I'm Home

Well, here I am, back in Taos, after 10 days in San Jose. I won't say it was a fun trip. It was difficult and exhausting. Now my Dad is out of the hospital and back in his house, but to be honest with you (which you know I always am), I'm sure this is only a break between trips, and I'll likely have to go back again soon. But for now, I'm happy to be home, ready to get back to making some beads, and enjoying this amazing fall weather we're having here.

And there were a few high points in my trip back to my childhood stomping grounds. Dick's Bakery for one... the sacred place where all of our birthday cakes were made, with sugar, magic, and great little plastic decorations we got to keep for ever and ever... Linda and I went in searching for some cupcakes, but late in the day, we could only score a bag of cookies. No complaints out of me. I like cookies too.

My sisters and I tidied up Dad's house while he was in the hospital. It was actually quite a big job, like maybe bears had been living in the house with him... but I found some of my old stuff, and brought this one thing home with me. It's an egg. I drew on it and painted it back in about 1974. It reminds me that the tiny detail work I still prefer to do in beads started much longer ago than my first go at the torch. Mostly I'm just shocked that it's survived all these years. I'm glad it's a small bit of fluff. I'll be able to find a place for it even with all the downsizing we're doing.





Jill and Mike and some friends took me out to shoot bows one day. Jill is way more of a jock than I am. She's such a Warrior Goddess. Just look at her with this thing! I shot it twice, but it thwacked my arm and scared me, so I just enjoyed the scenery after that...

Then one day Linda and I took a much needed break and went over the hill to Santa Cruz. We used to go there a lot, from the time we were little, on through high school, when we maybe should have been in class... It was a spectacular, sparkling day. We had lunch on the water, and walked along the pier and the boardwalk.

Our first-ever rides on a roller coaster was here on the Giant Dipper. The three of us sisters, before there were height limits on these scary rides... we sat in the seat in front of our Dad (Mom wouldn't go on anything but the merry-go-round), and he held onto the hoods of our little matching turquoise sweatshirts, to keep us from flying out... yes he did that. I adore roller coasters to this day, but we didn't get to ride this time because everything was closed. Whistful sigh...


The sea lions lounging on a platform below the pier were cool too. I had to take a little video of them, for the whole effect. Here you go...
And so... while it wasn't by any means a vacation, there were some darn fine moments. Now it's time to catch my breath and get some work done. I hope I don't have to go back soon, but there's no way to know for sure... At least I was a Girl Scout. I know how to be ready for anything...