Then & Now

Rich and I met in January 1980. We both worked for Capitol Records, him in LA, me in Illinois and he came to my plant to lead a project designing an online computer system for the department I managed. The project was groundbreaking so we ended up talking a lot on the phone after he returned to LA and over time became good friends. Fast forward six years and those phone calls led to our January 1986 marriage (mine is a real life fairy tale!). Leaving LA yesterday, we drove past the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood remembering our "Then" and I got this shot from the freeway.

Our CA BFFs, Bill and Deanne, both worked at Capitol in LA too. We all got married at the same time (quite a story, that!) and celebrated our 26th anniversary together last Friday. Yesterday we all drove to San Diego where we are parked near Mission Bay in our RVs for a few days. Here is what our "Now" looks like.

Dora and Bella are vying for Bill's attention...

...as Deanne looks on.

This looks much like snow on the page here but actually it is the waters of Mission Bay reflecting the sunset early yesterday evening.

About a half hour later the Bay looked like this from our RV Park.

Lovin' Life ~~ Then and Now!

Even More Deliciousness

What a week! Since Monday afternoon I have been in touch with six of the folks who worked with me at the college, my neighbor gifted me with her special meatballs, I played cards with friends two nights, Dora had surgery, I had dinner with a former co-worker, had a bizarre "it's a small world" encounter with someone from our family's past, discovered a local El Pollo Loco restaurant, completed some of my party planning tasks, made RV park reservations for the trip we're taking the grands on while they are here, exchanged a million texts and calls with my grands, and just closed the week with a delightful catching-up-on-all-that's-new several-hours-long lunch with a great friend from the college.

We finally relinquished our table when the dinner crowd started piling in...seriously.

She even brought me an early birthday gift since we only see each other a couple of times a year (gotta work on improving that!).

Her gift wrapping is always exquisite, even when the gifts are in a darling bag like this butterfly one, but I forgot to take a picture before opening the photo album. I suppose y'all are drooling over the delectable oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She is a great baker; her baked goods are what I have missed more than anything else in that office! And just look, I couldn't keep Rich out of them long enough to finish taking pictures!

Lovin' Life ~~ Good Friends; Delicious Gifts

Bev

Happy Trails...Another Awesome April 30th!!!

I should start having contests and awarding prizes like the big girl bloggers because who among you can name this person?

Not you, Bev, you can't enter this contest
...silly girl.

It only occurred to me a couple of evenings ago that, twice now, April 30th has been an auspicious day in my life. Yes, that is me in the photo below which was taken on April 30, 1986.

In this photo I am holding gifts and a cake that I received at my going away party that day. After 13 years at Capitol Records-EMI Music, April 30th was my last day before leaving to join Rich in LA. We had married in January and then I returned home to settle all the details of moving the kids and I. That included giving several months notice upon my return from our wedding and working until April 30th.

That was 1986 and the beginning of the most awesome 24 years imaginable.

Not that, for all their fabulousness, the years haven't take a toll. Here I am now. Again, with no thought whatsoever about any pattern or coincidence, I gave notice in mid-January and then on April 30th I left the college after spending 13 years there too. Do you see a pattern here? A bit of déjà vu?

This time my going away party was to celebrate my retirement; Rich and I both retired yesterday! I can only hope and dream that MOAO and I will have another 24 years to enjoy our life together. To launch the next 24 years with the same sense of adventure and desire to explore that has led to so much fun and provided so many opportunities throughout the years, we are leaving soon for the Florida Keys. This will be the first of hopefully many trips in our RV with the girls and our grandkids.

A Magical Evening!

Last evening Mar treated us to a performance of RAGTIME at Drury Lane Theatre in celebration of our retirement....five more work days...yahootey! We had not seen this musical before and thoroughly enjoyed the story, the cast, the music, and the venue. Previously, R & I had only attended one production at Drury Lane; we are fortunate to be able to enjoy such fine theatre without driving into the city.

After the theatre, we shared a late dinner at Labriola. Oh my...we tried a slice of cheese pizza, a slice of fennel sausage pizza, a meatball sandwich, and a prosciutto wrapped chicken sandwich. And the fries...oh the fries! On the way out we got a cup of chocolate chip gelato to share on the drive...delicious, like everything else we had there. A return visit is definitely on our to-do list.

Thanks Mar for such a magical evening ~ an awesome retirement celebration treat!

Oh yeah, even though it should go without saying, I'm going to say it anyway. There is no paid advertising on this lil ole blog o'mine. Who would pay me? My readership is about twelve family and friends...all of whom I am so grateful for because I love doing this. Anything I feature here, we simply enjoy as consumers.

Stressed. Depressed. Blessed!

Stressed.

I'll be retiring on April 30th. For several years I've been essentially a one-person function in an office with a tremendous amount of staff turnover. That resulted in my knowing pretty much everything about everything in our area. Over the past year, the administration has changed with a new President of the institution and two new VPs in our department. Since the new folks don't know that they don't know what they don't know, all my pleas for a schedule of times that I can provide training, insight, history, etc. have fallen on deaf ears. Me being me = Stressed.

Depressed.

The changes at work include many new VP positions in addition to the four we had for many years. The primary role of some new administrators seems to be the elimination of staff. A few of the folks are leaving voluntarily after accepting a puny early retirement offering figuring that something is better than nothing. Others who are leaving have simply been terminated. I have worked with these fine people for many years. The last day for all of them is June 30th, fiscal year end, so at least I won't be there for that sad day. Me being me = Depressed.

Blessed!

Not only am I retiring at the absolutely most opportune time to be leaving there...not only am I able to retire at the "young" age of 60...not only is Rich also retiring the same day...not only are we looking forward to endless unscheduled days together...not only are we planning some great RV trips...not only do we still love the home we built 11 years ago...not only do we have great friends...not only do we have fun times with mom, Pauline, siblings, in-laws, nephews, nieces, etc...not only am I still madly in love with my husband after 24 years of marriage...not only do we have two great kids...but...perhaps the very best part of my life at this stage is the joy brought to our lives by our three grandkids! I wish there were words to express how much fun we have together and what a gift it is to travel, explore, experience the world along with them. The very best part of me being me...Blessed!