GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.17 {2016}

4.16.16 ~ SHOWER for BABY BEE

BABY SHOWERS are thoughtful, social, & emotional!

SLE's shower was NO exception! While working with my mom, daughter, niece, sister & sister-in-law, it was ALL about thoughtful details. The mother-to-be didn't want a "themed" event, but agreed on greens & yellows. Once the event was in full swing, it was ALL about the social aspect of visiting, eating, playing games, and presents. I hadn't anticipated that I would be so emotional the week following the party!!

SLE told me on the way to LAX (to catch her flight to Washington DC), she "didn't want the party to end!" YEA!!! it was a G.R.E.A.T. success! 

I wish we had taken more pictures of family... urrgh!

Friday, JPE & I met friends for dinner at the Olde Port Inn, Avila Beach. Great conversation, tasty food (although, expensive) & a beautiful evening...

a RANDOM picture of our walk on the pier. We never take for granted that we live in a beautiful community!

Several days before the shower, I scheduled some time to teach Katie to use a sewing machine. She's at that age where she's expanding her creative interests!

Some of the handmade gifts... Katie sewed five burp pads (bottom left)... Nana/Gigi made the baby quilt... Auntie Allie knit the mint green hat & purple headband! the monkey first appeared on this blog a few weeks ago. Auntie Janene (top picture) did all the table decorations for the party! & I know Baby Bee will be getting a handmade gift from Auntie Stacy... Welcome to the FUN club, Katie!!

posting with Tamar at Random-osity

Flying to Washington DC tomorrow!

catch me here, or on Instagram!!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.14 {2016}

Oh... this is a cute way to advertise! ROYCE CAFE & COFFEE HOUSE (named for the owner, Joy & Rhoda, her daughter). GOOD coffee, tasty cookies & signage!

RANDOM... Loved this shoe form! How would you use this to decorate your home? I'm thinking I would use it as a bookend... or maybe add a couple of brushed silver knobs and use it to hang a coat or dog leash (if I had a dog!!)... Of course, you would have to hang it on the wall!

When we were in Ohio, we stopped by TAFT'S ALE HOUSE (downtown Cincinnati)... there were several parties of noisy (very, very noisy) people in the downstairs bar. As we passed the door to the outside, we discovered they were taking taking a BEER TOUR. You can check out these FUN tours by going on TripAdvisor.

Well, that's all for now!

Posting with Tamar at RANDOM-OSITY. 

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.11 {2016}

GOOD... Water fountain? or Bubbler? Our Portland Walking Tour guide, Richard told us they are called Benson Bubbler's for the name of the person who gave $10,000 to the city to purchase & install 20 four-bowl bubblers. There were two stories that are told about the reason for the bubblers... to keep the loggers out of the saloons & the other was because Benson saw a little girl looking for someplace to get a drink during a 4th of July parade. For whatever reason, there are 52 bubblers through out the City of Portland & a person can download a list of the bubblers by clicking here!
The bubblers flow from 5:30am-11:30pm, unless they are closed down due to freezing weather or wind... the fountains are cleaned bi-weekly... & it was interesting to learn the water is fresh & NOT RECYCLED.

RANDOM shop... In the Alberta Arts District, I ran across this great window design advertising a tattoo parlor.  Located on a side street, next to the Rexall Drug Store... it grabbed my attention with the brilliant colors & a sign featuring cool fonts.

FUN... Bisquick tin! Okui's Strawberry Stand will be opening March 24th! Gotta stock up on Bisquick to make shortbread rounds for our strawberry shortcake!

Again, I'm posting photos from our Portland, Oregon trip.

Posting with Tamar from Random-osity!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.10 {2016}

taken 3.5.16

Mom & I flew to Portland, Oregon last week! We got an inexpensive flight from Long Beach to Portland, rented a car (although you can use public transportation) and stayed at the historic BENSON HOTEL. Here are a few GOOD - RANDOM - FUN pictures that I captured. Check out the LINKS in this post for more detailed information about Portland.

Thursday, March 3rd

After visiting with Mom's friend in the historic Hollywood District, we drove over to the ALBERTA ARTS DISTRICT to check out a few fabric stores, BOLT FABRIC BOUTIQUE & MODERN DOMESTIC. What a colorful, fun, creative place to stroll... and capture some pictures... I plan to post some of my favorite shots later this week. After an hour browsing (& buying) at Modern Domestic, we asked the staff where they would recommend eating... she suggested SWISS HIBISCUS just behind their store. What an incredible dining experience! small, intimate... Mom enjoyed pork schnitzel & spätzle, while I had a mouth-watering brat & creamy potato salat. Heavenly food! the owner-chef came out to speak to all the tables asking how they liked the food. Oh yum! will visit this spot again to try another dish! absolutely GOOD!

Friday, March 4th

Portland is a city for walking OR riding bikes. YES, they ride their bikes in the drizzle & pelting rain! Perhaps they are immune to the chill and dampness?? Mom & I took the Portland Walking Tour which met at Portland's historic "living room," also called the Pioneer Courthouse Square. More about the sights near this landmark will be coming in another post, but for now, two RANDOM pictures.

A dog carrying a basket... he wasn't homeless, but on closer examination of the basket, it said SMILE... and you could drop a donation in his basket. He was crossing the square and didn't approach us for spare change. Perhaps he met his $$ quota?

And, finally, the Portland BLUE MAN pontificating from notes he had written... objecting to government regulations... or lack of action on the part of the city council. Apparently he is a regular & his name is Mike! he keeps his face covered! And loves to SHOUT OUT his opinions via an electric megaphone. His ranting was a bit annoying!

Saturday, March 5th

FUN... of course eating donuts is FUN! We walked by Voo-Doo Donuts several times, but the line was so long (no surprise!! as you can see the donuts are legendary) we missed carrying around our own PINK BOX. But, any number of people eating a donut were willing to share their "puffy selection" for this photo op! What we were surprised to learn, Jet Blue allowed passengers to carry on their PINK BOXES to share their donuts with the people back home. Mom & I think Voo-Doo Donuts should open a shop in the Portland Airport!!

posting with Tamar at RANDOM-OSITY

more of Portland coming!!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.9 {2016}

taken outside the Container Store, San Jose
flowers & vegies
reds & purples
GOOD color & texture!

Mission San Miguel, San Miguel, CA

During my drive from Allie's, I took 20 minutes to stretch my legs & take a few RANDOM pictures.

Located 51 miles north of my home,

Mission San Miguel has the only surviving original church altar found in ANY of

the 21 California missions.

This EYE of GOD is located at the center of the church altar... and reminded the mission Indians they had a God who watched over them. My iPad picture doesn't capture the beauty of the colors or details of the design. 

A "baker's dozen" = the number of days spent with Ms.Lola... she's simply FUN, FUN, FUN.

Her expressions tug at your heart!

As much as we wanted her to stay,

her LOVE was needed at home - Allie & Brian were anxious to have their furry baby back.

JPE & I miss our Lola-Bug.

posting with Tamar at Random-osity

Our World Tuesday

and Life Thru the Lens

My question for today?

How are you spending your L.E.A.P. DAY?

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.8 {2016}

 Asparagus, Parmesan Cheese Fritatta

cleaned out the fridge - GOOD for breakfast & dinner

RANDOM = Spring + Easter decorations
are beginning to appear in stores!

Wish I had purchased one of these felt bunnies

so I could try to make my own pattern!

creative FUN

(l) used PicMonkey to add a red hat & sunglasses to a pic of Lola

(r) took pic of a pillow that resembled Lola

(at Therapy, one of my favorite stores

in Mountain View)

 she's such a C.U.T.I.E. P.A.T.O.O.T.I.E.

Lola will be going home Tuesday...

we will M.I.S.S. her sweet little face! 

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.7 {2016}

Sunday, February 14, 2016 - VALENTINE'S DAY

GOOD - Went for an afternoon drive to our favorite place along the Shell Beach cliffs! Yesterday was a beautiful, warm (mid-80's) day along the beach. Not exactly winter weather, but okay, I can live with a few days, THEN we better get some more of that El Nino weather (meaning... rain) before all the trees bloom thinking it's Spring. The 101 highway was sooo crowded it took us 65 minutes to drive home... in general, it's a 15 minute drive.

RANDOM - A group of women were practicing their hula dance for an upcoming performance. They were being accompanied by a guy on his guitar. A lovely addition to the beauty of the coastline.

Allie's classroom - Thursday, February 11th

FUN - Volunteered in Allie's TK classroom. (TK = Transitional Kindergarten). Haven't seen her students since October... they are ALL 5 years old now...

She has the most interesting items in her classroom! a new set of puppets with an upper & lower case letter on them...

And, doesn't this plate of (plastic) spaghetti look tasty? At the beginning of the school year, playing in the kitchen was the TOP choice during free-time... now it's the writing center (they love those glue sticks + scrap paper). Allie has a huge stack of little "treasures" created by her students!

 Posting with Tamar at Random-osity

Last I checked, she was enjoying
a snowy day on the slopes!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.5 {2016}

Saturday, we took a drive to Montana de Oro... about 25 minutes from our house. There are H.U.G.E. cliffs with sweeping views of the midnight blue ocean. Waves were pounding the rocks, people stood along the bluffs enjoying the wind and watched the storm blow in. It was sooooo GOOD to be out in nature...

Hopping rocks, looking in tidepools, exploring between the incoming tide... A few RANDOM samples of ocean life. 

Some FUN... a break from procrastinating

(still decluttering the bathrooms,

honestly, I haven't gotten far...).

Too late for Christmas, but it was certainly FUN mailing this ornament to Allie & Brian. 

• I photocopied both sides of their wedding invitation on card-stock, cut it into slivers of paper, which I rolled around a pencil & dropped them inside this glass bauble.
• Then I punched purple(s) & green confetti from the crepe paper I used to make their wedding flowers. 
• Here are the photos I sent to family showing them how this looked. Since no one had seen the ornament, I labeled the arrows showing them what the curled paper pieces were... C.U.T.E. & FUN!

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V.3 (2016)

It's a GOOD time to begin blogging again! After all, it's a new year (BTW, I love even numbered years... 2016 is even... divisible by 2... I know, that's weird huh?) and I'm beginning to settle into RETIREMENT! It's been more than 6 months, BUT I'm still trying to find my "routine."

I'm thinking that for so-o-o-o many years, a woman gets used to a routine and then when it adjusts (due to having children, illness, or even vacation), we THINK we will start doing all those tasks we "dream of" when we are in a parenting-working routine.

I'll let you in on a secret... it's been hard getting used to being RETIRED! I LOVE it, but I still flounder around for most of the day trying to figure out which "productive task" I need to complete before my head hits the pillow at night. 

Before you think I have NOTHING to occupy my time... well, you only need to look at my "stuff" to know crafts, books, photography, and sewing projects are all at the "tip of my finger." It's a matter of "turning off" my work-mindset and being OKAY with creating my path each morning over coffee.

A RANDOM thought... JPE & I haven't been to the Big Bear Cabin in the WINTER for several years. I'm missing the beauty of the lake... the cool-frosty mornings... sipping a "cuppa" while I watch the birds "swoop & skim" the glassy surface of the lake... Ahh! maybe we need to calendar a trip??

My second favorite holiday (besides Christmas) is VALENTINE'S DAY!! It's not quite as much FUN cutting, pasting, and creating messages of LOVE without other crafters. Does anyone want to come over and join me? 

Thanks, TAMAR for continuing to host this Monday meme! 

Her birthday is coming soon... Check out her "blazing candle display" 

as she begins the "count-down" to her BIRTH-day.

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V50

Sunday, December 13, 2015 - rain beading up on roof of my car

As I mentioned in my blog post yesterday, the Central Coast of California got a bit of rain! Californians get EXCITED about rain due to our multi-year drought. So, anytime we get ANY rain (we had less than 1/2 of an inch yesterday)... that is the "talk about town". A GOOD reason to celebrate!

Monday, December 7, 2015 - Bunco party treats

Last Monday, I hosted our Bunco Holiday celebration. No, we still don't play BUNCO, in fact, we don't even know who has the box (with dice, scorecards & pencils)??? but, we DO love to EAT & TALK about what's happening with our families... All of us are at different stages of our lives. A few are retired, most have grandchildren, a few have grown children who are getting married or defining their career paths, and almost all of us have creative interests (gardening, sewing, painting, decorating, baking or entertaining). 

JPE made dinner for us - lasagna, fresh olive bread and I added a kale salad (prepackaged from Trader Joe's). As everyone arrived, we munched on dried apricots, nuts, crackers & cheese. 

If you haven't tried this cheese, run (yes, run, because it's a seasonal treat) right out to Trader Joe's for a chunk of STICKY TOFFEE Cheddar Cheese. It's not a very pretty cheese (color, bleech!) but it's filled with toffee bits, raisins & dates... a RANDOM tidbit to add to your holiday eating!

Arroyo Grande Village Holiday Party - store window

I'm first to admit I cannot draw... but I do like to try my hand at lettering signs. I created a chalkboard drawing for Allison's and Stephanie's wedding. It was an opportunity to add my personal, FUN touch to their very unique weddings. If you haven't tried chalk lettering, Pinterest is the place to search ideas, or better yet, visit Lily & Val to order a copy of this book... The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering, by Valerie McKeehan. 

Well, must get to my house cleaning! then run a few errands before meeting JPE in San Luis Obispo for dinner with friends. YEAH! 

posting with Tamar at Random-osity!!

give her blog a peek! & tell her I sent you!!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V48

Sunday, JPE & I walked around Arroyo Grande Village (actually, our historic downtown area)... In addition to having a coffee of coffee at Andreini's, we watched the "locals" stake out their spot along Branch Street for watching the holiday parade that started at 5:00pm. 

Grace Bible Church performed at the gazebo on the So County Historical Society lawn... and led a sing-a-long of holiday songs.

The Santa Manuela Schoolhouse had been decorated so we took a "peek" inside.

We had to laugh at the writing on the chalkboard! It IS a GOOD idea NOT to SPIT on the STOVE... all those germs! 

Thinking of dining or having an appetizer at Rooster Creek Tavern? well, the resident rooster will be joining you!! pretty RANDOM eh? having to share your outdoor dining experience with the "local" roosters that prowl the downtown area.

In addition to the holiday decorations in the old schoolhouse, we had FUN reminiscing about how many of the items we had during our elementary school years... of course the American flag, but I didn't recognize the California map displayed. Both JPE & I recognized the two items that were used on the blackboard... I especially remember five-prong chalk holder (the bottom piece of chalk is missing) that drew parallel lines for demonstrating penmanship or for music class. Although we didn't sit at desks like these, I recognized several of the textbooks on top of the desks... a science book from 1959, a history book and penmanship book. I didn't attend a one-room schoolhouse, but there is actually one in our county that still operates. It's amazing to think this teacher is responsible for teaching lessons to multiple grades. 

Last post of November... the holidays are approaching! will share my decorating once I get over the frenzy that 2015 is almost over!

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V47

Cambria, CA 11.23.15

Mom came up on Amtrak Sunday evening... We spent a GOOD part of Monday walking around Cambria... Isn't this a GOOD way to keep track of socks missing their mates??

hilarious book about breastfeeding

One of our RANDOM "finds"... some laugh-out-loud information about breastfeeding!! This might make you think I don't support breastfeeding... but it should be noted that I breastfed both of my daughters until they were almost 2 years of age. We couldn't help laughing at this silly cartoon, "Bad time to breastfeed"...

Ball & Skein Yarn Shop, Cambria, CA

I've seen plenty of cardboard reindeer heads, but this is my "first" cardboard sheep. What a novel, FUN way to display skeins of yarn. Allie would love-love-love the yarn in this store...

posting with Tamar @ RANDOM-OSITY!