Three Birthdays and a Bridal Shower...59 is FINE...Sofi...and Other Observations

My BIRTHDAY must be over.

The Cake is gone.

Consolidated my 59th with Aiden's Upcoming 5th and Brenden's 9th and it was a mass of birthday candles, a flurry of icing (also pizza and pop), and

"Happy Birthday to US!"

Sung off-key and with flourish.

 

Candies and Candles, Kitchen Stuff and Birthday Morels, Bath Stuff, Ribbons and Lilacs.

But the very best was just FAMILY!

Even if Emma did learn not to stand too close to Dad with a piece of heavily frosted Birthday cake.

"It's up my NOSE!!!!"

And so happy that Kaylee was able to come!!!!

59 is shaping up to be a great last year of the fifties...and I am so blessed.

Was shocked when I was looking back at one of the earliest photos I took of Sofi

Around 6 weeks old.

And now...at not quite a YEAR.

She is coming along with her harness too...

From

"Uh...you're kidding, right?"

to Proud Guard Cat.

 All she needs is a tiny black beret.

Today, I joined Tina and Family for her Bridal Shower.

Hard to believe in less than a week they will be married!!!!

The kids table.

Complete with Linguini and Spaghetti and a choice of Alfredo, Pesto or Marinara (Pasta Bar), Crusty Italian Loaf and Tossed Green Salad.

Games and Prizes.

They are honeymooning at Disney...and since they basically have everything at home...wedding/bridal gifts were contributions to the honeymoon.

Next week they will be Mr. & Mrs.

 Not losing a son- but gaining another wonderful Daughter!

So happy, as Our Middle (Lennon) will be here on the 1st for the week.

The best part is that on the 2nd we are having a brunch...and for the first time in a long time I will be out solo with my three boys!

As any Mom can tell you...after they grow up and have lives, jobs, wives and children of their own...these solo moments are few and far between. 

I am soooooooooooooo looking forward to it!

Last week's Game of Thrones was beyond cruel.  They have brought everyone back together.

And they decided to devote the whole episode last Sunday to "the feels".

Bran and Jamie making peace. 

Ser Jamie and Brianne and the whole warm and fuzzy...let's sit around the fireplace, get warm, tell tales, drink wine and sing with Podrick, Tormund, Davos, and Tyrion. 

And I LOVED when Jamie Lannister knighted Brianne of Tarth.

Greyworm and his lady love reunited and speaking of future plans to settle in Narth. 

They even brought back together Beric and The Hound.

 Made peace with Sansa and Theon.

Gave a brief sisterly human moment between Dany and Sansa.

Brought Gentry and Ayra together in a tastefully done lovemaking scene.

Brought the last 3 of the brotherhood back to fight the Night King.

Brought Lady Mormont together with Jorah for a memorable confrontation.

Samwell Tarly gives Jorah his father's sword for the upcoming battle then is below in the crypts sleeping with Gilly and Little Sam.

Podrick's haunting rendition of Jenny of Oldstones as the camera pans.

Sansa and Theon sit at a table in the courtyard together.

Gave Jon just enough time to reveal to Dany that his true linage is Targaryen.

(...she appeared less than pleased...)

Yes...they gave us a moment to really CARE about everyone...

Before they start getting killed off.

And you know they are going to...

Heartless BASTARDS.

This Week's Book

A re-read for me.

Naturalist Essays by Annie Dillard.

Beautiful. Quiet. Comforting.

An excellent CENTER in the midst of a hectic week.

And Trump...what is left to say...really?

He threatens to sue if his taxes are revealed.

He threatens to sue if his college transcripts are released.

He threatens to sue over the Mueller Report.

It is almost like he has something to hide, or something...lol!


More anon...

Life List #23: See the Otters in Valley Center, California

Although I have been to California many many times, I never heard of, or made it to Valley Center.

Today we will (virtually).

A small town by Californian standards. The last population recorded at a little over 9 thousand people. For comparison...the population of Los Angeles is around 4 million. 

A beautiful slice of wide open green spaces punctuated by posh luxury homes.

And our destination today

Nurtured by Nature

Open only 10 AM- 2PM on Saturdays and Sundays.

Maximum group size less than 10 people...reservations required.

$550. a person and involves interacting with a host of different animals through a 4 hour guided tour...and a swim with the otters.

Today we will see it for FREE...

The Tour

https://youtu.be/KQ7503tokT0

Swim with the Otters

https://youtu.be/YMfYfoBxOVM

New Litter of Baby Otters

https://youtu.be/vTx-xa3A-H0

Otter Noises Compilation

https://youtu.be/PhX35jRb1co

Just Doing Otter Stuff

https://youtu.be/Qg-QdJwKtkM

Hope you  enjoy this small day-trip!

More Anon.

Game of Thrones Season 8...Our Mermaid April Getaway...Sisters Brunch...Easter and The Mueller Report

Started Easter Day with a piece of leftover birthday cake made my my sister, Lisa (who knows the power of positive chocolate...and brought a homemade Devil's Food layered in the center with Reese's Cups and then covered with Cream Cheese Icing yesterday...OMG), and a cup of good coffee.

Breakfast of champions!

Had a combined early birthday, Sisters Day and Easter Brunch yesterday with Tina and Lisa...and it was wonderful.

Sofi has decided that Lisa is, indeed, her favorite Auntie...lol!

Much laughter, sharing and even answering a few more of the 50 Things All Sisters Should Know About Each Other...well into the evening.

We will be together again, soon, at The Wedding.

And as for Sisters Day in June we have decided to get 3 matching interlocking heart tattoos!

I know, right? 
Can't wait!

John and I back (and recovered) now from our own Midweek Getaway.

And it was amazing.

(...it is always amazing and an adventure...)

An early birthday brunch at The Rusted Silo & afternoon...and we have found our Home Away From Home Suite.

With (and this is the mermaid part) our own corner 2 person hot tub.

We have dubbed this Our Room anytime we are in the area.

(...nope...we aren't leaving...we like it here...)

And the Scent du noir was Peach.

Fresh peach candle...oil...lotion...and homemade Peach Cobbler!

Sofi & Giz would have loved it, too.

There was a pond nearby with about 30 Canadian Geese on it...talking to each other until the sun set.

(...30 geese talk a lot...)

And how can you be The Kahleesi the night before and look like a member of the Dothraki Horde the next morning???  
But I digress...

This Week's Book:

A hilarious and insightful debut novel by Cathy Guisewite. The creator of Cathy.

Remember Cathy?

She dieted, shopped, loved and lost, and binged through 1976-2010 with us. 

She was often a mirror revealing our hopes, dreams, relationships...and often just our lives.

In her novel she does much the same. A talented, witty, honest-to-a-fault at times look at the ADULT years.

A must read...if you loved Cathy all those years ago...this is the rest of the story.


And last Sunday at 9 PM...the RETURN of Game of Thrones!

Kind of bittersweet. 

This is the Final Season.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


Only 6 Episodes...although a couple will be 80 minutes long.

And last Sunday we waited...becoming Rainman

"Only 8 minutes until G.O.T."

true story

Loved the opening scene with the long line of Unsullied parting as they entered Winterfell to showcase Jon Snow and Dany arriving on horseback!

Perfect.

And Sansa who is less-than-thrilled at the arrival of the New Queen.

And the rest of the Northern Houses and Bannermen who are also wary.

And The New Queen...who is starting to sound a bit annoyingly entitled herself.

The first episode of the new season...more of a meet and greet. Bringing a lot of characters together. Some for the first time. Tying up some loose ends as they prepare to face the White Walkers together.

Aladdin and Jasmine had their magic carpet ride...Jon and Dany have their own, and seal their love on the backs of flying dragons.

(...even if one of the dragons is eyeing him like he might be a future crunchy snack...)

Letting Theon save Yara.

Reunion of Gentry, Arya and The Hound.

A grisly reminder of what the Night King is capable of as we witness the end of the Umbers.

(...poor Ned..goodbye Umbers....)

Revealing to Samwell Tarly that Dany (well...her dragon) executed both his father and brother.

(...and Tarly's amazing acting job...)

Euron Greyjoy brings the Golden Fleet as he promised...and gets a bit of Cersi in return.

Tarly reveals Snow's true linage to him...and Jon's completely stunned. 

Jamie has arrived at Winterfell...and the first person he locks eyes with is Bran

(...who now knows, as the Three Eyed Raven, that Jamie is the person who shoved him from the tower all those seasons back...making him a cripple...)

Awkward.

And now we wait....again...


"Only seven hours till Wapner...er...I mean Game of Thrones."

Kudos to Johnnie Walker who has jumped on  the G.O.T bandwagon with

Limited Edition Johnnie White Walker Scotch

And the Actual Mueller Report given to Congress this week.

Surprisingly not terribly heavily redacted.

And it is scathing.

Appalling.

I'm only 170 pages in at this point

(...it is 488 pages long...)

Barr's 4 Page Summary was much more than a joke...it was a lie and a boldface attempt to defuse the situation for Trump (and several others)

Elizabeth Warren is already asking for impeachment of Trump...regardless of whether it will ever pass the Senate.

After reading under half of the report,already, myself...I can not see how Congress can do anything but impeach at this point.

And Barr should be forced to resign or be removed.

He is not acting as AG but just as another "fixer" for Trump.

The full text of the Mueller Report

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/read-text-full-mueller-report-n994551

in case you want to read for yourself.

More Anon...