Trials

Two days before hosting the third family reunion my windshield was smashed in along with the hood at BART. I left work early the day before the reunion to have it repaired in front of my house. A week or so before my vacation there was an attempted theft of my car at BART. I had to have a locksmith come to the house and repair the ignition. On Labor Day I was accused of casing a house while looking for a new family to invite them to the neighborhood HOA BBQ and the irate man was insulting. On top of that the female officer was rude and insulting to me as well. Then the day before 9/11 my car was stolen from in front of my house. I've been attending temple sessions on Saturday for 22 months, attend church on Sunday, and live my life. Life happens.

9/11 Tenth Anniversary

Ten years ago today America was attacked by cowards and defended by heroes in planes and buildings. My flag is flying. God bless America. My day began by listening to Tom Brokaw narrate for The Spoken Word and Mormon Tabernacle Choir 9/11 tribute on KOIT at 7:30 and ended with a tribute to 9/11 heroes at the Temple Hill Choir and San Francisco State University Handbell Choir concert at the LDS chapel on Decoto Road in Fremont with Sheila driving us there. They were both so beautiful.

"I love people like you."

That's what I was told today at the San Francisco Symphony Birthday Bash at Civic Center when a woman asked me if my hat was for sale or if I'd done it myself. My hot pink pointy birthday hat with fringe was decorated with 100 YEARS to celebrate the symphony's centennial. People were taking pictures of me. What a grand celebration on a fine summer's day in the city with free Ghirardelli sundaes, chocolate, 100-Year bottles, drawings, and great music! Thank you beautiful San Francisco. Mayor Ed Lee declared it San Francisco Symphony Day in the city.

Three of Us Went Camping--Me, Myself and I

For a full week from August 27 to September 2 I enjoyed a glorious solo camping experience at Mt. Shasta. These pictures were taken by some nice Oregonians I met at Castle Lake where I spent a full day hiking the right side of the lake, eating lunch in my boat, swimming, journaling and reading until 7 p.m. I rented a kayak three times and covered Lake Siskiyou, swam, hiked the left side of the lake, hiked the Burr Trail and picnicked twice near Sisson Museum, walked the main street after shopping Trading Places dollar trunk, picked blackberries, was told a shortcut to the library over a meadow covered with fields of wild sweet peas using a wooden foot bridge, took walks in the campgrounds, read scriptures in my hammock, read the Ensign, Alaska, VIA magazine, played Scrabble by myself for the first time ever using Gypsy and Olie and found "OLIE" on my Olie rack, already spelled out! I prepared large campfires in the morning so all I had to do was light it after the movies at Bijou. I cooked and prepared my own food the night before I left on the 300-mile trip one way. Mt. Shasta Ward members were very happy to see me and I was happy to be there once again. I sang hymns every night around the huge, hot campfire and prayed, talked to Michael and even myself to keep me company. If there's a prettier place to be outdoors for a week I have yet to find it. On my last night I saw a UFO. I was staring at a star and suddenly it got big and very bright, then completely disappeared! Or can stars explode? I took the 3:30 tour of Shasta Dam in Redding wishing we had thought to stop there as a family. I stopped overnight at Con's in Citrus Heights arriving at 8 p.m. and left Saturday morning for a childhood friend's memorial service in Vacaville, barbeque and jam session as a celebration of life at the 7-1/2-acre ranch. Unpacking and swimming in Concord and relaxing at home was the culmination of a fabulous trip. I'm thankful and feel very blessed.

My Vege Dish

I've had to brush up my cooking skills and I'm very happy to have come up with a vege dish in a cast iron skillet I enjoy. I shop farmers markets for the most part and here's the recipe:

Make hashbrowns with a potato and carrot. I use the coconut oil Constance gave me to coat a hot skillet and saute red onion, remove, and add later. Chop your favorite veges like spinach, bok choy, chard, kale, beets and beet tops, mushrooms, long beans, broccoli, snow peas, green beans, cabbage, garlic, etc. Season to taste and top with cheese. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, depending on taste.

I find that I look forward to this meal and add corn on the cob on weekends when I have more time.

I eat a variety of fruits and haven't bought meat in a long time. I make a power shake using a cup of almond milk, frozen banana, and all the powder supplements and drops in the cupboard.

2011 Marks 150 Years Since Pony Express Ended

The route is 1,966 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, August 17 to Old Town Sacramento, California, ending August 27, 2011, 150 years after it ended for good. What an amazing part of American history.

Clayton concert, August 6, 2011