Friday Morning

Another lovely, blue-skied day in California!

We decided not to go out for Mexican food last night, and ordered pizza instead. We were all in the mood for a quiet night--watched four episodes of "Vacation Home Search" on TV. On this program, if you haven't seen it, potential buyers look at 3 different homes, in some interesting region of the country, and the suspense builds as you wonder which one they'll choose at the end. Wendy, Jeremy and I all placed bets--I have been right ONCE! (They were actually willing to pay a million dollars for a house without a BATHTUB????)

Wendy and I had lunch at a restaurant called Coogie's yesterday--Jeremy was working--and my sweatshirt (the front reads: Be careful or you'll end up in my novel) drew comment everywhere. Californians are friendly folks.

Today, lots of stuff planned. A business lunch, a trip to Chico's, and Wendy's friends from her writer's group coming tonight for spaghetti and meatballs. She's been working every day--I've been goofing off. Guess at SOME point I must have set a good example!

More tomorrow.

Warm California Days

Again with the blue skies and the sunshine. I LOVE it.

I told you about our visit to Gladstone's last night--I am still full, hours later!

Plans for today include working on "Logan's Return", while Wendy writes away on her current script. With the writer's strike on, she can't sell yet, but she'll have a script ready when the time comes.

Wendy's big dog, Bailey, is lying by the patio doors. He's a shelter dog, and so sweet. Truly a member of the family, as are cats Quintan and Claudia--both black. Wendy has had Quintan, also a rescue animal, since her school days in New York. He's been back and forth across country several times, and surely freaked a few people out in airports--"We're flying with a black cat??????"

We'll be going out later for Mexican food. (Much later.) If I'm not too pooped, I'll write a report. In the meantime, words to write.

Gladstone's

We celebrated Wendy's 33rd birthday tonight at a wonderful seafood restaurant in Malibu called Gladstone's. Unbelievably wonderful place! At the end of the meal, our leftovers were wrapped in animal shapes of foil--a swan, a rabbit, a shark and a whale. (I FELT like a whale, after all that food.) The restaurant is right on the ocean, and because of a special lighting system, we could see the tide breaking on the lovely white sand.

Shopping foray included Border's, Urban Outfitter, and--yes--Michael's!

Tomorrow, we're planning to veg.

Hello from California

I finally managed to find this blog on my new computer! As I write this, I am sitting in my daughter's bedroom, which I have usurped like visiting royalty, with occasional visits from two grand-cats and a grand-dog. Life is good.

Today is Wendy's birthday, so we're going out to celebrate.

The weather in Santa Monica is certainly an improvement over Spokane! Blue skies, sunshine, only a mile or two to the ocean. It just doesn't get any better.

On Friday, I'll be meeting with a group of Wendy's writer friends--son-in-law-to-be Jeremy is making a spaghetti dinner. Fun to talk shop.

Now that I've figured this out, I'll write more. Next on the agenda--shopping. One of my favorite activities!

Signs

I like signs--have them all over the house. Not 'stop' signs, the other kind. For instance, there's a little board over the back door that reads, "Happy Trails to You." Two more arrived recently, and they seem to express the sentiments of a snow-bound woman. :) One reads, "Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints." (That one cracks me up.) The other says, "I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them!" (I'm nice enough, generally, but I have my witchy days, like anybody else.)

There's a big sign to be hung at the barn--it used to be over my gate in Cave Creek. "Springwater Station". My daddy made that sign with his own hands, and it's precious to me. Soon, it will be up, even though I call this place the Triple L.

I have a little brass sign, too. "Portobello Road". That brings back great memories of the time I spent in London--two and a half years, on and off.

And then there are the signs I make for myself--just a few words scrawled on an index card and taped up somewhere visible. Usually, these are Bible verses, or affirmations.

Writing this makes me think of that wonderful scene in the movie "Bruce Almighty", when Jim Carrey is praying, "Give me a sign!" and the truck in front of him is literally covered in them.

God has a sense of humor. There ARE signs everywhere. Especially in my house.

Since this IS one of the days when it's worth chewing through the restraints, I'd better get to work. :)

I'm traveling on Monday, if I can get out of the driveway. Will be visiting daughter Wendy in Santa Monica all next week. There's one sign I don't want to see when I get to the airport: Flight cancelled.

Make it a good one, ladies and gentlemen.