A New Toy for Charlie (not to be confused with a Bargain For Frances)

Does anyone remember that book by the way? I love that story... poor Frances, she just wanted to have the best tea set... anyway, my dad bought himself a fun new toy - digital binoculars that take photos! So here are some samples of his "work":

Is it the Loch Ness Monster? WRONG! just an elephant seal off the coast of California...or so we think :-\



Whew!, See, it really is a seal...look to the white bird in the middle of the pic and then below and to the right, you'll see a cute little head poking out of the water...

My weekend was right on "Target"...

so to speak...Friday night was a good night, I went to Target for 3 HOURS with Magpie and the Floating Head (they've both just moved into new apartments, or are about to) and so they have the fun job of buying all the stuff you need to clean, to decorate, etc....I love that part of moving...I just bought some fun stuff, such as a mouse pad with a calendar that you can write on, a throw for my couch (pink orange red..isn't that a cocteau twins song? yes, by golly it is...and I think a Rothko painting), new earphones (Zeusapollo will be happy about that, as they are cushiony and I no longer will have to JAM the earphones into his head with my grabby hands as he claims I'm wont to do) plus a yoga dvd (since I don't seem to be making any effort to go to the class at Integral...maybe at some point I'll try again...) and then we headed back to my neighborhood for some great Indian food and a bottle of wine at the Jackson Diner and had lots of laughs...Saturday was supposed to be brunch at Bubby's in Dumbo, but no one could go, so instead I met Lucia and we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, walked on the Promenade, through Brooklyn Heights, then over to Dumbo, to Jacques Torres (http://mrchocolate.com/) for the best chocolat in the world, ever, period, hands down and then to Bubby's for a pork chop with some asparagus and rosemary potatoes...very lovely, like a homecooked meal...then there is a place to sit right outside - the Brooklyn Bridge Park - funny strange, I've never seen it before - and you have the most perfect view of the city, so we sat there and ate some of the good chocolat and watched the sunset and then walked back over the bridge, up through Chinatown and that was that...



Me and Lucia on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Weird old warehouse in Dumbo...looks haunted, yes?

Dumbo - Manhattan Bridge

Sunset...perfect, right?

Bush on Vacation - this picture says it all...

someone had fun with Photoshop - this is hysterically funny... and yet sad at the same time because it reflects the truth of what's really going on in with this situation...the careless, heartless, soul-less attitude these horrible so-called leaders have taken in this horrific event

A self portrait...

Nicole-by-the-sea in Cayucos-by-the-Sea

Charlie's new beach house...a wee shack for his wee head...

Another morning walk...this time no fog 

The Cayucos pier, pre-dawn, from our patio 

View from the cliffs on our hike 

Me on the beach in Cambria 

Charlie, scouting out what's at sea...any pirates? "Aye matey!" 

Mom and Dad, drinking a mocha in Cambria 

Me and the sunset in Cambria 

standing under the pier as a wave knocks me over... 

my new turquoise ring I bought at the Cayucos peddler's faire 

Charlie emerged out of the mist to join me on my stroll... 

my last morning walk, through the fog...it was cool because it was after Labor Day so all the tourists were gone and I had the beach to myself, save for a few surfers...until... 

Charlie, enjoying his glass of riesling before the sunset, across the street from the Sea Chest... 

and I'm following suit... 

Back from Little But Very Important Journey

Hi all, I got back from the beach trip on Wednesday and everything's crazy around here workwise still (Hell Week Part 2?) but I'm still on the nice California-laid back-all-is-right-with-the-world-vibe-though, so that's a good thing and I feeling good so I think it was well worth the money to fly out there - yes, two weeks would have been nice, but I have to take what I can get - I was very grateful for the time I did have...and the good fresh seafood from the Sea Chest, yummy wine, hiking with Dad, shopping and laughing with Mom - every part of those four days was perfect...I'll write more later, but for now I just want to post some pics that I think are lovely (as requested by Goody Delgado)

A Very Quick Update and Hi

Hell Week officially ended on Saturday night so I got to go home, eat my own food, sleep in my own bed, do whatever the hell I wanted to do...I was starting to feel like I was being held hostage here and my aggravation level was growing - I felt like I had no time for myself, to take care of personal things, take a walk outside even, just for a breather...I snuck out twice for an hour or so to meet Zeus but other than that, I was very crazed and sleep deprived...some aspects of it were fun, since everyone got goofy and silly as the late nights wore on...the people I work with make me laugh a lot, so it helps to keep the mood cheerful instead of me dreading being here...this week has been pretty mellow so far, just resting, trying to get my life back in order and on schedule and stay on top of everything that has fallen by the wayside over the past few hectic weeks...that's always a struggle for me, but I think that's why I've turned into a compulsive list-maker... that's my only strategy in time management and against procrastination but I do go overboard with it at times...

The good news this week is that I'm going to California for 4 days! If we weren't in the middle of all this PeopleSoft Nonsense, I would be on vacation for 10 days with my parents in Cayucos, California, a little tiny beach town in the Central Coast, south of Big Sur (http://www.cayucosbythesea.com/index.html) ... it's probably my favorite spot to be...we've been going there as a family for years and it has so many good memories for me and it's just a spot with good vibes - I always feel good and happy and content and peaceful there. So I decided to splurge on a last minute ticket (with the help of the parents of course - it's my sole birthday gift this year, but well worth it - aren't they the coolest to do this for me? I think so) and so I'll be on a plane west coast bound on Friday - I get there at 11pm and then I'm leaving at 7pm on Tuesday night...I can't wait...hiking, sunrise beach walks, great wine and fresh seafood daily... after last week, I deserve a little happiness, yes? Glad you agree! Happy long weekend to all of you...later gators!