she shows him nothing but disgust. it is sad, secretly i think she enjoys the brawls they get in to. she would NEVER let you know it though!
off to friendlier things... he is wondering... "are these for me??"
no, they are not.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
could you,
please, please, PLEASE be my friend... poor Chatham's is desperate for Griffey's affection.
she shows him nothing but disgust. it is sad, secretly i think she enjoys the brawls they get in to. she would NEVER let you know it though!
off to friendlier things... he is wondering... "are these for me??"
no, they are not.
she shows him nothing but disgust. it is sad, secretly i think she enjoys the brawls they get in to. she would NEVER let you know it though!
off to friendlier things... he is wondering... "are these for me??"
no, they are not.
driving south..
Laura and I are headed down south tomorrow. we are looking very forward to the high 60's - 70 weather predicted. (so funny my mom said, "well it may not be that warm.." seriously to us, 60 feels like 80!
we are first going to Napa to stay with my momma then the three of us are headed to Santa Cruz for; the baby shower for Laura's first newphew, my momma's first great grandchild and my first grandchild! pretty exciting! he is still in his mum's tummy and will be out early July.
Laura and I had fun shopping for him, found some pretty cute boy stuff. this by far our favorite find and we even think his mum, Heidi will love it! this is just a hint of a pic (i can not give it away... i am so weird about gifts that way....
sorry it's so blurry. i did manage to lose our very last camera when i took Bill away for his birthday weekend.... (really i know Renee....) so until i can get a new one... the cell phone is the only option, pretty sucky!
we will miss Bill but we WILL NOT miss this weather! blah.
x
we are first going to Napa to stay with my momma then the three of us are headed to Santa Cruz for; the baby shower for Laura's first newphew, my momma's first great grandchild and my first grandchild! pretty exciting! he is still in his mum's tummy and will be out early July.
Laura and I had fun shopping for him, found some pretty cute boy stuff. this by far our favorite find and we even think his mum, Heidi will love it! this is just a hint of a pic (i can not give it away... i am so weird about gifts that way....
sorry it's so blurry. i did manage to lose our very last camera when i took Bill away for his birthday weekend.... (really i know Renee....) so until i can get a new one... the cell phone is the only option, pretty sucky!
we will miss Bill but we WILL NOT miss this weather! blah.
x
Monday, March 23, 2009
still here
life either gets cold and really slow.... nothing much to post, or overwhelming and exhausting.... no desire to post. it's been both for awhile. so have just stayed away. i always feel so guilty not posting, i just have a desire to keep in touch and this is an easy avenue to do that.
so far we have not sold our house, obviously not a sellers market. we have had a good offer but are not interested in a contingency since the market is so bad. we are going to do a bit of a price drop in hopes of bringing in some new activity. wanting to move to Bend we have found the options are wide open. there are so many houses for sale at rock bottom prices we see it's a great time to buy.
we did get to finally go back to the house we are trying to buy and look at it again, to make sure we like it as much as we thought we did. we also looked at some other options. it was nice to get out for a few hours over the weekend.
of course the house we really want is the most expensive of all of the options we are considering right now and it's not perfect! it feels like 'House Hunters' weighing the positives and negatives.
this would be our second choice.
it is such a close second and such a better price it makes for tough decision making. what we LOVE about this house is the neighborhood, it has an office, the master is on the main floor and the two other bedrooms are a really good sized are upstairs. it's in NW Crossing which is a very big mix community that has a market, restaurants and parks within close walking/biking distance. a lifestyle i adore! the house is stunning on the inside and brand new, not even done yet.
the negatives are the living area is pretty tight and it has a HUGE HUGE house looming directly behind it. backyard privacy is nil because of this, with a driveway and basketball court being right next to the back yard.
it is such a great option and we like it so much until we go here!
this is the home we are quite sure is meant to be ours! we have admired it for a couple of years actually and considered buying a house across the street but we always said, "but that's the house we want." we figured it had come up for sale knowing the owner's businesses had gone under... we made an offer right away and the house has been in a foreclosure/bankruptcy nightmare ever since. so we are just waiting...
what we like about this house more is, the flow. it is a very well designed space and just feels so right to us. even though it is so much smaller than our existing home it does not feel tight. it feels right! we see ourselves living in the house quite comfortably and think it would work well for entertaining, something we love to do. it has two living spaces so when the kids are all home there is room to spread. it is designed in a way the the indoor living flows into the outdoor living very well and there are even built in heaters so that the outside is more pleasant for a longer period of time.
the setting is absolutely fabulous. it is in a neighborhood but it backs up to woods very much like our house now. it has a fantastic forest view and a pebble path down to the hot tub in the woods. the setting is serene, peaceful, private and quiet.
and.... THE KITCHEN. the home was owned by a chef and his family. the kitchen is a dream.
downside is the master is upstairs along with the two somewhat small bedrooms. also there is no office space.... you can tell by the few pictures that i have taken off the website that the house has the clean lines Bill & I both love. we dream about turning into our own and making it a space worthy of Dwell magazine.
the master bath is over the top, not sure why it's designed this way... it is about the size of our present bedroom which is odd in a way because it is not an 'over the top' house (well other than that range!). the design fits and is not out of place, it's just a master bath showplace.
in the meantime of us waiting for our house to sell and this bankruptcy mess to be ironed out house prices have continued to plummet. so this house is no longer worth what it was. we are writing a new offer with the hopes of more flexibility on the selling end for us. in order to GET a buyer!
so that's the little that has been up. other than some ups and downs that are life out loud.
soak in that sun, 'tis a blessing!
x
~ leila
so far we have not sold our house, obviously not a sellers market. we have had a good offer but are not interested in a contingency since the market is so bad. we are going to do a bit of a price drop in hopes of bringing in some new activity. wanting to move to Bend we have found the options are wide open. there are so many houses for sale at rock bottom prices we see it's a great time to buy.
we did get to finally go back to the house we are trying to buy and look at it again, to make sure we like it as much as we thought we did. we also looked at some other options. it was nice to get out for a few hours over the weekend.
of course the house we really want is the most expensive of all of the options we are considering right now and it's not perfect! it feels like 'House Hunters' weighing the positives and negatives.
this would be our second choice.
it is such a close second and such a better price it makes for tough decision making. what we LOVE about this house is the neighborhood, it has an office, the master is on the main floor and the two other bedrooms are a really good sized are upstairs. it's in NW Crossing which is a very big mix community that has a market, restaurants and parks within close walking/biking distance. a lifestyle i adore! the house is stunning on the inside and brand new, not even done yet.
the negatives are the living area is pretty tight and it has a HUGE HUGE house looming directly behind it. backyard privacy is nil because of this, with a driveway and basketball court being right next to the back yard.
it is such a great option and we like it so much until we go here!
this is the home we are quite sure is meant to be ours! we have admired it for a couple of years actually and considered buying a house across the street but we always said, "but that's the house we want." we figured it had come up for sale knowing the owner's businesses had gone under... we made an offer right away and the house has been in a foreclosure/bankruptcy nightmare ever since. so we are just waiting...
what we like about this house more is, the flow. it is a very well designed space and just feels so right to us. even though it is so much smaller than our existing home it does not feel tight. it feels right! we see ourselves living in the house quite comfortably and think it would work well for entertaining, something we love to do. it has two living spaces so when the kids are all home there is room to spread. it is designed in a way the the indoor living flows into the outdoor living very well and there are even built in heaters so that the outside is more pleasant for a longer period of time.
the setting is absolutely fabulous. it is in a neighborhood but it backs up to woods very much like our house now. it has a fantastic forest view and a pebble path down to the hot tub in the woods. the setting is serene, peaceful, private and quiet.
and.... THE KITCHEN. the home was owned by a chef and his family. the kitchen is a dream.
downside is the master is upstairs along with the two somewhat small bedrooms. also there is no office space.... you can tell by the few pictures that i have taken off the website that the house has the clean lines Bill & I both love. we dream about turning into our own and making it a space worthy of Dwell magazine.
the master bath is over the top, not sure why it's designed this way... it is about the size of our present bedroom which is odd in a way because it is not an 'over the top' house (well other than that range!). the design fits and is not out of place, it's just a master bath showplace.
in the meantime of us waiting for our house to sell and this bankruptcy mess to be ironed out house prices have continued to plummet. so this house is no longer worth what it was. we are writing a new offer with the hopes of more flexibility on the selling end for us. in order to GET a buyer!
so that's the little that has been up. other than some ups and downs that are life out loud.
soak in that sun, 'tis a blessing!
x
~ leila
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Caribbean Continued...
I am finally feeling caught up at work so I have a little time to get the rest of our trip documented! Sadly my camera, along with a few other items, was stolen from my luggage at the Miami Airport. Thankfully I had taken the time to upload the few pictures I did onto Bill's computer while we were docked in San Juan. Unfortunately those are all I have, the rest are in the hands of a crook. So I can only tell you what we did and did not enjoy the remainder of our cruise!
Our next stop was St. Thomas USVI, which we did not enjoy at all. It was simply hundreds if not thousand of diamond/jewelry stores and junkie tourist stuff. We found it had little to no character. Well other than a harbor called Havensight, where zillion dollar yachts spent their day. Not a place we'd ever care to return to and don't recommend it.
Then another lovely day at sea. Always nice relaxing, lots of sun, formal dress for dinner... I enjoy sea days because I love the view and the gentleness that it brings. I should add here that our entire cruise was extremely calm. Honestly once we were below deck you could not even tell we were on the Ocean. I had no idea what the weather would bring in February, it brought mid 80's and calm seas, a wonderful match!
Next and last stop, Half Moon Key. We were here a few years back on a Family Cruise so we did know what to expect. It is a wonderful private island owned by the cruise line. Set up for enjoying a perfect day in the Caribbean. We got off the ship very early and found a wonderful spot, then ventured down the perfect beach as far as we could go. It was tranquil walking through the warm ocean enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
As we walked down we found the horse stables, which was a good thing... I had booked a horse back ride for us later in the day and Bill was fighting it a tiny bit. Neither of us ride and he tends to be really cautious in unknown circumstances. Running into the stables allowed him to chat with the foreman and see the lovely animals. It set his heart at peace about riding later on in the afternoon.
It was a very good thing because this was our absolute favorite thing the entire week! We saddled up with jeans on and had a ride around the island that was fun and even a little scary at times. Those guys are big and they have a mind of their own! Then we returned to the stables and stripped down to swim wear and they changed the saddles on the horses. After remounting we took the most incredible ride through the ocean. It was breathtaking! I was so filled with joy I could not stop laughing, it was just such a fantastic experience. I will never forget how beautiful it was. Do it; if you ever have an opportunity!
I will save our last day in Miami for another post, but I am going to add a few pictures from earlier in the week for a bit more eye candy.
This guy, I am dubbing him Pelidam, came onboard our first day. He was quite intimidating but seemed lost at the same time.
We were pretty delighted to find this very secluded deck. It was way on top, I think Deck 12 and was very quiet and private.
The view was better than the lower decks and sans crowd it was a perfect spot to hang.
Saucy on the beach in Grand Turk!
A couple of more of Bill's eyeful shots in San Juan. He has such an eye for art!
....
Sun setting in Miami.
Thanks for reading!
x
~ leila
Our next stop was St. Thomas USVI, which we did not enjoy at all. It was simply hundreds if not thousand of diamond/jewelry stores and junkie tourist stuff. We found it had little to no character. Well other than a harbor called Havensight, where zillion dollar yachts spent their day. Not a place we'd ever care to return to and don't recommend it.
Then another lovely day at sea. Always nice relaxing, lots of sun, formal dress for dinner... I enjoy sea days because I love the view and the gentleness that it brings. I should add here that our entire cruise was extremely calm. Honestly once we were below deck you could not even tell we were on the Ocean. I had no idea what the weather would bring in February, it brought mid 80's and calm seas, a wonderful match!
Next and last stop, Half Moon Key. We were here a few years back on a Family Cruise so we did know what to expect. It is a wonderful private island owned by the cruise line. Set up for enjoying a perfect day in the Caribbean. We got off the ship very early and found a wonderful spot, then ventured down the perfect beach as far as we could go. It was tranquil walking through the warm ocean enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
As we walked down we found the horse stables, which was a good thing... I had booked a horse back ride for us later in the day and Bill was fighting it a tiny bit. Neither of us ride and he tends to be really cautious in unknown circumstances. Running into the stables allowed him to chat with the foreman and see the lovely animals. It set his heart at peace about riding later on in the afternoon.
It was a very good thing because this was our absolute favorite thing the entire week! We saddled up with jeans on and had a ride around the island that was fun and even a little scary at times. Those guys are big and they have a mind of their own! Then we returned to the stables and stripped down to swim wear and they changed the saddles on the horses. After remounting we took the most incredible ride through the ocean. It was breathtaking! I was so filled with joy I could not stop laughing, it was just such a fantastic experience. I will never forget how beautiful it was. Do it; if you ever have an opportunity!
I will save our last day in Miami for another post, but I am going to add a few pictures from earlier in the week for a bit more eye candy.
This guy, I am dubbing him Pelidam, came onboard our first day. He was quite intimidating but seemed lost at the same time.
We were pretty delighted to find this very secluded deck. It was way on top, I think Deck 12 and was very quiet and private.
The view was better than the lower decks and sans crowd it was a perfect spot to hang.
Saucy on the beach in Grand Turk!
A couple of more of Bill's eyeful shots in San Juan. He has such an eye for art!
....
Sun setting in Miami.
Thanks for reading!
x
~ leila
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Pictures Added
I have finally been able to add pictures and some new comments to my most recent post, so if you read it already... Take another look, new stuff!
My perfect date for the week, absorbing it for what it is; happiness!
My perfect date for the week, absorbing it for what it is; happiness!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
...
Blogging at sea with very $$$ internet minutes! SORRY REALLY LONG!
Setting sail in Fort lauderdale was as romantic as always. As Bill promptly found the spa and a scheduled much anticipated haircut that was worth every penny, I sat on our veranda and watched the ‘parade’ out to sea. Something I just love, we were #5 of six ships sailing out for the evening, it is a wonderful thing to watch. Ocean vessels are just lovely as each line has their own unique stylized design.
Our first day was a ‘sea day’ and it turned out to be quite relaxing. We enjoyed some warm morning sun, lunch at the Lido (which I do not enjoy at all!). Then I had scheduled a couples massage for us in the afternoon. It was wonderful and they set us off with a bottle of champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate to enjoy later on. Yummmy!
We finished off the evening with a fantastic dinner in the dining room and then to the “sweetheart’s ball” for a bit of dancing. It was quite fun and we did okay on the dance floor.... We made some friends and thoroughly enjoyed trying to dance together!
Out first port was, Grand Turk, which has the bluest caribbean blue water I have ever seen. It was lovely. They had a wonderful beach right there off of the ship that we spent our morning at (relaxing again). Grand Turk is known for conch shells which are supposedly all over the place.... They are pretty amazing design and we felt lucky to spot the few that we did.
we simply could not get over the color of the water in Grand Turk, it felt as lovely as it looks.
Then we took full advantage of the crystal waters and went snorkeling. It was really clear and we saw lots of tropical fish. The scariest being barracuda (which caused Bill to continually sing/hum the song loudly... due to some recent ‘Guitar Hero’ situation that I was not a part of...) he was really big and fierce looking, we also swam right over a huge stingray, which freaked me out. Our greatest find was a conch shell laying on the ocean floor below that was about 2 feet long, it was amazing. We enjoyed the warm snorkel very much and felt a bit like sponge bob and patrick.
Leaving very early that day we barely had time to grab lunch (which I did not want to do in the Lido again, it’s just sad...) So we ran to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and enjoyed a delicious coconut shrimp salad. It was a very nice place that also provided a great setting for it’s guests! You will not see this in central oregon at a restaurant!
a very cute older ship 'once the original "Love Boat"' was docked alongside us in Grand Turk. the passengers from England were quite entertaining to chat with.
We continued to enjoy more delicious seafood into the evening going to the Tamarind to dine on our ship. It was amazing. So amazing we made reservations again for later in the week. it was fantastic pan asian cusine and we felt like our daughter in law, Kristen, could’ve designed the interiors. it was very beautiful and tasteful.
i should mention that i found a wife for our dear Francessco at this restaraunt, she was PERFECT for him! i just have to locate her email, which i have tucked away... someplace safe... and then figure how to get a young lady from Bali who is employed on a ship to hook up with a young man in Florence Italy... where there is a will there is a way. i just have to find her email!
Next (up to today)! San Juan Puerto Rico! Very Cool. We spent the entire day and evening exploring it. It is a walled city with a wall that has lasted through the ages. it is quite stunning and we walked all around it on top, visited the forts that were at one time filled with soldiers. We had a blast trying the local food, Bill loved the empanadas and I the tapa’s and sangria, so tasty! Although my greatest weakness proving to be the Coach Outlet store.... Enough said on that one..... At the end of the day we strolled along the 3 1/2 mile walked that sets below the city wall and enjoyed the fantastic views of the port of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. It was delightful to notice early on that there were kitties everywhere along this walk. It was just so funny, kitties living at sea, not something you would think as normal...
San Juan is an unbelievable setting.
These towers were all over the city wall, Bill loved them. They are used in the San Juan logo, which is quite appropriate. We have about 20 pictures of them! They were really cool, just brought you way back in time..
What a setting for a cemetary, serene..
The first cat we noticed... We thought maybe he was dead, he was not, he was just a sign of the cats to come.
Bill & I are taken over by marble art when we have the opportunity to see it. We both thought this pose was striking, quite real.
I made Bill take this shot. A bit of a spooky tomb...
A pose we all need to take at least once in our lifetime here on earth.
This was a secret garden i spotted right in the city, it was quite a bit of magic in my heart.
A dear kiss on the wall of an ancient fort.
Only if everyday life could have a view like this, would it make it simpler?
By the end of the day, two other ships had joined us. We felt lucky to have so long to spend in this fabulous place.
We ended our day before finding a great place to dine with a walk along the seaside ancient wall. We noticed early on... Kitties... for the sports that we tend to be we decided to take a count. We ended up at over 70!
Along the walk we did meet the women and her son who feed them. They told us there are over 110, i suppose it's a better life than living in a trailer... They were actually really friendly kitties, well for kitties.
We are still docked in Puerto Rico, leaving a bit later tonight. As Bill got on to check email for the first time (UGGHHH) I sat outside and enjoyed a Michael McDonald concert being display on a large screen on the ship docked right next to us. So sweet to hear our dear Bernie singing backup and jamming away on guitar. Quite a great way to end a more than perfect day!
My view of the Michael McDonald concert going on for our next door shippers!
Setting sail in Fort lauderdale was as romantic as always. As Bill promptly found the spa and a scheduled much anticipated haircut that was worth every penny, I sat on our veranda and watched the ‘parade’ out to sea. Something I just love, we were #5 of six ships sailing out for the evening, it is a wonderful thing to watch. Ocean vessels are just lovely as each line has their own unique stylized design.
Our first day was a ‘sea day’ and it turned out to be quite relaxing. We enjoyed some warm morning sun, lunch at the Lido (which I do not enjoy at all!). Then I had scheduled a couples massage for us in the afternoon. It was wonderful and they set us off with a bottle of champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate to enjoy later on. Yummmy!
We finished off the evening with a fantastic dinner in the dining room and then to the “sweetheart’s ball” for a bit of dancing. It was quite fun and we did okay on the dance floor.... We made some friends and thoroughly enjoyed trying to dance together!
Out first port was, Grand Turk, which has the bluest caribbean blue water I have ever seen. It was lovely. They had a wonderful beach right there off of the ship that we spent our morning at (relaxing again). Grand Turk is known for conch shells which are supposedly all over the place.... They are pretty amazing design and we felt lucky to spot the few that we did.
we simply could not get over the color of the water in Grand Turk, it felt as lovely as it looks.
Then we took full advantage of the crystal waters and went snorkeling. It was really clear and we saw lots of tropical fish. The scariest being barracuda (which caused Bill to continually sing/hum the song loudly... due to some recent ‘Guitar Hero’ situation that I was not a part of...) he was really big and fierce looking, we also swam right over a huge stingray, which freaked me out. Our greatest find was a conch shell laying on the ocean floor below that was about 2 feet long, it was amazing. We enjoyed the warm snorkel very much and felt a bit like sponge bob and patrick.
Leaving very early that day we barely had time to grab lunch (which I did not want to do in the Lido again, it’s just sad...) So we ran to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and enjoyed a delicious coconut shrimp salad. It was a very nice place that also provided a great setting for it’s guests! You will not see this in central oregon at a restaurant!
a very cute older ship 'once the original "Love Boat"' was docked alongside us in Grand Turk. the passengers from England were quite entertaining to chat with.
We continued to enjoy more delicious seafood into the evening going to the Tamarind to dine on our ship. It was amazing. So amazing we made reservations again for later in the week. it was fantastic pan asian cusine and we felt like our daughter in law, Kristen, could’ve designed the interiors. it was very beautiful and tasteful.
i should mention that i found a wife for our dear Francessco at this restaraunt, she was PERFECT for him! i just have to locate her email, which i have tucked away... someplace safe... and then figure how to get a young lady from Bali who is employed on a ship to hook up with a young man in Florence Italy... where there is a will there is a way. i just have to find her email!
Next (up to today)! San Juan Puerto Rico! Very Cool. We spent the entire day and evening exploring it. It is a walled city with a wall that has lasted through the ages. it is quite stunning and we walked all around it on top, visited the forts that were at one time filled with soldiers. We had a blast trying the local food, Bill loved the empanadas and I the tapa’s and sangria, so tasty! Although my greatest weakness proving to be the Coach Outlet store.... Enough said on that one..... At the end of the day we strolled along the 3 1/2 mile walked that sets below the city wall and enjoyed the fantastic views of the port of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. It was delightful to notice early on that there were kitties everywhere along this walk. It was just so funny, kitties living at sea, not something you would think as normal...
San Juan is an unbelievable setting.
These towers were all over the city wall, Bill loved them. They are used in the San Juan logo, which is quite appropriate. We have about 20 pictures of them! They were really cool, just brought you way back in time..
What a setting for a cemetary, serene..
The first cat we noticed... We thought maybe he was dead, he was not, he was just a sign of the cats to come.
Bill & I are taken over by marble art when we have the opportunity to see it. We both thought this pose was striking, quite real.
I made Bill take this shot. A bit of a spooky tomb...
A pose we all need to take at least once in our lifetime here on earth.
This was a secret garden i spotted right in the city, it was quite a bit of magic in my heart.
A dear kiss on the wall of an ancient fort.
Only if everyday life could have a view like this, would it make it simpler?
By the end of the day, two other ships had joined us. We felt lucky to have so long to spend in this fabulous place.
We ended our day before finding a great place to dine with a walk along the seaside ancient wall. We noticed early on... Kitties... for the sports that we tend to be we decided to take a count. We ended up at over 70!
Along the walk we did meet the women and her son who feed them. They told us there are over 110, i suppose it's a better life than living in a trailer... They were actually really friendly kitties, well for kitties.
We are still docked in Puerto Rico, leaving a bit later tonight. As Bill got on to check email for the first time (UGGHHH) I sat outside and enjoyed a Michael McDonald concert being display on a large screen on the ship docked right next to us. So sweet to hear our dear Bernie singing backup and jamming away on guitar. Quite a great way to end a more than perfect day!
My view of the Michael McDonald concert going on for our next door shippers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)