Moon Pies and Magic

Last week in Mendocino, I kept blabbing on to B about my grandpa. There’s just something about that beautiful little town that makes me feel his presence.  The picture above is my grandpa and that’s me with my grandma below.  Even back then, I had my nose in a book.

My grandpa was the best man I have ever known.  Loving, smart, quietly confident, playful, loyal and incredibly kind.  I’m going to marry a man like my grandpa.  Men of San Francisco: the standards are high!

Anyway, B and I sat on the balcony under the stars drinking wine and eating chocolate pot de crème our last night in Mendocino.  The couple in the room next door were celebrating their 35^th wedding anniversary.  They were super sweet and clearly very happy.  It felt like such a magical evening and even more so when the couple walked over from their adjoining balcony to give us moon pies.  I nearly fell out of my chair b/c it’s the same treat I used to have with my grandpa over 30 years ago.  I didn’t even realize they made moon pies outside of the South!

It was just a beautiful reminder that if your eyes are open, there’s love and magic all around you.  Don & Mary…wishing you another happy 35 years together!

You Can Take the Girl Out of the Country…

But you can’t take the country out of the girl.  As cliché as it is, this statement is so true for me.  My time in Mendocino the past couple of months has proven it like never before.

I want to drive down winding country roads.  I want to smell fresh cut grass.  I want to hear the crunch of gravel under my feet as I walk down the drive way.  I want to hear the cicadas singing in the summer heat.  I want to sit on the front porch with a glass of lemonade (okay let’s be real…a glass of pinot noir) and wave to the neighbors as they stroll by.

I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to do just that all last week.  It was the best week of 2013.  And while I’m a tad sad to say goodbye to my holiday, I’m excited because something tells me the rest of this year is only going to get better and better.  Bring it on!

Dance Like No One’s Watching

I dance every single day in my kitchen.  It’s usually in the morning.  These days it’s to Taylor Swift’s Red album, but it doesn’t take any particular tunes to get me moving.

Last Friday I went out dancing at a club for the first time in four years.  I can’t believe I let such a long time pass before doing something so simple that brings me so much joy.  While the music at Mighty wasn’t exactly my favorite, it really didn’t matter.  From the moment I started dancing, I couldn’t stop smiling.  And I really haven’t stopped all week long.  Of course, it helps to have a dance partner who you absolutely adore.

I recently heard someone conjecture that most mental illness could be eliminated by dancing for an hour a day.  While I doubt this is true in all cases, I think there’s something to it.  Next time I get in a funk, I’ll be turning up the tunes and shaking my groove thang.

p.s.  Orelia got a haircut over the weekend.  Is she gorgeous or what?!

Off the Grid

I’m excited to get out of town and relax before starting a new consulting assignment.  To make sure I’m fully recharged, I’m going off the grid for an entire week and taking a break from all things digital…even posting to this blog.

Have a great weekend and see you in a week!

Smells Like Spring

I’m loving the glorious smell of spring blooms all around the neighborhood these days.  With just a couple of days before a week long vacation, I definitely have a case of spring fever.  Hope it’s as beautiful in your neighborhood today!

This Plus That

Brunch Outside at Cafe Des Amis + Dinner with B and melt-in-your-mouth arctic char at Bar Crudo + Laughing until I cried with my BFF in Mill Valley + Screen printing class at Workshop SF + Dutch Masters exhibit at de Young Museum = a very happy weekend

Make Someone Happy

{Orelia: Thanks for making me happy every single day!}

I was in a bit of a slump a few weeks ago.  I knew I needed to make a change, but couldn’t really put my finger on it.  I had too much time on my hands and spent most of it worrying.  And it finally hit me…the problem was that I was focusing on myself way too much.

So I did a few simple things to help others.  Nothing big.  A small donation here, a phone call there to a friend in transition and a handwritten letter to the little girl I sponsor via Christian Foundation for Children and Aging in Tanzania.  Can you believe I was holding off on writing her back because I was embarrassed to tell her that I was single?  She had asked about my family; and I held off on responding to a child because of something so ridiculous.  So I wrote that letter and told her all about Orelia…if she’s not family, then I don’t know who is.

Doing those little things brought me so much joy and clarity.  I not only could see what I needed to do next in my life, but I was in a much better emotional state to actually do it.  It’s amazing how making others happy is the fastest ticket to making myself happy.  If only I had known this years ago.  But alas, life is a journey.   And as a wise woman once said (aka Oprah)…when you know better, you do better.  Cheers to doing better every single day.