life's been overwhelming

just so much, so busy...

i took a very quick trip down to CA to help out with my sister Shari. she is healing slowly but healing. i found that being a nurse is hard and challenging work and that being a patient is even harder. i know Shari will shout for joy on the day she is able to shower by herself again.

it was nice to be there to help and i enjoyed having more time with Shari and Fred than i had ever really had. it was good to reconnect and to get to know each other on a deeper level. my time with mom & Renee was special and fun, as it always is! i actually got to see my auntie Barbara also, she is a gem!

ever since my return daily life has been on overload. just to much to do, not enough time. Bernie Jr. was in town for a show and it was wonderful hanging out with him as much as we could. he is a funny and entertaining guy who is always great to be around. he is also always gracious to get us into his shows for free and this one was FANTASTIC! i love Michael McDonalds music, i even admitted to Michael that i had a crush on him as a teenager, silly! i think he blushed, he is such a shy guy!

our seats were the best ever, front and center. i took a few pics with my phone... camera is still broke... we actually took grandma & grandpas from them and shot a bunch of good ones. unfortunately we don't have an adapter to get them on our computers.

family profile.


rock star.


the entire band are experts their talent is endless.


grandpa is sharing with Michael & Drea (backup vocals) about his cancer. shortly after this Drea shared the Lord with Grandpa for a good half hour to 45 minutes. i have no idea what he walked away with but i know he heard about the Grace and Love of God. it was quite cool, WOW! thank you Drea.


so yeah the pics are pretty bad... sorry but i just can not post without a picture!
Sheryl Crow concert tonight, Italy reunion tomorrow, Terra's wedding in Astoria on Saturday... busy, busy.

x
Leila

a soothing

summer evening...

it's been a busy/stressful week. Bill has been sick, that is so not fun. we have all three been busy with work, life, etc. Bill & I meetings today. but..... the weather has been superb.

sitting on the porch waiting for Bill to get home for dinner (Laura tends to work nights) i noticed how pretty the neighbor's wheelbarrow looked with my bike in the foreground. i quickly grabbed Bill's camera (mine is broke, but wow... his is a lot cooler).


griffey may be heading south next week (in my dreams) we'll see, it's up to grandma Carol... she is cute and sweet, i am just not a cat person.


i love my lavender this time of year. it gets so huge and wild and it smells so good. i grab a handful daily, just to absorb the scent onto my hands.


Bill got home and we had a lovely simple dinner, with a bottle of light summer wine. my favorite way to spend a Friday evening, talking away with the man i love.


this cute guy was dining on sagebrush all evening.


it ended with Laura arriving home from work and fun gabbing about her night at work. stories of the Sisters Brew Pub on a friday night are always entertaining! Bill (still being a bit under the weather) grew weary of all the talk and went off to bed but not before capturing this magnificent moon.


oh summer... only if it could last all year... even a month or two longer... i enjoy summer, completely.

a good easy gratin

i love eating out. one of my favorite things to order is a dish that is stacked with some type of gratin, a protein and veggies. yummy!

also potatoes au gratin are what my kids always want when they are home. it is by far one of their favorite foods. it's just so much work and so time consuming to prepare. tonight i found a recipe that was really easy and quite good in my opinion.

i stacked a marinated mahi mahi on top (from Trader Joe's) and made a fresh simple tomato/cucumber salad. although i think salmon with some sort of glaze would be much better along with roasted vegies (Heidi's idea). i simply think that the flavors would blend better, more smoothly.

anyway here is the recipe along with a bit of editing from me (i can not, not do that to a recipe). i recommend it, its good and easy. it's a small serving though, enough for two with a leftover. i hope you like it if you try it.

4 - 6 medium potatoes | sliced thinly (i used my new mandolin i got for my birthday (o:)
1/2 pint cream
butter to coat dish
about 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano
clove of garlic | chopped
fresh thyme
nutmeg
fresh chives
salt & pepper

heat oven 375.

in saucepan heat cream, sprig of thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and chopped garlic slowly.
butter shallow baking dish (about 8 inches).
layer potatoes overlapping a bit / one layer at a time. generously salt and pepper each layer and sprinkle with some freshly chopped chives.
after each layer sprinkle about 3 - 4 tablespoons parmesan and drizzle 1/3 of cream/spice mixture over.
do three layers.

cook at 375 about 45 minutes, when brown and yummy looking add one more topping of parmesan and brown.

let it set about 15 minutes before cutting.

i am not a food stylist or a photographer (you'll have to visit my kids sites for that kind of talent). i am a decent cook though.
(*/*)

oh my!

my husband Bill, he's been busy this weekend....

for a time now he has been wanting to redo our bedroom. he was not so keen on the 'design' i had done a couple years back and has been chomping at the bit ever since to get it done in a palette/style that is pleasing to his tasteful eye.

i found a bedroom set we agreed on at costo.com ON SALE. so i ordered it.

so the project begins....

Bill promptly listed our bedroom furniture of craigslist.com. we tend to always just give things away, he thought this time why not help pay for the new stuff. well yeah, at rock bottom prices we spent yesterday and today dealing with the insanity of craigslist. YIKES! it is a bit scary. we were even told today we were unethical! thank you very much! our thought first come first served seemed unacceptable to one guy who did nothing but complain about the price, how far he had to drive, we wouldn't deliver etc... he was a bit displeased that we chose to sell to a reasonable buyer and let us know it. YIKES!

that said this is what was....






the two dressers and armoire went for $300 (which 'ERIK' thought was too much!) bed with mattresses $300, sophey's chair (poor girl) $75. i believe our prices were more than reasonable.

this is what is:




and the mattress goes tomorrow. yep, one day all gone. funny part is... our new stuff arrives in 4 to 6 weeks. i suppose that gives us time to get the new floor in and put the new paint color up. which do you prefer? see them on the wall?

next order of business...
deal with our pond. which i am NOT pleased with at all. we just can not get the GROSSNESS of it under control. our latest lightening storm managed to blow our pump, again. so drain it we did (again) and we are attempting to deal with it. honestly i just want to fill it with soil and call it a yard! although i am willing to give it one last try. disgusting!



on a lighter note, it is a lovely afternoon. Bill is feeling under the weather, so napping... i took a couple of shots of the flowers the deer have left for me and am just enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon. we lunched at the brew pub, oh so yummy and i am just ignoring the idea of cooking...




x
Leila

awhile

so i know it's been a long while since a post. so sorry. it's just life.
there is a new one below this.

i just want to quickly let all my friends and loved ones know that my sister (shari) was in a very bad car accident on thursday (her 48th birthday). she has been in ICU ever since. she is going to live but has extensive injuries and is in very serious condition. she is facing a very long road of healing ahead that is going to effect her life dramatically. if you think of her, say a prayer.

thanks.
L

birthdays, beaches, boxes, blonds, brunettes and a redhead

we went south to see the son who is there (the west coast one)
it was a wonderful time, much to short though.

we visited the home of ray and charles eames, royalty of modern design of the 40s, 50s, 60s.....
their home is a bit boxy but quite cool.


this is an eames elephant, it's in the yard for the grandkids (they are grown now though...) it's a museum anyways. i just thought it was cute.


this is a sneaky picture into their studio, it was a no no but Bill did it anyway. that is the second eames chair ever created, a cool thing for a designer guy like Bill.


then it was off to universal studios. we had gone there years ago and decided to try it again. compare it to Michael's place of employment, the fabulous Disneyland! it was fun, but doesn't even compare to Walt's Magic Kingdom.

Michael and Claire were chosen to act in a show. it made it especially entertaining.


Claire fighting a GIANT CAT (Michael played the cat).


after more fine acting from Claire they killed Michael. they eventually brought him back to life (thankfully).


but then they sliced his arm off. it was gross.


Michael and Clarie proved to be such fine actors they then added Laura to the show to assist in sound effects. she looked lovely on stage.


so yep here they are, the stars of the show!


Joe and Heidi were able to join us at 4:30 a.m. it was very nice of them to make the long drive. so we hit the beach the next day. we walked way down to Ruby's for lunch. it was super far but very yummy.


Joe likes the ocean he is is a bit of a fish in that way. he likes to be in it every day.


Mike, he got wet too.


Laura looking like lovely Laura on the beach, she would like to be courted someday, by a wonderful young man...


silhouette of sisters.


that evening i was surprised with a wonderful rooftop birthday party.


it was very festive, fun and quite special!


there were boxes of presents!


pretty birthday flowers.


cool beverages.


there was very nice sharing, they said really nice things about me. i cried.... they made me feel good.


Laura told her dad he actually looked cool, he was super excited and proud. amazing what a pair of flip flops does!


it was a marvelous special evening. i am not sure why no one got a picture of the SPRINKLES! oh my, so delicious we gorged on them for two days. i only wish i could get them here!
the sun went down on a lovely day.


the birthday girl, 47 now.


i missed wil & kris so much i cried but it was a great time. although as i said, to short. we are already planning next year (for a week this time), have the date set and are actively seeking someone to house swap with.

thanks to all of you for your calls and cards for my birthday, you are all such wonderful people and i treasure your love and friendship. i appreciate you remembering me on my birthday.

thank you my family i adore you all! also the redhead. (o:

x