Whirlwind

Well, marching season is done. It was quite the season! The challenges were minimal...a bus breaking down on the freeway, wheel blowing out on the trailer bound for Vegas...the trip to Vegas (let's just say it stays in Vegas), a 20 hour day with 130 kids (and their less durable parents)...and the last day, Macy's in the morning, Moorpark at night, then Senior Circle. Home by 1:30am. And there's the pyramid...but that's another story.
It's about closure. In marching band there is a tradition of closing out the season by playing the show for the last time. We met in the "Quad" on the high school campus at about 11:30pm after our last show. The band forms a huge circle with the Color Guard in the middle. The parents form an even bigger circle around the outskirts. The Seniors and their parents are brought into the middle, presented with flowers and a student gives a speech. Lisi was the speaker, and she recalled the past four years...well done. Then the finale...our show played for the last time. Poignant.
That page is turned. I look forward to the rest of the book, but I must say, I enjoyed this chapter.

Blog sista

OK, my friend Ann (she who knows all) sent me this link to a blog site. It is definitely worth your time. I hope I am half as wise when I reach that age!
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

The sticker

I love it. I love standing in line with my fellow citizens (even the enemy). I love the wobbly voting booth, the black pen, the large ballots. I love the old people who hand you the ballots, in their red, white and blue attire. I love the teeny little elementary cafeteria that hosts this great event. But mostly, I LOVE the sticker. You know the one..."I Voted" with the American flag on it. I keep it stuck to my finger until I can decide what article of clothing will carry this little gem around on it. Such a simple thing, but I wear it with both pride and humility. I was raised believing that voting is a duty and a privilege. Especially as a woman.
But I would probably do it just for the sticker.

I am always gratified by moments of "substance". We have so many distractions in our day that separate us from those moments. We are misled into thinking that the distractions are important. Job deadlines and to-do lists feel necessary. Then something triggers us; a comment, a song, a moment of pure joy or sorrow, and we are reminded that the true substance of our lives can be found in the smallest moments of our day, but we have to be willing to see it, hear it and respond to it.
I remember a church song that says "take time to be holy". I feel that way today, even though my "holy" time was spent watching the link below. I am so grateful.
Stop, watch.....but mostly, listen.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/10242008/watch3.html

Enough said

http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2008/10/the-big-gay-threat-to-california.html

Those autumn leaves...

Ah, the beautiful colors of Fall. The ambers, reds and yellows signaling cooler days and warm fires. OK, so if you live in Southern California those fires aren't in your fireplace, they are in the surrounding hills, jeopardizing homes and animals. Oh, and humans. Yes, the Santa Ana winds are upon us. We get those gentle breezes (65 miles per hour) that toss glowing embers under the eves of homes, or in conveniently located piles of dried leaves and branches from a drought-filled summer. The pictures are from my front door about 1 hour after the Porter Ranch fire began. The palm tree picture is of the same set of trees, just from different angles so you can see the sky. It is bright orange in one direction, and clear blue facing the other way. (Hard to tell from my photography!). And, in the hopes it won't discourage people from visiting and swimming, a picture of the crap in my pool from the winds. Thank goodness for the pool guy.

One annoying aspect of the onset of fires (besides the poor air quality, loss of homes,etc) is the non-stop TV broadcasts of guys in face masks saying the same thing over and over again. When will they realize it is dramatic enough to see these fires without them having to blather on and on about them.

On that note I will heed my own advise and quit blathering on my blog!

La Vida loca

Meet Frances. She's the one sporting the miniature Daniel Boone hat. (note: this WAS the end of the day, big surprise!) Frances invited Denise and I on a little trip with some other friends to wine country in the Santa Ynez area. As you will note, the day started with a refreshing rain. For those of you from Seattle, this may sound like a disasterous beginning, but for us it was such a welcome moment! The air was clear and the views spectacular, and that was BEFORE drinking tastings from 6 (yes, six) wineries. Quite the task to battle...six wineries, but we were up to the challenge. Thank goodness for our designated drivers, Keith (and later Val) and Javier. After tackling the wineries we settle into the Hitching Post like we owned the place....wrangled up some good grub and tossed back a couple more cupo de vino just for good measure. Seriously nice day. Ironically enough, it was a day that I didn't think I could "spare". So many more pressing engagments (ok, other people say 'chores'). But it was so good to drive out of town and spend an entire day computer and chore free.

We do live so close to some rockin' places. People should really visit more often.