Part One!
Wow…this past week has been a whirlwind. Lots of fun but I’m now left feeling extremely tired and a bit on the sick side..it’s more than my boring, isolated, non-spontaneous life is used to!
Sunday- I decided to catch a ride with some friends that were spending the day in Ventura. My best friend lives there, I figured it would be a fun surprise to show up at her house for the day! It was fun, so fun I ended up staying until Wednesday night! With my camera, laptop, toothbrush and a change of clothes and my fun-loving self, I made do. Luckily we can wear each others clothes, and she was gracious enough to share any and everything I was without! We spent the afternoon sitting on a dock over looking the harbor sipping on chips and salsa and sipping Margarita’s. There was a quaint little 2 man band that entertained us with the most fitting of Dave Matthews cover songs. It was one of the most fun and relaxing days I had had in awhile. (that is when the decision was made, I would be staying longer. After a few drinks….getting home wasn’t such a big issue!) Once our new favorite band finished their last song, we finished up our drinks and headed home. I have a tradition when I visit her, I have a Vodka party on the beach at sunset. The party usually consists of just me…which is fine. A blanket, light jacket, camera, shot glass and a small bottle of Vodka. Really, who could ask for more? It was my first night there and the Sunset was spectacular…I was so glad I was staying! Monday- This was a treat, normally my friend, Dee would be at work but ended up having the day off. We had some amazing talks, reminiscing about the past 18 years of our friendship..our relationships, heartbreaks, triumphs, failures, likes, dislikes, goals, dreams. We cried a lot and we laughed like we haven’t laughed in years. We have been through so much together but I don’t think we have ever laughed so hard…ever! We eventually made it down to the beach for a walk and, of course…pictures! Our day ended with a few errands and a nice quiet dinner at Arby’s. I had my nightly Vodka party on the beach, took a long hot shower and climbed in bed. Tuesday- I had woke up on the sad side. I had an offer for a ride home today, (about 100 miles) and after the past few days I really wasn’t ready to leave. I rolled out of bed and headed to the beach. I had thought about having my nightly Vodka beach party that morning, since I wouldn’t be there for sunset but decided it probably wasn’t the best idea. With camera in hand I strolled along the beach with that whoa-is-me attitude, alone, sad, not wanting to leave my paradise. I flipping hadn’t even seen a dolphin or whale yet…as I wiped the crocodile tears from my eyes my phone rang. It was a text message from another friend that said, “I will be in the Ventura area tomorrow and need to kill a few hours, if you can stay another day I will give you a ride home.” It was, well, a divine intervention. I replied, “yes, yes, yes I can stay.” I am now skipping down the beach, I am sure the locals were sure it had something to do with the Vodka thing. Little did they know I just scored another night! I called Dee and notified her she had been blessed with my presence one more night… After she returned from work we made our way to a few stores and picked up dinner. We ate, talked and laughed before I headed down to the beach for my nightly Vodka party. I knew it was the last one for the trip so I made it a really good one! When I got back she was getting ready to take a break from house work and asked if I wanted to go sit on her porch for a drink, uh…yeah! She has a couple Papasan Chairs which are great for relaxing, usually. We finished our drink but decided one more wouldn’t hurt before she finished up what she was doing and I looked through my days pictures. So, I come back out, refilled both our drinks and sat back down in my Papasan Chair. As I sat, the chair flipped completley backwards….yeah right, funny. I now lay there stuck, feet sticking straight up in the air, laughing so hard I fear peeing my pants. Deanna, being the best friend she is left me there as she ran to bathroom, (no sense in both of us being on the verge of wetting ourselves) she realized I was really stuck and at her mercy. “I’m going to vacuum real fast” she informs me. Still laughing, I couldn’t get the words out to argue. “It’s good for your back.” she says “This is what the rich people do to releive stress.” I hear her vacuuming, but it’s drown out by her laughter. “How’s your back Heid?” as she wraps the vacuum cord up and makes her way out towards me. Beleive it or not I was still laughing, wondering what the neighbors thought as they looked out their windows and see a tipped over Papasan with a 45 year old woman stuck in it, feet dangling in the air. She finally came to my rescue, I can happily say I still had dry pants!! Wednesday- I got up with Deanna at 5:45 and visited with her until she left for work at 7:30. Why I didn’t go back to bed after she left I don’t know….oh yes I do, it was my last morning there. My ride would be arriving at around 1:00 and I had to make best of the time I did have left. I took a quick walk down to the beach, it was beautiful. The water was calm yet the waves were ginormous! It looked like the perfect opportunity to get a quick hour of surfing in before I packed up. Walking back to the house, just as fast as that Papasan fell over, it donned on me, I don’t surf…. So breakfast and a shower were in order. I went in to grab that Toaster Strudel Dee had made me before she ran out the door. It was then I realized what she meant, “you snooze, you lose!” as she hugged me good-bye. She had eaten my Toaster Strudel! On to the shower…as I turn the water on there is a fireworks of water. The shower head had blown off the wall and there was water everywhere. I then remembered she had said something about that before she left. (I WOULD have probably understood her had her mouth not been full of MY Toaster Strudel!) I cleaned everything up and opted for a nice hot bath. Again, with camera in hand I headed back to the beach and planted my behind on a log and just watched the water. I snapped a picture here and there making sure I had enough memories to take home. Then I saw them…my trip was complete…dolphins!! Like always I begin shaking so bad I am unable to focus or even hold the camera still. I managed to get a few half-way-decent shots, I at least had proof I had seen them!
Before I knew it, my ride was closer and called for directions. I sat and thought about what a wonderful trip I had had. How an afternoon visit had turned into four days of fun and laughter. I had really “stepped outside my box” doing something so spontaneous, and I was happy I did! I sat and thought about how tired I was from my adventure… just as fast as that Papasan fell over, it donned on me, I have one day to get home and pack before I head to Phoenix! Part two coming

It has been a crazy, but wonderful week! What started out as a afternoon visit with a friend that lives in Ventura beach turned into a four day mini-vaca! Now I’m getting ready to head out to Phoenix for a week-end visit with my son!!! I’ll be back soon with pictures and tell you all about my adventures…this is why I couldn’t leave!

(click on image for larger view)

(click on image for larger view)

On my honor, I will try: to serve God and my country….Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so….in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice…grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can…I have the right to remain silent, anything I say can be used against me….I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States….I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth ….forgive me Father for I have sinned….bad boy, bad boy, what’cha gonna do when they come for you…

With racing thoughts and that feeling of an impending doom, the second it happened my body went into anxiety mode.

I then caught a quick glimpse of my future…..

Fortunately, the logical part of me stepped back in, and brought me back to reality.

You know the little things you would hear as a child, “if you step on a crack, you’ll break your mama’s back.” You’re pretty sure that’s not going to happen, but err with caution just in case. As an adult you know it’s not possible….but occasionally that inner child kicks back in. You find yourself, secretly making an effort to step over that crack ahead of you…for old times sake. When you first start noticing these hideous little things growing on your skin.
“They are freckles honey.”
“Well I don’t want freckles.”
“You don’t? Did you know that every time you get a new freckle, it means an Angel has kissed you?” So now you feel like the most loved child on earth. You begin to make a conscious effort to see if other kids had freckles….and how many. Now older and wiser, you know the truth but sometimes finding a new freckle can still bring a smile to your face.

I remember playing with a pillow one day while visiting my grandparents, holding it by the “tag” and dangling it around. My grandma said, “Be careful Annie, you might rip that off.” (Annie was my nickname growing up. It means “our favorite grandchild.” Or something.) I didn’t really know what the big deal was, but as usual, I complied. (that is how I earned all those Angel kisses!) Still playing around, obediently, I happened to look at the tag. That’s when I saw it, and it all made sense; Under Penalty of Law, This Tag Not To Be Removed. My grandma knew, she new what would happen to me if I ripped the “tag” off, I would go to jail! I had already pulled the “tag” off my very own pillow at home and now I’m a little worried. What if my mom found out…what if anyone found out? I held this little secret close to my heart for awhile, not even out of grade school and I was already a law-breaker. I eventually confided to my best friend. She laughed hysterically at me until I showed her the “tag” on her pillow. We read it together, Under Penalty of Law, This Tag Not To Be Removed, in smaller letters underneath it said, Except By The Consumer
“What’s a consumer?”
“I don’t know, I don’t think I’m old enough to be one though.”
It took some investigating, but I did find out….I was a consumer. Still didn’t really know what that meant, but I knew I was one of ‘em! So much for grandma wanting to spare my future as a convict, she was just worried about her damn pillow!

But the little “what if’s” remain. What if…I stepped on a crack, what if…the neighbor had more freckles than me, what if….I pulled the tag off my pillow? See the pattern? See it? Something is telling me O.C.D. has played a bigger part in my life than I care to admit! So yes, today, when I ACCIDENTALLY yanked the tag clean from my pillow. The second it happened my body went into anxiety mode, with racing thoughts and that feeling of an impending doom. But, I’m O.K, Annie’s O.K. As fast as the anxiety came, reality set back in.

Now older and (so much) wiser, I know the truth. But occasionally I like finding a new freckle or secretly making an effort to step over that crack ahead of me. Apparently I’m still working on that consumer/tag thing though.

As I finish writing this, I’m kinda feeling a little anxious again. Just wondering…did I unconsciously pass this down to another generation? I don’t remember, did I or didn’t I ever tell my kids that their stuffed animals don’t really turn into Angels that watch over them once they’re asleep? Do they know that the dancing light in the car isn’t really Tinkerbell, it’s the reflection from my watch? Do they know that it’s not really a law that you have to brush your teeth first thing in the morning? You know…they may even still wonder if the sun really hisses when it touches the ocean at sunset.

XOXO,

“My goal is to, at least once a week, practice a Random Act of Kindness. (R.A.K.) One that will put a smile on someone’s face or make their day a little brighter.”

So last week didn’t quite go as smooth as I thought it would….but I give myself an A for effort. This week’s goal was to call the manager of an establishment and commend them for their excellent customer service. I was beginning to think I needed to get a back up plan, as I really hadn’t been anywhere that woed me with the above and beyond factor. Then I went grocery shopping last night, and I was woed. This place has always provided good customer service, and it seems like  every time I go there they have stepped it up even more. Last night being no exception. After last weeks experience I decided not to call until today, after I had ran my errands and was home for day.
Once I was settled in and had all my “chores” done I sat down, started playing around on the computer and made my call. I don’t know who was happier when we hung up the phone, the manager or myself. She was caught completely off guard and I could tell by her reaction, it made her day a little brighter. («R.A.K.) Mission accomplished! 1+ Now I get on the computer and go in to a “discussion forum” I have been visiting these past few days. I have such strong thoughts and feelings about this and it’s interesting to see other peoples point of view. Because of the nature of the topic, and there are few known “facts” all you can really do is voice your opinions, thoughts, etc… It gets intense at times, but you just learn to agree to disagree….usually. Today somebody made a statement that completely crossed the line and offended many people. This “discussion” has now turned into a war of the words. I, giving this person the benefit of the doubt, explained that while she probably meant ……., the way it was worded came across as……. and that’s why people were so offended. («R.A.K.) 1=2 That didn’t quite turn out as I had hoped. Her response, “Shut the hell up you moron.” I guess the right thing to do  would have been to be the bigger person and let it go. Of course I had to remind her who the moron was. («cancels out R.A.K.) -1 (again, sorry mom!) Final count =1
Two steps forward-one step back, but I’m trying

….well plus the last seven = fourteen