November In A Sentence A Day

Yep, I'm back with Sentence A Day!

I don't want a 2020 version of Groundhogs Day to set in, so a return to capturing each day in one sentence seemed in order as an incentive keep working on making each day interesting in spite of the pandemic. Plus, I think it will be interesting to look back on this period over time in order to see how I got though it.

Disclaimer: It's important to me to clarify that while November was a lovely and active month, every aspect of my life continues to be ruled by the pandemic. Meaning adherence to CDC and California guidelines, masks, physical distance, outdoors as much as possible, and no prolonged indoor interactions. 

November In A Sentence A Day

1.  Taught my oldest granddaughter to play Old Maid, and the expression on her face when she got stuck with the Old Maid card for the first time, plus her subsequent efforts to get us to pick it from her stack of cards, had us all in hysterics.

2.  Wonderful, exhausting day spent with the granddaughters - bike riding, scooter riding, magnetic block building, book reading, McDonalds takeout, picnic and playtime at the park, Go Fish card playing, plus lots of chase-the-toddler to take back whatever my youngest granddaughter was attempting to steal (Halloween candy, our cell phones and Kindles, sunglasses, her sister's toys . . . she is quite the little devil, and wicked fast to boot! 😆).

3.  Election Day . . . took my oldest granddaughter to get her hair cut where I watched her literally age in front of my eyes with each snip (I'm biased of course, but I think she is gorgeous!), then ran behind her as she rode her scooter back home afterward, outside to supervise and cheer her and her fearless little sister on as they rode their bicycles and scooters, then off to a nature park for a little outdoor play on a gorgeous fall day before being dropped off at the airport by my youngest daughter, where we all hugged and shed a few tears in the event that they all depart for Germany before we see each other again . . . military relocation orders can sometimes be abrupt. 😢.

4.  The day after Election Day . . . a bundle of nerves, but a seven mile hike with friends helped, as did drinking wine out on our balcony while watching the sunset.

5.  Two days after Election Day . . . I tried to get a few chores got done, but honestly, I pretty much spent the entire day hitting refresh on my laptop to keep checking for updated results.

6.  Three days after Election Day . . . the counting continues, and I was happy to have a day full of distractions as I left for a 32 mile bicycle ride to Cooks Corner with a group of friends, then returned in time to clean up and head over to San Clemente for a lovely evening enjoying an outdoor dinner and then an outdoor show at a private table for two at the adorable Cabrillo Playhouse - gosh it felt nice to entertained!

7.  Four days after Election Day . . . woke up to continued uncertainty, which changed to jubilation when my husband interrupted a phone call I was on with a friend to announce that Biden had just crossed over the magic threshold of 270, at which point we turned on the TV and pretty much stayed glued there until friends arrived after dinner to visit in our backyard, staying until after midnight as we discussed every detail of the election and what it might mean for our country.

8.  Woke up feeling finally free of stress and anxiety, a much welcomed change, enjoyed a long, lovely, and occasionally rainy, walk at the beach, then over to the harbor afterward to pick up coffees and sit in our car looking out at the enormous swells the recent storm had kicked up (so big, there were no boats to be seen anywhere on the water), and enjoyed FaceTiming with our 6 year old granddaughter so that she could read to us, a new skill that she is very excited about, as are we!

9.  Day One of our four bathroom + laundry room and linen cabinets remodel, so lots of noise and dust, but spending time out on our balcony after the construction team had left for the day, watching an absolutely gorgeous sunset, reminded me of just why we were going through this final chaotic effort to finish out the house.

10.  Day Two of the upstairs demo, so I escaped to the harbor for a long walk, then did a little shopping before returning home . . . there is no such thing as being 'too cold' now that I'm post-menopause, but hubby has been complaining that our bedroom feels like a refrigerator, so I bought a dual-controlled electric blanket so that he can warm up his side of the bed each night, while leaving my side nice and frigid. 😆

11.  The framer arrived, exciting, because he was able to quickly remove some assorted trim work from the upstairs master which was truly awful, meaning I won't have to ask (and pay) my painter to do it down the road, yeah. 

12.  The plumbers came in to get the shower floor ready for a new drain, which meant the first set of my amazing new shower drains got utilized - they have a small inset to trap and remove hair, meaning no more clogged pipes ever!

13.  The hot mop guy arrived to do his thing to our upstairs shower floor, leaving the entire house reeking of tar . . . what a difficult job this person has!

14.  The weekend, yeah, meaning no folks coming or going, so my husband and I headed outside to meet up with our Pilgrims of the Camino training group (our 2020 Camino hike in Spain has been postponed until 2022 due to COVID, but in the interim we continue to gather for training hikes) and enjoyed an eight mile walk to historic San Juan Capistrano and back, which included a lovely surprise provided by the hike leaders at the halfway point - a traditional Spanish breakfast of tortilla española, black olives, cheese, and yum, red sangria!

15.  Met my oldest daughter and her boyfriend for a 35 mile bicycle ride along the ocean to San Onefre State Beach and back on a glorious, sunny day, stopping for burgers and beer afterward at Shwack's in San Clemente.

16.  Today was all about drywall, or so I thought, but turned out the drywall guy was here for all of about fifteen minutes, explaining that the majority of his time and effort would occur at the end of the upstairs phase . . . this exemplifies sooo much of the hurry-up-and-wait aspect of remodeling, oofff!

17.  The cabinet guys arrived to my excitement, but today was primarily prepping the existing cabinets for refacing, meaning lots and lots of sanding, but no pretty new cabinet doors quite yet, darn.

18.  More sanding, sigh, so still no pretty new doors.

19.  We have doors, we have doors, yeah, plus new brushed chrome door handles which I forgot to take a picture of before they covered it all back up with protective plastic.

20.  No workers today, so instead we took a walk along our beautiful harbor in the morning, bought groceries, ran some errands, then returned home to clean up and head back out to one of our two club wineries for complimentary glasses of wine (member benefit!), which we sipped on their outdoor patio alongside a roaring fire while listening to live music and chatting with some fellow wine club members seated a safe ten feet away.

21.  Enjoyed a seven mile walk along the beach on a beautiful day, worked on my 2020 family Christmas ornaments, ordered Chinese takeout for dinner and ended the day watching the excellent I Am Greta documentary on Hulu, about Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg.

22.  Spent the entire day outside, and it was wonderful - we started the day outside in our backyard enjoying a beautiful sunrise, next headed to Newport Harbor for seven miles of kayaking plus a stop at Balboa Island for Snipe Crafthouse takeout burgers, over to new-to-us Rosetta Coffee Brewing Company for the best lattes we've ever had, no exaggeration, which we enjoyed drinking at Doheny State Beach thanks to our free parking Golden Bear passes, then back home to catch the sunset from our balcony while sipping wine.

23.  Hung around all day waiting for the tile installation team to arrive, which they finally did at 3:00 PM, but I was able to put the time waiting to good use in that, I finally finished this year's mermaid and ocean themed family Christmas ornaments.

24.  Headed out as soon as the tile team arrived to go walking at Crystal Cove State Beach on a gorgeous fall day, including a stop at the iconic Ruby's Shake Shack for a shared pumpkin milkshake - another item off of my Fall Bucket List - shopped a bit at Crystal Cove Promenade after, then home to clean up and meet friends  Dennis and Nikki for Half Price Tuesday alfresco dining at the winery we both belong too.

25.  Spent the morning researching inflatable kayaks before finally settling on two, only to discover that kayaks are apparently very scarce and hard to find as a result of COVID keeping everyone home looking for something to do, but did finally find them in stock at LL Bean, relief,  then headed into the kitchen to prepare my Thanksgiving meal contributions: my special Double Tomato Bruschetta for our starter, and this decadent looking Bourbon Sour Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake from Donna over at Retirement Confidential.

26.  A wonderful day spent with my husnand,  oldest daughter and her significant other, drinking good wine, eating good food, and rejoicing that the BF prepared the Thanksgiving meal this year - a very non traditional, but outstanding, pappardelle with duck leg ragu sauce, Brussels sprouts with cider, bacon and walnuts, and wild mushroom crostini, plus my outstanding pumpkin cheesecake for dessert . . . thanks Donna!

27.  Back to back events - a six mile walk in the morning, a volunteer shift assisting at our local tide pools in the afternoon, then home to eat a quick dinner before getting on Zoom to enjoy an after-dinner Happy Hour with longtime friends David and Fran.

28.  A nine mile group hike with fellow enthusiasts up and down some of the hills of San Juan Capistrano in the AM, then a sunset bonfire at the beach with friends . . . 

 . . . then over to the adjacent harbor to enjoy two glasses of complimentary wine plus small bites outdoors at another one of 'our' wineries while enjoying the sight of families with excited children posing for photos among the many festive holiday light displays . . . yeah for COVID-conscious holiday opportunities!

29.  A seven mile walk around Dana Point that included a spontaneous stop for alfresco margaritas and a shared burrito at new-to-us Carlos' Mexican Restaurant . . . getting outside continues to be the very, very best way for us to manage the current myriad of COVID-restrictions.

30.  Last week of upstairs chaos, yeah, so we headed out for a seven mile walk along the coast once the contractors arrived, picked up a sandwich to share afterward from Board and Brew, then drove back to the beach to eat it, plus relax, read and nap for a few hours until we were sure the crew had gone for the day.

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Whew! I have to say that in looking over the above, it really wasn't a horrible month in spite of the ongoing pandemic. The key, aside from consistent mask wearing and keeping our distance from other people, is to make a plan each and every day, recognizing there are no hard plans in my calendar other than the ones I put there myself. 

How about you? What were some of your November highlights?

Lots Of Chaos, Plus Some 2021 Spend Planning

 

Lots Of Chaos Over Here

Oh boy. The pre-tile prep work began here yesterday, and it was as awful as I remember. Of all the improvements we've made to our homes over the years, tile work is the absolutely most disruptive process, and this time is proving to be no different. Still, if we can just get through the next 10 days, it should be all downhill from there.

The team is working upstairs, so we are living in the downstairs area during the day, but trying to be gone as much as possible to avoid the noise and disruption and, well, breathing (because, COVID). The downstairs phase, which begins it two more weeks, will be much, much, much less disruptive because both areas being remodeled can be accessed via our downstairs bedroom's sliding glass doors, meaning we can seal off the back downstairs portion of work area, and live relatively normally from then until the completion of the second phase.

I am extremely gratified over the small improvements in place already, primarily cabinetry, because each one is a reminder of how stunning the completed project should be in comparison to what existed previously.

Some 2021 Spend Planning

In other news, my husband and I were discussing how to allocate our Miscellaneous allocation in 2021. This 'bucket,' if you will, is one we fund annually for those things we might like to do over and above our normal allocation accounts (i.e., Dining, Travel, Entertainment, Hobbies, Home Decor Improvements). In years past this fund has primarily funded interior room makeovers such as a home office build for my husband, and some pretty epic travel including a six week river cruise through Europe in 2016, and our cruise around South American this past January and February (which seems like a lifetime ago!). But with far flung travel still off the table until at least 2022, here is the list of items we are thinking of for 2021, as we all continue to hunker down and wait for our turn in the vaccine line:

1)  Two Advanced Element inflatable kayaks. These are extremely durable inflatable kayaks which should likely never need replacing, and after three years of living in our new-to-us coastal area, we know definitively that kayaking is something we are committed to doing for the long haul. Our current kayaks are very inexpensive Intex inflatables, and we unfortunately we have already had two of them fail on us for reasons related to the way they were manufactured, not our user error. Thus, new kayaks are in order. 

2)  Two new carbon fiber bicycles. We actually continue to be happy with our Trek 1000 road bicycles, which ran us $600 each back in 2004, however, and this is a big however, we ride very frequently these days with our oldest daughter and her significant other, and they literally leave us in their dust due to the advanced mechanics of their much lighter carbon fiber bikes vs. ours. Plus, sigh, we really are overdue given how frequently we now cycle, the result of now living near miles and miles and miles of dedicated bicycle paths, many of which go along the ocean. 

3)  New family room furniture. The furniture in our family room now is not terrible, but it was purchased inexpensively and somewhat in haste when we moved here, as a result of our prior family room furniture being the absolutely wrong configuration for our new family room.

I actually like the look of our current furniture, just not it's relative lack of comfort and durability.  So primarily as a result of how happy my oldest daughter is with a sofa they recently ordered and had delivered from Lazy Boy, we have been visiting the Lazy Boy showroom near us, and have landed on a sofa and two swivel chairs that are extremely comfortable, and very well made, construction wise. (Note: Swivel chairs, NOT recliners. At the risk of offending recliner-lovers out there, I have no interest in recliners whatsoever, having never seen any that I perceive as being remotely attractive.  ☹️ )

The swivel chairs in particular, are going to be awesome. We'll be able to swivel toward the TV, or swivel toward the fireplace, or even swivel toward the kitchen should the cook (me!) need some company. I haven't selected the final fabrics yet - there are literally hundreds to choose from - but I'm envisioning a textured light gray for the sofa, and a gray print of some sort for the chairs. The current waiting time for orders, though, is absolutely bonkers - between 4 and 6 months.

Fortunately, we are not in a rush!

So while we can't do any long distance trip planning for a while longer, we can instead enjoy upgrading some of our outdoor toys, and a little additional feathering of our nest.

Sneak Peek!

The remodel team finished one area last week, our upstairs hallway linen cabinet, so I couldn't wait to share here for those of you that enjoy these type of projects.

Here is the before, and sincere apologies for the not-so-great photo. The cabinetry was builder grade whatever from the 1980's, with the exception of the upgraded white/gray veining quartz countertop that we had installed two months ago in preparation for our remodel project.

And here is how it looks now, with it's crisp, very slightly-off-white new cabinetry, and new brushed chrome handles.

We are using the same cabinetry through out all four bathrooms, but the quartz will be reversed, meaning a light silvery gray with white veining. Based on how lovely the linen cabinet turned out (and up close . . . what a difference!) I am so eager for the completion of Phase I in the next two weeks. 

At that point, Phase II will begin downstairs, concluding just before Christmas.

Currently 11/17/2020: It's The Small Things

 

It took a good while longer than I thought, but I am finally finished buying all of the accessories for our four bathrooms remodel. The final tile selections took a couple of visits back and forth to the tile store, but it was actually a fairly painless process. Picking out the various mirrors though? Ooof! Not a quick process whatsoever. I have made something like 10 returns, but the good news is that I am finally finished.

I have just one last set of mirror returns to make - two 32" round mirrors for the upstairs 'kids' bathroom, as we call it, because it is the only bathroom with a bathtub. Turns out that two 30" mirrors will work better, and a very good thing as it turns out, because when I subsequently researched 30" round mirrors on line, the little beauty below popped up, and I absolutely loooove how it's silver waves compliment the white waves of the tile we are using in that room. My hope is that the two will work together to evoke a feeling of the ocean, without it feeling obvious.

Otherwise this bathroom will have crisp white cabinets and light silver quartz countertops. The cabinets for the two upstairs bathrooms start going in today, and I am so excited. The last six days have been about demolition and then setting up the framework for the incoming elements, so this is the first day that the pretty will start going in, and that will continue for the next three weeks, after which the upstairs will be completed, and the downstairs bathroom remodeling will commence.

Otherwise, Currently I Am . . . 

Relieved  With no thoughts of entertaining here over the holidays due to COVID, plus our ongoing remodeling, plus that we are celebrating Christmas at my oldest daughter's via her new apartment's spacious and ocean viewing outdoor patio, there will be no Christmas tree or decorations this year. 

Next year for sure, but this year I'm happy to take a hard pass on it all.

See you in 2021 Christmas tree!

Wondering  At what point we will feel comfortable returning to long distance pleasure travel. Even when the vaccine arrives, it appears that it may not be a one-and-done due to the likelihood that the COVID virus will mutate similar to the manner in which the flu virus does. And if that is the case, are we really going to be willing to return to cruising or to tour group traveling given the possibility of either activity being impacted by someone getting COVID enroute? The thought of having to navigate foreign regulations and/or quarantining far from home are giving me pause, so my thoughts at the moment are to focus on independent travel, and only to those places I wouldn't mind getting held up for a bit if a resurgence of the virus causes travel disruptions.

At this point then my list of places to travel outside of the USA would be Canada, Germany (where my youngest daughter and granddaughters will be living starting in 2021), and the new-to-us countries of Scotland and Iceland. Also the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, all three which we visited briefly by cruise ship but want to return to again and travel through more slowly and extensively on our own.

The famous Nyhavn Canal in Copenhagen, Denmark.
I took this photo during our 25th Anniversary cruise through Scandinavia in 2007.

Concerned  About my apparent growing sensitivity to heat. Increasingly I am experiencing electrolyte depletion during long distance hikes whenever the temperatures rise above 80 degrees. I do always carry electrolyte replacement tablets and gels, and they almost always get me back online, physically, but still, it's both annoying and disconcerting to have my body communicate in very real terms that it's getting older. Hrumpf!

Thankful  For the beautiful sunsets of fall, which we are able to enjoy right from out very own backyard.

And also for these wonderful people, my husband and my oldest daughter, who along with her significant other, keep on encouraging me to live my best life.

Both of the above photos are from a 35 mile bicycle ride we all did this past weekend. It was a picture-perfect sunny 70 degrees, our entire route was alongside the ocean, and our post-ride meal, which is where we were when I took these photos, was both delicious and well earned. 

Loving  That our granddaughter is continuing to FaceTime us each night in order to read to us. Just recently she's begun to get more expressive in her reading as words begin to come to her more easily, and her mind can then focus on the actions of what is happening. So wonderful!

And also that we are having a series of lovely days in the 70's, which is the absolutely perfect temperature to 1) leave our windows and doors open, and 2) work in the yard, or even better, sit in one of our lounge chairs and look out at this view:

I am thankful every single day, truly, both for these views, and that the prior owners choose to cover up this view with vegetation, thus allowing us to come in and purchase a home we very likely would not have been able to afford otherwise. In this part of Orange County, homes with ocean views are both coveted and expensive, and we never thought having one would be an option when we began house hunting here. So, thank you prior owners!

That's it for me this week. What's happening currently where you are?

Currently 11/11/2020: Now Back To Regular Programming . . .

 

Yesterday was a very difficult day, and I appreciate having the opportunity to blow off a little steam via my blog here. But I can't remain in a headspace of stress and uncertainty for the next 70 days, so I'm going to work even harder than normal to stay engaged and focused on the many wonderful things that make up our lives here in S. California.

So, Currently I Am . . .

Loving  FaceTime. For the last week, my six year old granddaughter has been using her mom's phone to FaceTime us every evening in order to read several books out loud to us, and we are loving it. Generally she spends a few minutes telling us about her day , then sits down with a pile of beginning reader books and reads to us. The process of listening to her read has been just wonderful. We are able to help her sound out new words, help her with words that can't be sounded out, and talk a little about each story as she finishes. Since we've been doing this with her almost daily, it's been exciting to see and hear how quickly her reading is progressing. And I know her mom, our youngest daughter, has appreciated the break it provides since she is on her own during weekdays for the most part, due to our military son-in-law being on temporary assignment in a different part of their state that only affords him the opportunity to return home on the weekends.

Cooking  These Greek Burgers with Feta & Yogurt Sauce.  They turned out delicious! I chose to make mine with ground beef, not ground lamb because, well, I can't stand the taste of lamb personally (to my husband's disappointment I should add - he loves lamb!). I grow my own oregano, which the recipe calls for a lot of, and the fresh herbs really brighten up what is already a terrific recipe. I also cut each burger in half, so one half burger per pita half, because for us personally we prefer meat to be the side component rather than the star. Plus it then allowed more room in each pita 'bun' for fresh vegetables and yummy feta-yogurt sauce.

Source: Eating Well

Looking Forward To  The weekend, simply because the house will be empty then of remodeling workers. Our last big interior remodeling project kicked off on Monday, and although the team working here has been professional and conscientious, it is always a bit of an adjustment turning the house over to other people. Plus, due to the pandemic we are trying to stay completely away from where the team is working, meaning just a small portion of the house is 'ours' currently. I would love to simply leave each day, but alas, I cannot in that there are many small design decisions that need to be addressed as they come up, and I'm the one of us that does that. So, the weekends will be particularly appreciated between now and the middle of December, when the job should be completed. 

Happy  That I will soon have four beautifully remodeled bathrooms, and a pretty linen cabinet and laundry room to enjoy. All six items were stuck in 1980's builder grade mode prior to our remodel kicking off, so the change should be dramatic, and once they are all completed the entire house will have been upgraded. Truly, as I walked around yesterday, I wasn't able to identify any other element in the house that needed refreshing, so I do think this is 'it' and we'll be able to settle in and enjoy for a good time to come.

Reading  My first spy novel as a result of my Book Club, the so-far-excellent Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by British author John Le Carre. Mr. Le Carre is credited with being among the first in the spy genre, thus why we selected it. It's full of the usual British wit, of which I am a hugh fan, and the story, though a bit confusing (I think this is common in spy novels, yes?) is excellently written, and exciting enough so far to keep me reading ahead of my book club chapter reading schedule.

I'm also reading The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards, who also wrote the compelling and beautiful The Memory Keeper's Daughter. This is what I call a 'Just for me' book vs. the books I read for my various book clubs. 

With the shorter days, and the need to hide out from our contractors during the day, I anticipate lots of reading will occur this month and next.

That's it for me this week. What's going on currently where you are?

The Day I Draw A Line In The Sand

 

Remember when Pres. Obama said, 'Elections Have Consequences' back in 2009, shortly after being inaugurated? He wasn't the first to say it, of course, and he likely won't be the last, but he just might be the most famous. Regardless, he was right, because of course elections have consequences. And they certainly do in 2020. 

For me, the biggest consequence and take away of the 2020 election is that I am smack out of compassion for anyone who walked into a voting booth or filled out an absentee ballot, and with full knowledge of the last four years, selected Trump as their Presidential choice anyway. I can find some understanding for those that did so in 2016. But choosing to do so in 2020? Nope. No can do.

It's not debatable, it's not a lesser-of-two awful candidates choice, and it's not acceptable. To me, this election was not about politics (and for the record, I am not a registered Democrat), rather, it was about humanity. So for me, those people who knowingly pulled the trigger for Trump in 2020 elected to choose evil over compassion, and as a result I simply do not care to have them in my life going forward.

This, by the way, is the exact opposite of what my spiritual congregation leader has been urging us to do. But after watching what has transpired since the voting booths close, and what will likely continue to transpire until January 20 and beyond, I am not a big enough human being to do so. I'm just not.

So . . . 

If you chose deliberate separation of children from their parents, regardless of the legal status of the parents being here, I draw a line in the sand.

If you chose continued marginalization of people of color, I draw a line in the sand.

If you chose continued marginalization of LGBTQ, I draw a line in the sand.

If you chose implicit endorsement of White Supremacy, I draw a line in the sand. 

If you chose the nonstop deluge of hatred sent out daily via Twitter, I draw a line in the sand.   

And finally, if you chose to accept the undermining of our democratic election process by supporting claims of fraud in the absence of any proof whatsoever, I draw a line in the sand. 

All others continue to be welcomed here.

Yes! Yes! YES!!!!!!!

 

YES, I know that it is slightly premature, however after four years of absolute insanity, I am taking and running with it. 

So here you go - per Wikipedia just now, since altered to remove President-elect reference, but which I trust will be returned shortly once the final counts are confirmed:

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (/ˈbaɪdən/ BY-dən; born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who is the President-elect of the United States, scheduled to assume office on January 20, 2021. He previously served as the 47th vice president of the United States in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as United States Senator for Delaware from 1973 to 2009. 

Updated Saturday, November 7 - It's official! Joe Biden is has been elected, and will become our newest President in a couple of months. Until then, hang in there as I'm sure it's going to be a bumpy ride . . . 

Updated Sunday, November 8 - Last night's Biden/Harris win moment was an amazing, uplifting event. VP-elect Kamala Harris' beautiful speech set the tone for the night, and when she made reference to representing the future possibilities for little girls, and for people of color, I wept on behalf of my own beautiful granddaughters who are of mixed ethnicity, one half of which is brown. Their future now looks so much brighter than it did just one month ago. And President-elect Biden's speech was beyond magnificent. 

However, and this is a 'however' that I sincerely hope is not lost on Democrats - while this election was a resounding rejection of Donald Trump, it was clearly not a rejection of the Republican party per the seats they picked up in the Assembly, and the apparent lack of a Blue Wave in the Senate. I sincerely hope that the significance of that is not lost on the Democrats as they come together to determine how to move forward. At the top of that list of discussion points should be 'Compromise,' bolded and in caps.