Greetings! Today, and each month going forward, I'm documenting how I spent my month in just one sentence per day.
Turns out that the theme for February was Keep Moving! I came into the month feeling strong, stalled out for a bit while visiting our granddaughter in chilly Metro-DC, came home and got back to it, stalled out again due to getting sick, then kicked it back up again once I recovered. The lesson here is clear I think - Don't give up! Tomorrow is always, always a brand new opportunity to do better.
February In A Sentence A Month
1. Joined a new hiking group for a six mile super fast hike through our local canyons, followed by coffee hour, then home to clean, dust and put my finally-completed kitchen and home back together . . . so happy!
2. Fabulous 34 mile bike ride through San Clemente into Camp Pendleton Marine Base in N. San Diego County followed by lunch at a terrific Thai restaurant, then a quick shower and nap before attending a performance of the Dana Point Symphony in the evening.
3. Spent the morning puttering around the house cleaning and doing painting touch ups, then prepped for a fun evening entertaining friends here for Happy Hour before we all headed to dinner at Sol Agave in nearby San Juan Capistrano.
4. Quick race walk in the morning, Sunday spiritual services and lunch, then to Costa Mesa to attend an afternoon performance of the Pacific Symphony followed by dinner out with symphony-attending friends at Seasons 52.
5. Early morning flight to Metro-DC to see our girl!
6. Took our girl on the Metro into the city to visit the National Building Museum, which was chock full of toddler friendly activities, then a toddler-friendly lunch at the otherwise mediocre Greene Turtle before taking the Metro, and one very tired girl, back home.
7. Freezing rain resulted in a snow day for my teacher-daughter and granddaughter, so we all stayed home and played games and read books together.
8. A cold but gorgeous sunny day here in DC, so while my daughter and granddaughter heading off to school, my husband and I enjoyed a six mile walk, followed by lunch out at a restaurant.
9. Took our girl to an indoor playground on a wet, wintry day, then all had lunch out together at a little bistro where she happily colored away while awaiting delivery of her grilled cheese sandwich.
10. Took our girl into DC once again, this time in order to visit the Natural History Museum . . . . butterflies, bugs and fishies galore, oh my!
11. Lots of last minute playtime with our girl (hide n' go seek and 'chase!' being her two favorite pastimes currently), then lunch out with everyone at fab Mediterranean fast casual Cava before being dropped off at the airport for our flight home, boo!
12. Came home with a little cold, so pretty much all I accomplished was a trip to the supermarket before retiring to the sofa with hot tea and a good book.
13. Felt fatigued, but went ahead and attended two scheduled classes - the first of a four part lecture on real-life history behind the musical Hamilton, and my Art History course . . . so fortunate to have such fantastic professors for both classes.
14. A nine mile hike with my hiking club, where I realized halfway through that, yep, I'm really sick, then home to shower and take a nap before getting dressed up for a wine pairing Valentine's dinner at our Lifelong Learning program . . . I was feeling extremely fatigued, but it was still a lot of fun.
15. Really sick!
16. Still sick, but pulled myself together in order to attend an evening Pacific Symphony Pops Concert featuring Christopher Cross . . . totally worth the effort!
17. Feeling better, met up with a group to do a four mile beach race walk,
. . . then home to prep for tonight's dinner party - red wine, bruschetta, mushroom-butternut squash risotto, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and for dessert a double chocolate cake . . . so good!
18. Morning spiritual services, a fantastic, gorgeous 32 mile bike ride along the coast, then hosted our neighbors after dinner for wine and leftover chocolate cake.
19. A fabulous day showing friends around our new home, taking them hiking along a set of ocean viewing ridges for a total of 10 miles, lunch at Pain Du Monde, then over to our friend's oceanside timeshare to relax for a bit before heading next door to Olamendi's, one of Richard Nixon's favorite Mexican restaurants based on the number of wall photos of him dining there on display in and amongst the rather overwhelming decor!
1. Joined a new hiking group for a six mile super fast hike through our local canyons, followed by coffee hour, then home to clean, dust and put my finally-completed kitchen and home back together . . . so happy!
 |
| My freshly cream cabinets . . . love! |
2. Fabulous 34 mile bike ride through San Clemente into Camp Pendleton Marine Base in N. San Diego County followed by lunch at a terrific Thai restaurant, then a quick shower and nap before attending a performance of the Dana Point Symphony in the evening.
 |
| Always a wee-bit intimidating when we pull out our ID's to show to the always-serious marines on guard before being given clearance to enter the base on our bicyles. |
3. Spent the morning puttering around the house cleaning and doing painting touch ups, then prepped for a fun evening entertaining friends here for Happy Hour before we all headed to dinner at Sol Agave in nearby San Juan Capistrano.
 |
| I'm really bad at full-bodied selfies, but here's a photo of the cute new peekaboo booties I wore to dinner! |
5. Early morning flight to Metro-DC to see our girl!
6. Took our girl on the Metro into the city to visit the National Building Museum, which was chock full of toddler friendly activities, then a toddler-friendly lunch at the otherwise mediocre Greene Turtle before taking the Metro, and one very tired girl, back home.
8. A cold but gorgeous sunny day here in DC, so while my daughter and granddaughter heading off to school, my husband and I enjoyed a six mile walk, followed by lunch out at a restaurant.
9. Took our girl to an indoor playground on a wet, wintry day, then all had lunch out together at a little bistro where she happily colored away while awaiting delivery of her grilled cheese sandwich.
10. Took our girl into DC once again, this time in order to visit the Natural History Museum . . . . butterflies, bugs and fishies galore, oh my!
12. Came home with a little cold, so pretty much all I accomplished was a trip to the supermarket before retiring to the sofa with hot tea and a good book.
13. Felt fatigued, but went ahead and attended two scheduled classes - the first of a four part lecture on real-life history behind the musical Hamilton, and my Art History course . . . so fortunate to have such fantastic professors for both classes.
14. A nine mile hike with my hiking club, where I realized halfway through that, yep, I'm really sick, then home to shower and take a nap before getting dressed up for a wine pairing Valentine's dinner at our Lifelong Learning program . . . I was feeling extremely fatigued, but it was still a lot of fun.
15. Really sick!
16. Still sick, but pulled myself together in order to attend an evening Pacific Symphony Pops Concert featuring Christopher Cross . . . totally worth the effort!
17. Feeling better, met up with a group to do a four mile beach race walk,
 |
| Can you find me? Hint . . . look to the left! |
. . . then home to prep for tonight's dinner party - red wine, bruschetta, mushroom-butternut squash risotto, Caesar salad, garlic bread, and for dessert a double chocolate cake . . . so good!
 |
| I tried to get my pretty on for our dinner party, but lordy am I lousy at selfies! |
18. Morning spiritual services, a fantastic, gorgeous 32 mile bike ride along the coast, then hosted our neighbors after dinner for wine and leftover chocolate cake.
 |
| A spectacular February day should not be wasted! |
19. A fabulous day showing friends around our new home, taking them hiking along a set of ocean viewing ridges for a total of 10 miles, lunch at Pain Du Monde, then over to our friend's oceanside timeshare to relax for a bit before heading next door to Olamendi's, one of Richard Nixon's favorite Mexican restaurants based on the number of wall photos of him dining there on display in and amongst the rather overwhelming decor!
20. Lots of learning - classes on Alexander Hamilton and Art History, followed by dinner at the international student cafeteria of Soka University, where we were also attending a talk on racial injustice in America given by this amazing man, Bryan Stevenson.
21. Six mile walk at the beach, chores here at home (every so often!), then a couples meeting followed by Happy Hour dinner out on scenic San Clemente Pier.
22. Tax appointment, hair appointment, then dinner with my daughter and her significant other at their place in Huntington Beach, where her sweetie made the most amazing street tacos . . . he's a keeper for sure!
23. Morning beach bike ride with two gal pals (26 years of friendship and counting!), lunch afterward at the harbor, then home to check in on hubby and enjoy a quiet Friday night dinner together at home.
24. Early AM grocery shopping, beach workout with my Saturday morning race walking group, more grocery shopping, then home to make Balsamic Pork with Winter Vegetables to take to a wine tasting & dining event in tony Emerald Bay - Warren Buffett listed his vacation home there in 2017 for $11 million buckaroos - so fun to have a peek at how the 1% lives!
25. Spent the day on our bicycles, first to drop in on a vintage surfboard exhibition, then off to do a 40 mile training ride along the coast, which became even more exciting when my husband realized he'd left/lost his backpack during one of our rest stops, aargh!
26. Long day cancelling credit cards, changing passwords, ordering new ID cards, getting the locks changed, and replacing car keys . . . oye vey!
27. Hubby's phone was found and returned, relief, plus two lifelong learning lectures, a little shopping, then a first time visit to El Adobe Mexican Restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, yet another apparent favorite of Richard Nixon per signs on the wall . . . the man got around!
28. A seven mile hike along a ridge overlooking the ocean with my group on a glorious February day, a two hour coffee klatch with some of my fellow female hikers afterward at Crystal Cove in Newport, then home to clean up and get presentable for a volunteer thank you banquet at the harbor . . . a very good day to finish out the month!
And so went the month of February!
21. Six mile walk at the beach, chores here at home (every so often!), then a couples meeting followed by Happy Hour dinner out on scenic San Clemente Pier.
22. Tax appointment, hair appointment, then dinner with my daughter and her significant other at their place in Huntington Beach, where her sweetie made the most amazing street tacos . . . he's a keeper for sure!
23. Morning beach bike ride with two gal pals (26 years of friendship and counting!), lunch afterward at the harbor, then home to check in on hubby and enjoy a quiet Friday night dinner together at home.
24. Early AM grocery shopping, beach workout with my Saturday morning race walking group, more grocery shopping, then home to make Balsamic Pork with Winter Vegetables to take to a wine tasting & dining event in tony Emerald Bay - Warren Buffett listed his vacation home there in 2017 for $11 million buckaroos - so fun to have a peek at how the 1% lives!
25. Spent the day on our bicycles, first to drop in on a vintage surfboard exhibition, then off to do a 40 mile training ride along the coast, which became even more exciting when my husband realized he'd left/lost his backpack during one of our rest stops, aargh!
27. Hubby's phone was found and returned, relief, plus two lifelong learning lectures, a little shopping, then a first time visit to El Adobe Mexican Restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, yet another apparent favorite of Richard Nixon per signs on the wall . . . the man got around!
 |
| The sign above our table informed us we were sitting in the spot, and on the chairs, reserved and frequented by Richard and Pat Nixon back in the day. |
28. A seven mile hike along a ridge overlooking the ocean with my group on a glorious February day, a two hour coffee klatch with some of my fellow female hikers afterward at Crystal Cove in Newport, then home to clean up and get presentable for a volunteer thank you banquet at the harbor . . . a very good day to finish out the month!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so went the month of February!
