The Joy of Family and Making New Friends

Today, Sarah and Luna visited and we went to the 3rd Street Farmer’s Market with my brother-in-law, Ray Agutter, who is visiting from Salt Lake City. Ray was my sister Leslie’s husband and is the father of my beloved niece, Kevin, and my nephew, Jim. Ray is also a gregarious character and loves to chat…

A Few Things I Know…

What do I know? Living in the present is the healthy way to live. Life works out…I think.  Time heals…eventually…I hope. Babies are a blessing and to be cherished. One day at a time. One minute at a time if need be. Stay focused on what works. Keep negative thoughts at bay. Hug tight. Love…

Gratitude

I know that I have been posting a lot about my granddaughter lately. I promise I’ll move on to other subjects in the near future, but, honestly, I must share this gorgeous picture of this child tonight. She is the picture of serenity. Not always, of course, but actually she is much of the time….

Baby Luna

I am barely awake. I just spent the afternoon with baby Luna. She is leaping frogging around the room, not quite in full crawling mode yet, but getting around remarkably well. I am behind on my online writing work. I now must go to bed so that I can get up super early and take…

Where I Work and Spend My Days

I work in the living room of my house on a routine basis, looking out on the street during the day and seeing the street light illuminate a far-off tree at night. This room is where I see my students in person, work with my students online, answer my email, and write. Light comes in from…

5-Star Greek Lentil and Spinach Soup Recipe

I made this soup today for lunch. It is by far the best lentil soup I’ve ever tasted and is a favorite of my family. My youngest daughter is especially fond of it, so here you go, Rachael, you can add this to your treasure trove of tasty recipes you’re collecting. The vinegar makes all…

Ojai, the Orange Grove and a Success or Two

Ray and I drove up to Ojai this morning, leaving at 6:00 am and arriving by 7:30. We worked at the orange grove until 2, then headed back home so I could see students beginning at 5:30. We worked on the old Spartan trailer again blocking as many holes as possible to the outside, and…

Baby Day

Today, my husband, Ray, and I went out to visit our little 5.5 month granddaughter, Luna. We arrived around 1 and left fairly close to 5 pm. We played with her, carried her around the house, cradled her, and I danced with her. (Much to my family’s chagrin, I might add.) The gist – I…

Rush: Niki Lauda’s Biopic is Well Worth Your Time

This afternoon we went to the movies and saw the new Ron Howard film Rush. My husband, Ray, is a big Formula One racing fan so this was the primary motivation, but I must say that this film, which is inspired by real events, is worth seeing for anyone who loves a well-told story. The…

Off She Goes…

Daughter Liz left this morning to go pick up her boyfriend, Ron, and head out to parts far-away for 2 months. Here she is with me just before jumping in her car. She is dressed up because they were going to a wedding this afternoon and then leaving from there to head up the coast….