Friday, Feb. 26, 2010

Friday night was our annual dinner auction fundraiser for our church Mexico Outreach Team (that will be going on their mission trip in April). Last year Cliff and I bid against each other on the very same guitar we donated this year. Cliff won and gave the guitar to me. I played it once! Our plan was to try to outbid everyone and redonate it year after year. As you can see, Steve Leeper was very interested in this guitar. When they called for the last 3 minutes of bidding, I got called aside by my pastor and our youth leader asking me questions about taking the auction money. It not only distracted me of my intent to make another bid on the guitar, but it also kept me from making a bid on the guitar. Then they called "No more bids, please. Bidding is closed." Steve and I had placed a few more bids not shown on the sheet above. People, I was very bummed...very, very bummed...I haven't been this bummed in many, many, years...I was so bummed, I almost cried buckets and buckets of loser tears! Steve Leeper, however, was a very happy man with MY GUITAR!!! I'm happy for you Steve "sniff, sniff".

After I almost cried buckets of loser tears, I was very happy with the very, very good news...(no, Steve did not give me back MY GUITAR) our Mexico Outreach Team now has $4,600 to add to their mission fund balance. God is good (but I'm still ticked about not getting my guitar back!). :0)

Lacee's First Homemade Bread

While Cliff was resting last night, Lacee asked me if I would teach her how to make homemade bread. I guess she relized that I wouldn't always be near her to make it, and it's one of her favorite homemade things (I use to bake it right before the kids would come home from school when they were young). She followed my instructions, and just look at how beautiful they turned out!! We got to have a taste last night, and they not only look good, but are delicious as well. We are having some of these rolls with our chili dinner tonight! YUM!

Cliff's Feeling Puny

Kind of a different Saturday for us. I had all kinds of plans, but didn't do one thing on my list except clean house some. I mainly tried to keep quiet while sick Cliff rested on the livingroom couch. He probably slept a good 5 hours straight. I made some homemade chicken soup when he woke. He's still sick, but he says he feels better. Lacee and I are hoping to avoid the punies.

Spring In Our Neighborhood

Happy Birthday Corry James!!

What a pleasure and blessing it has been to be Corry's parents! Happy Birthday, CJ!!!

Farewell!

Remember the Coffee Cart pictured several entries ago? Well, this is the very same cart, and there is a Mrs. Coffee Maker! Go figure!!! Well, before we left Monterey...before we said good-bye to our beloved California Coast...before we cried buckets of abandonment tears...Coffee Drinker decided to get one for the road.

The End!

Fisherman's Wharf

While at Fisherman's Wharf, we noticed a bit of a crowd holding up the line that just got off of a whale touring boat. It was a pelican, and he obviously was use to people coming and going. So, naturally everyone stopped to take a photo. I was a ways away, but wanted to get closer. I wanted a chance to take a photo of a pelican up close!!

But, there was this guy, Walter..."Walter, don't get too close to that bird!"

"Walter, hear me now! Do not, I say, DO NOT touch that bird!"

"Walter? Walter, can you see the tip of that bill? Walter, you are going to get hooked by that bill. Don't touch that bird!!!"

"Okay, Walter, you were lucky this time. But, never EVER touch a pelican again! Do you hear me, Walter? Walter??? That Walter is just like a kid." Personally, I think Walter was hard of hearing!!!

Last Stop...Monterey

I like these photos in a retro look...anyway, after we left the condo, as our getaway time was ending, Cliff and I decided to stop at Monterey one last time before going home. We made Fisherman's Wharf our last stop. As many times as we have been there, we never tire of it. the photos can speak for themselves.

Santa Cruz (Still at the Beach 020610)

On our way back from Pacifica...and El Granada...and Ano Nuevo State Reserve...we made a stop at Natural Bridges State Park. This was taken at a stop in between Natural Bridges and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Although I could see the surfers on the point, in the distance, I was very delighted they showed up in the photo. Truly a beautiful area.

More Beach...

As we continue our journey back to the condo, we made a couple more stops. We enjoyed the visual here with the crashing waves.

And we stopped here...Ano Nuevo State Reserve where they protect the wildlife and the land...looking out to the island (in which once was connected to the mainland) is the Ano Nuevo Lighthouse. The lighthouse was abandoned in 1948 and is left to the sea lions and elephant seals.

We saw this sign as we drove into the reserve...endangered gardner snakes?? Really??? Cliff was sure to obey the speed limit law...

El Granada's Treasure

The next day (still at the beach), we drove north to Pacifica just for fun, and on our way back we stopped at El Granada for lunch. We had no idea where to go since this was our first time there, but we got close to the ocean and just looked for a popular place, because we were sure the locals knew where there was good food. Well, we found this seafood shack (Barbara's Seafood Parlor) that was out of this world delicious, and also out of this world pricey, but we were on vacation...must I say more.

I fell in love with this pooch that was patiently waiting for his masters to return from the seafood shack. It must have been torture for him to smell the savory, delectable, distinctive, seafood entree aromas coming from the shack. I wanted to console this canine. Then dognap him!!!

Coffee and Creation

When we arrived in Monterey, we first visited Lover's Point, and from there we traveled around the Monterey Peninsula stopping at one of our favorite areas. It was gorgeous, but a bit nippy with the wind blowing. The coffee drinker was delighted to see this...

It was the cutest thing and every cup was hand made fresh, so standing in line was not for the impatient...

Look at that beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, and if you took the time to look, you'd see plenty of wildlife too. I totally believe that this little yellow delightful coffee cart was really a plan to deliberately slow people down so they would take in the beauty around them...it had nothing to do with coffee, really. Mark my word!

I think the coffee drinker was actually taking much pleasure in watching the coffee maker make his coffee...one cup at a time...so it was totally and completely fresh!! He missed the whole deliberate plan of attack, however. How could he be so single minded??? It's just a cup of coffee!

Finally! The wait was now behind the coffee drinker! He appears to be best friends with the coffee maker...beams of dialogue between the beloved coffee maker and the coffee drinker were well noted. Did they not realize God's fantabulous creation behind them??? Come on, people! Look around and soak in the goodness!!

"Slurp!" I discovered something that day, the coffee drinker can do two things at once...drink coffee and drink in God's goodness all around him! Brilliantly talented, that man is, brilliantly!!