I almost forgot to tell a funny story- well ok I think it's funny. It's about my mom, who died on Sept 10, 2011 (so 9-10-11). We had her cremated and she wanted her ashes spread in Yosemite National Park. Well she is just in a nondescript box since we were going to send her to her final resting place in Yosemite pretty quick. Of course when we went to pick her up, it was kinda creepy- they wanted to interest me in decorative boxes, little tiny boxes so we could each have a little of her...press some ashes into a small....well never mind.
Anyway life, as we all know, gets complicated, and well, we never took mom to Yosemite. She stayed with me for a few months, and before we moved to Mexico, I gave her to my sister. Her husband goes to Yosemite periodically to hike, and we thought we'd try to go with him on one of his treks. Well that never happened either. So last Friday nite, my daughter and her fiance went up to her house for dinner. She showed me mom and I yelled "hi Mom", and then asked her if she was still almost deaf since she was dead...and realized, after my sister and I stopped laughing, that I wanted her with me. So I asked for a bit, just some in a baggy. My sister asked if we still wanted to try to arrange for us 4 sibling to take her to Yosemite, or if we could just send her with Rich next time he went.  I said I was over it and fine with Rich taking her on his own. She is going to send emails to my other sister and our brother to make sure it's fine with them (and it will be), and so brother in law Rich will take care of it.

A few days later (this past Tuesday) we were all meeting at the Alano Club to see my niece get her 2 yr chip and me to get my 12 yr chip, even tho' I got one back in Feb, but this is the place I've gotten all the rest of my chips and that is my fellowship. So my sister didn't make it cause she has a neck injury and stayed home with an ice pack. My brother in law, Rich, comes up to me in the meeting room, lots and lots of people milling around, chatting, getting coffee and waiting for the meeting to start. He is laughing and hands me a baggie, a clear plastic bag filled with gray powder. He thinks it's so funny cause he's handing me a bag of powder in an AA meeting...I start laughing cause it's a little bit of mom! Oh before the meetings, a few hours prior, Halla and I were driving to the mall for a little shopping and I asked her to call my sister since I was driving, and tell her to remember to bring me some of mom since I might not get back up to her house before I leave. Halla is horrified and yells "mom- no I can't do that!" I laugh and say, "you don't have to give details, she'll know." But she won;t do it. So when we get to the mall I make the call. I tell Halla it's no big deal; that Barbie will put some of the ashes in a plastic bag and then put that in a paper bag- like a lunch bag. But Rich got me good- no paper bag- just a freezer bag size baggie. So I put her in my purse. She's still there.

You know, I don't know what happens when we die, it's a fact that energy doesn't die, it merely changes, into what I don't know. Is there heaven? Re-incarnation? Yeah I don't know the answer to anything. But I was thinking, or maybe feeling...or hoping I guess, that maybe the "insinuation" of her energy, maybe some tiny aura, is near those ashes. I do know that I think of her when I'm near them, and maybe that's enough. I remember when my dad died, in 1980 and my sister (this same on) said when she saw a hawk she thought of our dad. My first reaction was - wow that is really stupid. But after that when I saw a hawk, I thought of him, and slowly I began to appreciate that idea. Hawks make me think of my dad. Well these silly ashes make me think of my mom. So I'll put them in a little colorful vase and keep her in y bedroom. She likes bright colors and I think she's like that- after complaining of course about how long it took us to dump her-ooops spread her ashes in Yosemite. Anyway I feel like she's with me.

So yesterday I was in a mall, a factory store outlet in Petaluma. I was walking around looking for tennis shoes for Everardo, and I saw a woman I used to know here. Her name is Julie and she was with her mom, who she introduced me to. She told me that her mom was moving in with them, and they were shopping for some new clothes for her. That she was happy to have her mom so close. I smiled, and did not say what was on the tip of my tongue. That I was happy to have my mom so close to me as well- ha ha she was in my purse! Hmmm I bet I need to put her in my checked luggage, that in my purse will cause quite a stir ha ha.

Today I had lunch with some old coworkers and it was nice to catch up. Then I met up with Drew at her nail salon, and a close childhood friend of Halla (who's 19 now) walked in and that was a fun surprise, I always loved her parents. Then we went to Applebee's and I met my ex husband's new wife. It was great, not uncomfortable at all. Her name is Rana and she is very sweet and laughs alot. I like laughy people! We laughed about Mexico, and my ex's trip with his nephew to the Playa Ventura house before Everardo and I moved down there. They had a vacation from hell including a hurricane and I guess a very drunken party of which only bits and pieces are remembered. I told them I was disappointed not to be invited to Arabic food, and they said they'd try to have me over to eat before I go back. Yippee! I love Arabic food. I told Rana I was happy to meet her and hoped her and Yahia would always be happy...which is true because if they are happy, well that's good for my daughters. They seem very happy together and hopefully they'll come see us in Mexico before too long. Yahia and Everardo are friendly and you know what? You can never have too much family that loves you. I told them about Elena (Everardo's daughter) and they were happy for him.

So it seems like I'm pretty much caught up. Tomorrow I have ZERO commitments...yipee..oh wait, it's possible Drew and I could see Elena and her mom, I gotta check to see if they replied to Drew's text. As always....viva!

Trying to catch up to today on my trip to northern California. Day 1 ended much better than it started out with my friend Sherren and her twin 11 yr old boys picking me up at SFO. We got to chat on the way back cause it was commute time so it was slow going. My daughter Drew, met us in Petaluma at Sherren's house and brought me up to Santa Rosa to stay with her, her fiance, and part time, his little girl Danica. Next summer they're getting married and Danica will be my granddaughter. Ok well I already think of her as my granddaughter. She is a beautiful 4 yr old and very sweet. My Drewy is a good mom to her.
Day 2 I had my first doctor appt and it should have taken 5 minutes. It was in the afternoon, and I went to an AA meeting at noon, and both my daughters came with me. We left there and all got pedicures and then to the doctor. Crap- he decided something was "interesting" and sent me off to other tests. So 5 min turned into about 2.5 hours. It seems after those tests I am fine, but am going to get a small "pollup" removed. (yeah-yuck). It's a half hour appt, and "no big deal". So we leave there and go back downtown to get Halla's car since we all 3 went together, and we walk down the little main street and decide to just stop in at the tattoo place and say hi, and maybe look around a little. So the guy who did all my tattoos is not there, but no big deal since we're just passin' thru. Oh then Tim walks in and we start chatting...and then I get 2 new tattoos and an old one brightened up by adding sort of a sunburst behind it. The 2 new ones were small; the word "peace" in Russian and in Japanese.
Then it was off to the Meltng Pot; a fondue restaurant. It was amazing! I always think of fondue as only cheese but this was a several course meal. The first course was cheese and we had breads and fruits to dip. For the entre' they put a pot of boiling flavored oil on the table and we dipped chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, and bbq'd beef. Also vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, something more I can't remember- . It was amazing. Then the dessert....oh my! Chocolate fondue! So many things to dip in it- rice krispy treats, cookie pieces, fruit, angel food cake. We chose a dinner that included specific choices for each course, but we all picked the same set- called "The Classic". We just kept eating.

Friday (day 3) I had another doctor appt, and thought it was at 10:30 am and it was at 9:30- oops, I rushed around and jumped in the little beater car Drew was lending me (better than renting right?), and saw I had to stop at the gas station. After I filled up, the car wouldn't start. My daughter was on her way to a job interview, but I called her and she called Rex. He called me and I said I had the hood up, so he told me to wiggle the battery cables, which I did, and the car started. I was 45 min late to my appointment...and then as I sat down to wait the half hour or so the nurse said it would be, she called me back up and said the 10:15 cancelled! Ha ha another time issue solved for me! Made me think of the plane ha ha. Since then I have gone non stop, meeting a friends, going to AA meetings, shopping for shoes for Everardo, beads for his new jewelry project. Dinner Friday nite up at my sister's, then Saturday the big excursion to Gilroy. We picked up Everardo's daughter Elena, and she and I, Drew & Rex, drove the 2.5 hours to get there. Everardo's uncle had been re-admitted to the hospital and so we went there to see him, then back to their condo. His cousins all started showing up and we had a nice bbq. Elena met 3 of the 5 sisters, their husbands and kids. Drew and Rex met the ones that had not been at our wedding. We had a great time and got home late Sat nite. Elena's mom was really nice, too and we're trying to get together again before I go back home. Ok that takes me thru day 4, and as I said, it has been go go go. Today, Wednesday, is the first day I got home before dark, really before 9pm, Drew and Rex made a nice bbq with chicken and hot dogs. My niece Sarah and her little boy came and so did my younger daughter and another friend of Drew and her little girl.
I have lunched and had dinner with, had coffee with and gone to meetings with, so many people! I didn't know I had so many friends ha ha. Tomorrow is a lunch with 2 ex coworkers....but I'll get to that tomorrow. I miss my Mexico, my hubby, and my dog. Viva

Ok I have been in Calif for a week. It's Tuesday nite and I arrived last Wedneday nite. I wish I would have posted sooner cause I'm sure I've already forgotten some stuff. So- my trip to the airport- ha ha or maybe aaarrrggghh would be a better description. I took the shuttle, the one I was worrying about for the 2 weeks leading up to my trip. But we called the day before and the guy said no problem- ask for me and I'll take her (me) right to the airport. Well we got up early and drove up to Sonoyta, arriving about 7:15, cause the guy said he might be able to leave a little early; especially if nobody was on the shuttle coming from Puerto Penasco. I mean what's the chance on a Wednesday at 7am...it's not like the place is brimming with tourists. So we get there, and walk into the border office, my passport gets checked, but only I can pass thru the other door. So we decide to walk back to the Mexico side and see if the shuttle got there yet, and Everardo walks back to the shuttle office, calls the guy and finds out he has to buy the ticket there, but I get on the bus on the US side. But the office isn't open- BIG SURPRISE (yeah- that's sarcasm). The guy calls back and says the shuttle is on the way. AN HOUR goes by, then the guy calls and says no problem, the shuttle will be there at 8:30. Oh did I say the trip is 3 hours, so 8:30 gets me there at 11:30am, and my flight is at 1pm. Ok that's acceptable. EXCEPT- the shuttle shows up at 9:15! Two guys and me jump on, after the driver, who only speaks Spanish- even though he did not come from Puerto Penasco, he came from Phoenix, he complains about the size of my suitcase- and that's because he has a bunch of crap loaded in the back of the shuttle, but he shoves my suitcase in. (the van had about 5 bench seats and we were only using 2, but my suitcase was shoved in the back doors.

We drop one guy about 10 miles in, in the town of Ajo. Then we head across the desert towards Phoenix. I am so anxious! Will we make it? Hmmm, about an hour later, we have a flat tire! In the desert! And of course, no spare. The driver and the other passenger get out and look, and decide we can go slowly. Oh- the driver- have you ever seen the video game Mario Cart? The short guy, thick mustache, red hat..well he was driving the shuttle! We slugged along at 30 miles an hour, until we came to the next town, Gila Bend. We stay on the highway (2 lane) until we come to this shack that's a tire shop....we're in Arizona but the guy there only spoke Spanish. I asked for a bathroom and directed around the corner. One door had a running washing machine and a toilet. The other door had a toilet, but beyond that was an opening and a breakroom table...so I returned to the first door. By then I really had to pee, and noticed a hose going into the toilet bowl. I'm not sure if it was the drain for the washer or maybe the water source, but the hose would not come out of the toilet. Well.....did I say I had to pee? So I went on the hose! Then I went to flush and the handle wasn't attached to anything! I looked in the tank and saw the chain, under water- which I had no intention of grabbing.

So- actually buying and changing the tire only took about 10 minutes. We got back on the road and I swear he was still driving 30, ok maybe 55 but the speed limit was 65! I asked him to pls pls drive a little faster (of course all conversation was in Spanish), and he did for a minute, then slowed to a stop. He asked the passenger to get out and check the back doors so my suitcase wouldn't fall out- since the border patrol had opened it (about 2 hours prior). We get close to Phoenix but I know I have missed my plane. I ask if he is familiar with the airport, that I need United. The response is that he's not taking me to the airport- he's taking me to their office and a car will take me, that it will be faster. I'm ready to kill somebody. The passenger gets out, after we have left the highway and then we jump back on. We get to the office and a guy is outside waving his arms. He jumps in the driver seat and starts going about 80miles an hour. He tells me the price is $60, but he has a coupon so it's $55. oops he can't find the coupon so the price is back to $60, but NEXT time I get the discount. Ha ha ha ha ha like I will ever use them again! He tells me it's not the driver's fault cause he got a flat, and I say no- it's cause he was 45 min late. Oh yeah- this part is in English so he doesn't know i can understand Spanish, and he starts yelling at the other guy, who had previously told him (I guess) that he was on time to pick us up.
Ok he pulls up in front of the United counters, jumps out and whips my suitcase out of the back. I run in and there's a line. The guy in front of me asks when my flight is and I say- about 20 minutes. He says go to the front of the line- and everybody was cool with it. I did the same thing at security, after running there and everybody was so nice about it! So then I start running to the gate, huffing and puffing- really I could barely breathe...and I know the plane is full and the door is closed. I get to the gate and there's no plane so I know I missed it. I see a woman with a United uniform and I ask how long ago the flight left for San Francisco. She look at me and says- oh it's late, it hasn't come in yet, it's half an hour behind! Can you believe it??!! I made the plane cause it was late getting to Phoenix.
So that's day 1.