Thursday, July 5, 2012

Another Visit to California & Grandchildren!

Hello All!

As you noticed I've gotten a bit slack with blogging.  I've been a bit bored with my writing and
almost stopped the blog...but decided to wait until February 15th, 2013, when we return home
to SLO to do so.  So for now...here's a bit of catch up!

Visited relatives in NC in April.  Was wonderful to see Vera, Kristina, Mark and their kids Katelyn
and Jakob.  Weather was nice and Kristina lives on a ranch with horses and lots of rooms.  Got to
enjoy Jazzercise and eating out...2 of my favorite activities. I plan another trip in the fall and look
forward to traveling near and far with Vera.  Also saw my high school friend, Libby who reminded me friends are friends forever!

Another reason I haven't blogged as much is my camera sucks!  We need to get another but since I'm not working....money doesn't come easy!  I takemy Iphone shots but still don't know how to load them and FIND them on this computer!  So bear with me you all.

Went to a very fun masquerade, silent auction with Betsy and Kenny.  There was opera, costumes,frefolity and all sorts of fun and high priced bidding.  It was one of my bucket lists items and Ihad a ball.  Will was highly entertained. 

There's a young man, Austin, in our film club.  He's only 19 years old but what a film historian he is! I have 2 Felini films to preview and he speaks about them like an international traveler of 50+!  This trip and membership in the TriCities Film Club has taught me so much more about films....the distributions, the film festivals, the politics of clubs!  We recently saw a film at Austin's about a small country near Russia with very little dialogue but the story of a dying culture with incredible respect for life and the every day struggles we all go through.  The more foreign films I see, the more I realize how much alike we all are.  If you haven't seen "The Separation" last years best foreign film, see it.  And get over yourself and read the subtitles...widen your world!

Finished up my gerontology class and humanities class on "Love".  Enjoyed both tremendously.  I've decided to get certified as a couples therapist.  John Gottman (look him up in video) has an institute in Seattle and is international known for his well researched and effective method.  I have begun Level's I & II and will go in October to Seattle to become a certified Gottman Couples Therapist with the intention of doing that work back in SLO....well actually Arroyo Grande.  Probably 2-3 days a week.  If it works out...after they "graduate" (the couples)Will and I plan to do some retreats where the participants can learn to fly fish (he has a new Japanese method) and to watercolor paint.  So that sounds like a do-able retirement fun work!

We just returned from the Seattle International Film Festival.  There were 8 of us from this area who stayed 3 nights and saw  tons of films.  We went to the opening night and saw "Your Sister's
Sister" which I highly recommend.  Other recommendations (if you can find them..either on Netflicks or at the Palm) are:  "Intouchables," "The Beast of the Southern Wild" "Diana Vreeland:  The Eye Has to Travel" "LUV"  "My Brother the Devil" "Polisse" "Superclasico" "Teddy Bear"
and "Take this Waltz" with Michelle Williams who seems to be the great actress of our time!  And those are the best of the 13 we saw.  We plan to return next year...I met Tessa on Thursday at the Lake Union area and had lunch to start our wonderful 3 days.  She's preparing to relocate with Paula to Whidbey soon.  Paula just retired!  Hurrah Paula...you are now your own person again!

Will and Chris are in Oregon on a much desired trout fishing trip.  I went yesterday to see "The
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and wish along with "The Way"..movie with Martin Sheen, we could take these trips.  Maybe in the near future!  So what's up with you?  I leave tomorrow for CA.




July, 2012 Summer is finally here!