't in charge.  

     I had made this reservation long before the events of yesterday, so I had no opportunity of changing to another date.  I went to a virtual reality showing called Titanic Experience.  one can see between these panels that the floor looks like a basketball court.  there are no impediments anywhere, everything is "seen" using the VR headsets.  

     for groups, they give you a boarding group so you can all "travel" together.  I was alone, so I had the various crew members all to myself.  here was my official boarding pass! 

     I dressed a little bit posh, knowing that it was a part of the experience.  I love this comfortable flowing dress which matches a shawl I crochet'd many years ago.  the images are of the sepia ship in harbor, and the undersea view of her slowly disintegrating undersea remains.  I even wore sparkly shoes that one of the tech crew who helped with fitting and adjusting the headsets commented about how lovely they were.  I said, "of course I dressed for the cruise!"  we had had a bit of a delay when I got there, as they were having technical issues.  I made sure to thank them for their hard work in getting everything back on line.   

     if you are having a virtual experience, you may as well get the AI photo as proof you were there.  here I am as Admiral Ana! 

     I'm not sure what purpose these serve but I assume it is part of the VR canvas that keeps everyone on track and not bumping into each other.  the "scariest" moment I had in the whole experience was the setting where we were walking down two flights of stairs - and I had to keep telling myself "I'm on a flat floor" so I wouldn't over-compensate and fall down!  I didn't have any of the motion sickness that I've had in the past on such rides as Star Tours. 

     toward the end of the month I had a volunteer opportunity through work to attend the final dress rehearsal preview with several of my co-workers.  we were asked to watch the show and attend the talk-back with the cast so they could have feedback before going into opening night and the rest of their performances.  it was at one of my favorite little theaters, in downtown old Folsom, and the play was Murder on the Orient Express.  it truly was quite enjoyable and I was blown away by the performances of Poirot and Bouque, the lead men.  and considering that all the actors have California accents and they all maintained another character accent throughout their performances - bravo everyone!  I've signed up to attend future preview/talk-backs through our volunteer portal.