Fire Season

We've been having some awesome rainstorms lately. So rare for this area. We really needed it though since it hasn't rained in months. There's the risk of flash floods especially with the wildfires last year. But the rain works miracles with the plantlife here. It works like nothing else to spike their energy and proliferation. The garden hose is no match for the water from the heavens. And the air smells so good, the sky is so clean and blue. With the time change coming this weekend it will make it easier to roll out of bed on a rainy day. We laid our first fall fire this season and Dave blew us out with his blazing bonfire and smoked us out. P&M had one too and mentioned if they keep it small it generally stays in the flue. We tried that later and it worked out well.

Why do men always want to build a BIG fire?

and poke it all the time and play with it? Me...firegod...ugh umm, waving a stick on fire for punctuation. I just want to hear the crackle, feel the warmth, gaze at the dancing flames. It's better than tv! 'Course the little guy's always ready to roast a marshmallow for s'mores. He thinks we're camping indoors. Me? I'm ready for some hot apple cider and a good book.

Cabanas and bananas

Back from a long and fabulous week in beautiful Puerto Vallarta! It was in the 90s the whole time with clear blue skies and so green and tropical. Fruit, shrimp, as many umbrella drinks as you can handle! We relaxed and the guys played golf as much as they could stand while the gals "spa'd" in between pools and cabanas and mucho bloody mary's! The sunsets and sunrises were gorgeous and the people so friendly and gracious. It was muy romantico!

Apparently my vacation curse has ended because everything went smoothly.

I am officially relaxed to the max and can now return refreshed to real life. The little guy missed us more than we thought and we missed him right back. But Nana held down the fort just fine. We were so glad to get home though. It's true you know, home sweet home!
I was out shopping this week and found the Lance Armstrong "Livestrong" yellow wristbands that his foundation is selling to raise funds for cancer survivors. I picked up one in memory of my sister who lost her battle this past August. She is in my heart and mind often and remembering what she went through, this may help someone else who is facing this tough challenge. My son and I signed up on the website for the peloton. He thought it was cool!

The promise of a new day

Like a cloud lifting to let the sun in, a whiff of fresh fall is in the air. I am lighter of heart these days, my black mood like the clouds, has passed. Ah, this is what life's meant to be, the hope in the promise of a new day. I am torn between starting a new project (cleaning out every conceivable storage space-rather daunting) and going off to the best farmers' market in town to browse and taste the hugely eclectic variety of wares. I'm told they've recently expanded it so am tempted to check it out. We are going to Puerto Vallarta in a week and I am so ready for some R&R. My mom will be house-sitting and I have only just realized how likely it is she will confuse the DVD with the DVR.

I must hide all the peripheral remotes or she will flush them down the toilet in frustration!

She is not terribly techie at all and has a poor history with my sister's satellite remote. (As do I, they are not user-friendly). I assured her my 8 yr old will hook her up for all of her viewing needs. The only machines she's expert on are at the indian casinos. Only in America can seniors hot-wire a slots o' fun machine but are mystified at the workings of an answering machine. My mom's cool though. She is just one of the girls, she likes her ciggies (on the sly of course) and coffee and is positively snobby about Pepsi in the can only and it better be COLD! Hmmm, note to myself: stock up on the canned pepsi. Well, I must get started on my new day.