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!
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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,
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| 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.
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| 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!
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| 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!
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And so went the month of February!
I love the enthusiasm and vitality that you have in our life and February was no exception. Those hikes sound wonderful and that dinner with the risotto sounds devine. I would love you to be a guest writer for my Over 50 & Thriving Series, so if you are interested just shoot me an email to sue@sizzlingtowardssixty.com.au and I can send you some details. Have a great March!
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, you are a wonderful role model to me on how to live big and remain vibrant, so I smiled when I read your comment! I just might be interested, depending on whether I think I actually have anything to say (!), so look for an email.
DeleteWhat a busy month you've had! I'm so jealous of all your bike riding, I really must get back into riding. All the best for March, I love these monthly roundups!
ReplyDeleteIt would appear you've had a tough month Deb, but I'm hopeful things like bike riding are waiting for you just as soon as you are up to doing them. (Insert BIG hug here.)
DeleteI love these monthly posts as well in that they have caused me to be much more conscious about the choices on make each day . . . who wants to write that they sat on the sofa all day watching TV? Not me, that's for sure!
Another very active month! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
ReplyDeleteWell, you know from this and, in particular, my prior blog, that I'm always at my best when I'm outside and in motion! But I do absolutely love and appreciate that this move has provided me with even more opportunities to do what I already love to do. :-)
DeleteWe were both sick this month...ugh!! But hopefully that's over and done with, right?
ReplyDeleteLove those new shoes...I'm a sucker for new shoes especially in the spring!
XOXO
Jodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com
New shoes . . . they never get old, do they Jodie? :-)
DeleteI had the flu shot, and what I had wasn't the flu, fortunately, but that fatigue . . . it did seem endless for a while, so I'm surely glad to have it behind me for sure!
Bravos for another month well-lived, Tamara! I said it before that I enjoy reading your posts and now with your home location, I can always count on pictures with the ocean. Your grand daughter is so cute. Children at her age grow fast, not just height, but their language ability. Glad you got over that fatigue fairly quickly. Have a fabulous March!
ReplyDeleteI am quite sure that this series of posts has made me reach higher since I began joining in a year ago, have you found them doing same, Natalie? I'm finding it to be quite extraordinary, actually.
DeleteWe adore our girl, and we miss her so much in between visits. 😕
The monthly review reveals that there were more highlights than lowlights. A friend recently sent me a reminder that we will get good at what we practice, therefore I will practice joy in the highlights. I will start with the lowlights and let them segue into the highlights.
ReplyDeleteLowlights - vertigo hit hard on the holiday weekend
- coping with my aging mother is exacerbated by attack/resistance
- there have been 4 deaths in the circle in Feb
- rain in Feb in NE Alberta can only mean one thing: icy road conditions
Highlights - Kayak lessons at a swimming pool
- learned a new game called Cross Crib
- Valentine cookies were finally delivered in person to the granddaughters
- the first Home Routes house concert of 2018 featured a couple who played no
less than 9 instruments between them
- the new stylist has finally nailed it after 8 months
- friends & family gathered to celebrate mom's 85th birthday
- thanks to my practitioner friend for managing the vertigo at its worst
- well enough in time to attend a Serena Ryder concert with my sister
Hi Mona, I'm glad you had more highlights than lowlights last month. Sometimes life is just really rough. I've learned to hunker down and just keep going when that happens. It can so often spiral upward as quickly as it does the opposite . I find that so interesting in that it seems to be so consistently the case.
DeleteOn a lighter note, I'm really liking my hair finally as well, so it must be something in the air at our respective salons!
I have met Bryan Stevenson. He is a colleague (although I doubt he remembers me), and a good friend of my boss. He is very intelligent. I live in the Selma, AL, 4th Judicial District and work for the African American (the only one in the state, currently) District Attorney here.
ReplyDeleteHi, did my blog come up in a scan of the internet for Mr. Stevenson's name? I used to review same for my firm back in the day, so welcome here if so!
DeleteMy husband and I were very moved by his talk, particularly in that we've read 'The New Jim Crow ' by Michelle Alexander. I'm not sure if you were present at Mr. Stevenson's recent talk here, but the young man who introduced him, a Soka University student, was absolutely incredible, and someone I plan to keep my eye on.
I found your blog from a comment you made on the Satisfying Retirement blog, I think....lol I live in Alabama and was not present at his talk in California. I have seen him at Alabama Bar functions and hear him speak before. I actually live in the county (Perry) where Jimmie Lee Jackson died (his death, and other issues were the reasons for the Selma to Montgomery march).... Jubilee Celebration, in honor of the march, will be celebrated this week in Selma.
DeleteI am so glad that you are enjoying South OC :) Your days make me tired just reading about them! You are my retirement life goals, hehe. Great month, minus the being sick part. I think we both got a little bit of that.
ReplyDeleteI love being outdoors soooo much, I think I must have been a dog in a prior life! 😆
DeleteBelieve it or not, I'm one of the youngest people in my weekday hiking and biking groups. So inspiring to get passed on the trail by a 70-something hiker!
I'm not sure how six mile hike and super fast can live in the same sentence. lol
ReplyDeleteHa! Well, they absolutely can Jamie! So fast, in fact, I practically had to run up the hills to keep up with the lead group of 70+ year old hikers. Whim I hope to be just like when I grow up! ☺
DeleteLoved seeing more pictures of YOU! And, of course, that grand baby doll. She always looks deep in thought. I have a feeling she is extremely curious and bright. And well mannered to color until her grilled cheese arrived. I felt a lump in my throat when I read the sentence for the day you left Washington, D.C., knowing how your heart breaks (as does mine) when you leave you darling granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of terrain are you riding bicycles on for these quite lengthy (at least for me) bike rides? Is it street riding? I would like to build up to longer rides but we don't have a lot of good places to ride other than out in the desert. And off-roading is scary to me.
Oh, Christopher Cross...what memories. Takes me back to days sunning on the beaches of Panama.
Always enjoy your monthly recaps.
Every so often, with lots of effort, I can manage to look camera worthy - it used to be so easy!
DeleteOur girl is indeed bright and inquisitive. And humorous, and energetic, and brave if holding Nana or Baba's hand, and so many more things. You know how we grandparents think our grandchildren are the sun and the moon. 💕
Re: Biking. Where we live is replete with both bike lanes and dedicated bike paths. We can go a long way on paved non-road trails before encountering street traffic, which is one of the many benefits S. and Coastal OC offers. No off roading at this time, though it abounds here due to our numerous hilly regional and state parks. With regard to building distance, I find I can go up 5 miles at a time with minimal discomfort.
I love your "Get Moving" theme - I am also walking a lot as part of a challenge. It's nice to meet you, I have just started taking part in the Month in a Sentence challenge.
ReplyDeleteHi Gail, welcome to our Sentence A Day monthly series! It's been a real inspiration for me to make each month my best yet, and I hope it does same for you.
DeleteI'll hop over to your post now, in fact!
What a busy month - I'm in awe of the number of miles you hiked...and biked. I love these round-ups each month & look forward to reading about March.
ReplyDeleteI am at my most authentic when I'm doing something active, so to a certain degree it is actually harder to stay home than to go!
DeleteMarch should be a good month here, with, hopefully, our backyard remodeling project kicking off. Fingers crossed!